Wachtmeister was a cavalry rank of the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces (1867–1918). It was comparable to Cavalry Mster-sergeant in Anglophone armed forces. In the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces Wachtmeister was equivalent to: Beschlagmeister I. Klasse (Master-Blacksmith 1st class) cavalry, Feldwebel (en: Master-sergeant) infantry, Feuerwerker (Master-sergeant) artillery, Oberjaeger (Master-Sergeant) of the mountain troops, Rechnungs-Unteroffizier I. Klasse (Fiscal master-sergeant 1st class), Regimentshornist (Regiment bugler), Regimentstambour (Regiment drummer), Waffenmeister I. Klasse (Weapon master 1st class) artillery and weapon arsenal, Einjährig-Freiwilliger-Feldwebel (Feldwebel – volunteer serving one year), and Kadett-Feldwebel (Officers-Aspirant). Then rank insignia was a gorget patch on the stand-up collar of the so-called Waffenrock (en: tunic), and consisted of three white stars on 13 mm ragged yellow silk galloon. The gorget patch and the stand-up collar showed the particular Waffenfarbe (en: corps colour). Examples (selection) Germany Similarly to the company sergeant major appointment to army units (de: Kompaniefeldwebel / popularly: Spiess), the NCOs with port épée on board larger warships wears the designation «Wachtmeister». Among other responsibilities, he might be required to deal with S1 (coordinating staff area – personnel service) obligations. Assigned to this role will be experienced port épée NCOs up to the rank of Hauptbootsmann (OR7) or higher. In the German army ground forces, the designation of the Feldwebel rank of Cavalry and Artillery was the «Wachtmeister» until 1945. In the GDR National People´s Army (NPA), the «Wachtmeister» was replaced by Feldwebel in 1970. In the Imperial German Navy, Reichsmarine, and Kriegsmarine, the lowest port épée NCO rank of the sea operations divisions was named «Wachtmeister» as well. However, the equivalent rank of land operations divisions was named Feldwebel. National People's Army In the GDR National People's Army (NPA) the «Wachtmeister» was replaced by the universal rank designation Feldwebel. The equivalent rank of the Volksmarine (en: GDR Navy) was the Meister of the Volksmarine. Poland In Poland, "Wachmistrz" was a sergeant serving in cavalry. Russia To the Russian Army «Wachtmeisterr» (ru: Ва́хмистр / Vakhmistr) was already adopted in 1711, as to the order of the Tsar Peter the Great. Until 1877 there were unofficially also the ranks «Starshij vakhmistr» (ru: Старший ва́хмистр) and «Mladshij vakhmistr» (ru: Младший ва́хмистр) in order to provide a discrimination to the so-called platoon NCOs (ru: Vsvodnji unter-officer). The «Wachtmeister» was responsible for providing support to the troop commander, which normally was Rittmeister (cavalry captain OF2-rank). To his duty responsibilities counted among others basic unit training, command task