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Remembered Today:

Muerrisch's Guide to rank badges


Muerrisch

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things have got a bit side-tracked, but that's life, can't be Grumpy all the time.

Off on third [!] honeymoon until the end of the week.

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Grumpy

I don't know if this is the sort of thing you are looking for, I have a number of cards where various combinations are worn.

Let me know if you want more like this.

regards

John

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things have got a bit side-tracked, but that's life, can't be Grumpy all the time.

Off on third [!] honeymoon until the end of the week.

Are you starting to mellow? Acceptance of digression???

TM

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Grumpy

I don't know if this is the sort of thing you are looking for, I have a number of cards where various combinations are worn.

Let me know if you want more like this.

regards

John

Oh yes please!

As for mellowing, its too soon to say: my wife is a better judge of that!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Another one for you Grump.

This came with a 1906 Cap belonging to a soldier in the RGA, but looking in John Bodsworth's book the sealed patterns for Greatcoats had this style of stripe so maybe they were intended for use on Greatcoats.

I have a Sergeants one too somewhere but thought this would be good enough to be going on with. Accompanied by a photograph of a L/Cpl of the Suffolks with them on his Greatcoat.

Also a photo of a WO of the Suffolk Yeomanry wearing the large crown on his cuff.

.

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post-20062-1269864812.jpg post-20062-1269864785.jpg

Hope this helps, JG

Hi John,

Thanks for that - only just spotted your post.

Andrew and his group represent 33rd Battalion MGC - not 33 Company.

In February 1918 the three MGC Companies (each named after the Brigade to which they were attached) in each Division were merged to form single MGC Battalions, named after the Division.

33 Division contained the 98 Company MGC, 100 Company MGC, 19 Company MGC, and later, 248th Company MGC.

33 Company MGC were the MG Company of the 33rd Brigade in 11th Division and duly became part of 11th Battalion MGC on 28th February 1918.

Sorry Grump. I hope you are still mellowing!

Cheers,

Taff

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Thanks for that - only just spotted your post.

Andrew and his group represent 33rd Battalion MGC - not 33 Company.

Psst, you mustn't say "his" group, there was some misunderstanding a few years ago on this very issue, now to avoid confusion I always make sure I say "the group of which I'm a member" :blush: Did you get my recent emails about the extra Angels kit?

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Hi Grumpy,

Sorry for taking so long to post more I have been to visit my new Grand Daughter in Germany.

The attached was posted on 14-8-14 on Hounslow Heath and shows WO's and Sgts of B Squadron 1 County of London yeomanry.

Have a look at the Rank badge of the man seated right four stripes and a crown?

helps with the photo

regards

John

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"Psst, you mustn't say "his" group, there was some misunderstanding a few years ago on this very issue, now to avoid confusion I always make sure I say "the group of which I'm a member" Did you get my recent emails about the extra Angels kit?"

Sorry Andrew.

"Send Three and Fourpence... !"

Cheers,

Taff

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4 chevrons point up, lower sleeve, and a crown was pre-war unique [well, almost unique, excluding Household Cavalry and Pipe Majors Foot Guards] badge for an Acting Sergeant-Major of Militia/ SR; VF/TF .... acting because it was usually a regular CSgt or QMS posted in.

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Hi,

Heres another one of interest, The WOs and Sgts Mess 26th TF Bn DLI.

The Pioneer Sgt is 6/2341 Sgt William Eddy and still hangs on to his Black Cap Badge.

Although the Battalion wasn't formed until 1/1/17 the Sergeant sitting on the ground still wears the TF stars on his right wrist.

regards

John

post-27843-1271531579.jpg

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I have decided to tackle the project in instalments.

It might be as well if I posted an instalment, sat back and waited for reaction AS PMs please, not in the thread, incorporated any criticisms as an Edit, and then put up the next instalment.

PLEASE THEREFORE STAND WELL BACK AND KEEP COMMENT OFF THE THREAD IF YOU WILL.

Rank and Appointments for soldiers below commissioned rank in the Great War.

Introduction.

This series of notes will concentrate, but not exclusively, on the infantry of the regular army. In this context ‘regular’ includes all Special Reservists, all recalled Reservists, all volunteers in the New Armies, and, eventually, all conscripts.

On 4th August 1914 there were nine rank groupings. The King’s Regulations [KR] Para 282 list them as follows [i, ii, and vii below were not infantry ranks. For the purpose of this introduction I have simplified the list and excluded, for example, Household Cavalry ‘Corporal’-based equivalents].

Warrant Officer [not included in the rank numbering series]

i. Master Gunner 3rd class RA

ii. Army Schoolmaster when not a warrant officer

iii. Quartermaster -serjeant

iv. Colour-serjeant

v. Serjeant

vi. Corporal

vii. Bombardier RA and 2nd Corporal RE

viii. Private.

