The rank structure within the Royal Regiment can cause confusion around lance bombardiers / bombardiers and corporals, not to mention that the gun above a sergeant stripes means every body thinks he is a staff sergeant.

A very interesting ACI appears from Kevin adds further to this confusion !!!

For anyone who may be interested I will post the ACI 1743 instruction dated 30th November 1917. This is the reference one most often sees in gunners records. This has been crossed out on the page, in red, reading "153961 AI Canceled ACO 699/nil" or that's what I think it says. Obviously this later changed.

1743. Alteration in Nomenclature of Appointments in the Royal Artillery

1. Owing to the operations of ACI 1701 of 1916 and ACI 337 of 1917 only granting "acting" ranks and appointments respectively at home, it is necessary to alter the nomenclature for the appointment of "acting bombardier" shown in King's Regulations, para. 282 (vii), for clearly defining the rank of bombardier and the appointment of acting bombardier.

2. From the date of this ACI the appointment of "acting bombardier" will be changed to "lance-bombardier." The necessary amendments to King's Regulations, &c., will be issued in due course.

3. The titles which have been used in making entries in documents and those to be used in future for promotions to the rank of bombardier and appointments to lance-bombardier are detailed as under:-

Old Title. ----------------------------------- New Title.

Bombardier ----------------------------------- Bombardier

Acting (full) bombardier --------------------- Acting bombardier

Paid acting Bombardier -----------------------Paid lance-bombardier

----------------------------------------------Acting paid lance-bombardier

Unpaid acting bombardier ---------------------Unpaid lance-bombardier

7/Gen.No./8290 (A.G. 4a)

Given there are other ACIs and AOs to look up the use of Lance-Bombardier during the war still needs clarifying.

Thanks for the look up Paul.

Kevin

Source: Lance Bombardier & Bombardier in the RA

Steve identifies he has a chap who changes rank when going on leave.......

....

Although the ACI was issued in 1917, on wonders if it was the 1920's before everyone figured out what it was about. !!!!!

I could certainly see it being actioned in a piecemeal fashion as Battery Commanders et all were trying to sort it out, handle the soldiers inquiries, and get the paperwork done. No doubt there would have been a return to fill in, no numbers would agree between some establishment figure and the battery returns ,leading to the inevitable questions from some poor staff captain tasked with personnel matters at a HQ somewhere.

At this stage it would be easier to have some one at a rank in the unit, but a different externally., and get on with the operational task.

So wonder what rank this chap is...