Hello Christina, This stuff is indeed confusing. Here's what I've hobbled together, based on what the PSNI provided for the one record that I have and from one of Mr. Herlihy's books: Promotions/Reductions: P.I.S/C = Promotion from Sub-Constable 2nd Class to Sub-Constable 1st Class R.I.S/C = Reduction from Sub-Constable 1st Class back to Sub-Constable 2nd Class (confusing!!) Rewards: 3 F/R =3rd Class Favourable Reward H.Y.S = Half-Yearly Supplement, which indicated publication of an award in the twice-yearly RIC's 'magazine' that all the men received. Here's what I *think* may be the ranks, but not 100% sure.... Ranks: Pre-1883 After 1883 ==================================================== Sub-Constable 2nd Class Constable Sub-Constable 1st Class Constable Acting Constable Acting Sergeant Constable Sergeant Head Constable Head Constable Sub-Inspector 3rd Class Sub-Inspector 3rd Class A rank followed by "(M)", meant he was in one of the Mounted Troops. Any budding writers out there with time to spend at the Garda or PSNI Museum's, please put me down on the list of buyers when you publish "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the RIC". John in NC On 2015/03/15 11:04 , Christina Hunt wrote: > John, > Do you have a list of abbreviations for ranks. I tried to find this on > the web but what I found did not correspond to some of the > abbreviations. I was thinking of adding it to our R.I.C. pages for > researchers. > > BTW, my search for an RIC Constable came from a family member who said > my husband's ancestor was Police Chief of Dublin. LOL > > Chris > > John Olson-Kennedy via wrote: >> Another key point that the PSNI museum was able to sort out for me was >> the rank. Family lore had passed down the title of "Sargent O'Neill" >> for my gg-grandfather, but the records show his highest rank as >> constable. The museum was able to tell me that the ranks were changed >> in 1883 so that what had been a constable by the old system was a >> sargent under the new. >