Boy was the lowest of the low, any soldier before his 18th birthday, and he was included in the headcount of Privates for official purposes, Establishments etc.

Essentially, rank determined the basic pay of the soldier, and he could not be deprived of it without a formal administrative process, such as Court Martial or other prescribed procedure. KR at this time maintained the old seniority structure whereby, rank for rank, a Regular was senior to a Special Reservist who in turn was senior to a member of the Territorial Force. This distinction was subsequently abolished.

I shall deal with each rank from the bottom up, list the available appointments, make a few comments and describe any badges of significance.

Private and Boy.

A Boy had to enlist for a specific ‘trade’ [for want of a better description] and was not allowed to transfer if engaged as a tailor, shoemaker or saddler. If he was taken as a trumpeter, drummer, bugler [Rifles and Light Infantry], piper or bandsman, transfers to other occupations were possible. The minimum age [Regulars] was 14 and they became army men at their 18th official birthday, which was the date they offered on enlistment. It was usual for Boys to be required to give proof of age and parental permission. Boys enlisted for nine years plus three years on the Regular Reserve, unless they were to be tailors or shoemakers, who undertook to serve twelve years with the colours and with no reserve liability. The maximum number of Boys allowed on the establishment of a battalion was 16 as band or drums, and four as tradesmen. No specific regulation has been traced that sanctions the wearing by Boys of ‘trade’ appointment badges, but they certainly did so. A Boy was paid 8d per day, 4d less than the minimum for a Private, so there was an incentive to lie about one’s age. Boys could and did go on Active Service in their trade/ appointment, with the Commanding Officer’s approval.

Privates held rank as:

Trooper [Cavalry], gunner RA, Driver RA, Sapper RE, and Pioneer RE. Note that the widespread ‘Rifleman’ had no official sanction until after the war, nor were modernisms such as Guardsman or Fusilier etc. listed. An infantry Private or bandsman earned 1/1- per day, and drummer, piper, bugler earned 1d more. Drummers were not officially ‘Rank and File’, which was up to full Corporal but excluded Drummers and their equivalents. In Line Infantry and the Foot Guards, a Drummer had to master drum, bugle and flute [fife] and usually carried two out of the three instruments.

In the next instalment I will deal with the appointments and the associated badges of Boys and Privates.

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A recruit would be sent to the Depôt where he was clothed and equipped and his training would begin with the recruits’ musketry course. After that he would usually be sent to the home service battalion in the first instance. The length of service to which he was initially committed was seven years with the colours and five years subsequently as a regular reservist. This total of twelve years commitment was called the ‘first term of engagement’. The ratio of colour to reserve service had been frequently altered: seven and five until May 1902 , then three and nine [AO 73/02 and 117/02] until November 1904, nine and three [AO 189/04] until September 1906 [AO 209/06] when it reverted to seven and five. Provided a soldier was of good character and had made a modicum of career progression he could extend both colour and reserve commitment, or opt to do all twelve years with the colours. When a soldier was due to pass to the Reserve or be discharged the Sovereign reserved the right, usually exercised, to insist on an extra year’s service. This was legal if the soldier was serving overseas, or if a state of war existed. Assuming that a soldier’s services were wanted by his commanding officer [CO], he could go on to complete 21 years for pension. He could also buy himself out, cheaply if untrained, and at a cost of £25 later in his service. This was a large sum and beyond the means of most.

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Appointments for Privates.

By far the most important career move a soldier could make was to be appointed Lance-Corporal. This appointment was deliberately ephemeral: a Commanding Officer could revert the man to Private at the stroke of a pen. Soldiers’ records frequently show that a man went up and down and up and down in his early years, before he settled. Drink was often the reason given on his regimental conduct sheet. In the pre-war army, once the single chevron of the Lance-Corporal was sewn on the sleeve, a soldier was required to associate with men at that level and above, and never to mix with his old companions …… harsh, but certainly enforced in some regiments. Lance-Corporals were usually addressed as ‘Corporal’, and were not, in the first instance, paid any more than a Private. Thus they had responsibility, social exclusion, and no compensation until the Commanding Officer was satisfied, at which point the man could be made ‘paid Lance-Corporal’. These paid appointments were limited in number, and attracted an extra 3d per day. In the Foot Guards, a paid Lance-Corporal was slightly better off, at 1/4- per day, and wore two chevrons, not the single one in the remainder of the infantry. There was no permanence in being paid: again, the appointment could be removed immediately, and thus was not a ‘full rank’. In the Artillery, the single chevron was indeed a rank badge, bombardier, and the Engineers had their equivalent, a 2nd Corporal.

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The full list of other appointments for Private soldiers was a very long one, and reflected all the specialisms that a modern army needed. Those with an associated badge, to be worn on the upper right sleeve, and made of gilding metal [“brass”] almost without exception since 1905, were as follows.[Combining the information in KR and Clothing Regulations 1914 [CR]].

