Lance corporal
Lance corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many English-speaking armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal.
Etymology
The presumed origin of the rank of lance corporal derives from an amalgamation of "corporal" from the Italian phrase capo corporale ("head of the body") with the now-archaic lancepesade, which in turn derives from the Italian lancia spezzata, which literally means "broken lance" or "broken spear", formerly a non-commissioned officer of the lowest rank. It can be translated as "one who has broken a lance in combat", and is therefore a leader. Other sources claim that it referred to a knight who had broken his lance and lost his horse, and thus had to join a foot company temporarily; or to gendarmerie who could no longer afford to fight on horseback and formed a foot unit.
Etymology
"Lance" or "lances fournies" was also a term used in medieval Europe to denote a unit of soldiers (usually three or six men).
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