Sentence:  ...while the commissioned  officers wore their rank badges, of the same kind and size as they wear them nowadays on their shoulderflaps (one to four short golden stripes for the second lieutenant, the lieutenant, the captain and the commandant respectively, three golden stripes with two silver ones <WSD>interspected</WSD> between them for the lieutenant-colonel, five golden stripes for a full colonel, two stars equidistant from the cuff rim for a brigadier, ... 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To appear at intervals within