Artificer, smith hammer and pincers

Bandsman crown over lyre with wreath*

Bugler bugle, or crossed bugles [Rifles and Light Infantry]

Drummer and Fifer drum

Pioneer, infantry crossed hatchets

Saddler bit*

Saddletree maker no badge specified, but might well have worn the bit

Shoeing and carriage-smith horseshoe [open end down]

Trumpeter trumpets crossed [bell up, usually but not invaraiably]

Wheeler wheel

[Layer, RA] not listed as an appointment, but officially it was, with a worsted badge of L in wreath

* not to be worn by cavalry

Note that Scouts 1st and 2nd class were also appointed to infantry and cavalry, and wore the fleur-de-lys badge except infantry in India, and that pipers, as far as can be ascertained, had no official badge ….. indeed, demi-official pipe badges only emerged late in the war.

Collar-maker, Farrier, and Carpenter are not listed as possible appointments for Privates, nor are the various assistant instructor posts or Rough Rider. These badges will be described for more senior rank appointments. The Geneva Cross was in the nature of an appointment badge for all Other Ranks of the RAMC, worn on both arms.

Illustrations to follow

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and a few more:

S in wreath is India: Infantry scout.

The large band badge is for the Bandmaster.

The Fleur-de-Lys with cross bar is for First Class Scout. Two sizes were made, the smaller one was the later version.

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Corporal and equivalent

Corporal was the first substantive [full] rank, except for RA and RE, who had the extra grading of Bombardier/ 2nd Corporal. Corporal rank was paid at 1/8- per day in the infantry, and the badge was 2 chevrons, to be worn on both arms. It was usually the lowest rank that could be appointed to the various Assistant Instructor [AI] posts, although Lance-Corporals could be AI-signalling, and wear the crossed flags badge over the chevrons. Corporals were disqualified from wearing Good Conduct Badges, being deemed above the fray.

Corporals in some regiments wore a badge of regimental design over the chevrons, particularly in the cavalry, although some regiments reserved this privilege for Sergeants and above. As examples, the Grenadier Guards had the grenade badge, and the Household Cavalry the crown. It was customary for Guards Corporals to be appointed Lance-Sergeant, which will be dealt with later.

The Corporal appointments other than Lance-Sergeant that were badged were:

Artificer

Band

Farrier and Carriage-smith ASC

Fitter

Saddler

Saddle-tree maker

Shoeing-smith

Carriage-smith

Smith

Wheeler

Rough Rider [not listed in KR] who wore a spur.

Gymnastics [not listed] crossed swords, hilt down

AI Signalling [not listed] crossed signalling flags

And the job titles were either ‘Corporal ……..’ or ‘……. Corporal’ according to custom.

KR paragraph 282 states that the grant of an appointment conferred the appropriate rank. Thus a vacancy for a Cook-Corporal could either be filled by a pre-existing full rank, or by promoting into the appointment. What KR does not make clear is that, under some circumstances, it seems that a Temporary or Acting appointment could be made that conferred Temporary or Acting Rank, not necessarily attracting the pay until confirmed. This might be particularly so on Active Service where essential posts have perforce to be filled without much ceremony.

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Education

Before looking at further career progression, it is worthwhile considering a soldier’s education and training. Staying with the infantryman, his basic military training syllabus lasted 6 months at the Depot, after which he was allocated - “posted” to a unit. Other arms of the service might need even longer, as the cavalry had to cope with the man and the horse, and the Artillery with man, horse and an artillery piece. Thereafter, he was subjected to an annual ritual of training which started at individual level, then groups of soldiers working under a Lance-Corporal or Corporal on drills such as “Fire and Movement”, then Platoon work under the Sergeant and/ or the Subaltern, then Company, then Battalion, and, occasionally, higher formations still. He was required to reclassify in Musketry each year. Some specialisms attracted the best recruits: signalling required a good degree of intelligence and literacy, scouting required an eye for country and endurance, pioneering a facility with tools. In each case, and in cookery, shoe mending and a dozen other skills, the army could teach a man and had schools of instruction.

It also wanted its soldiers to be literate and numerate, in stark contrast to the army as recently as the Crimean War.

This is a quotation from an earlier offering on the Forum, which summarises matters better than I can. When I can find it, I will acknowledge the original contributor!

Some further background on certificates of education

In 1861 a new inducement towards learning was the army certificate of education. On the recommendation of the Council of Military Education three levels or standards were set out and were linked with promotion in the ranks.

The third-class certificate specified the standard for promotion to the rank of corporal: the candidate was to read aloud and to write from dictation passages from an easy narrative, and to work examples in the four compound rules of arithmetic and the reduction of money.

A second-class certificate, necessary for promotion to sergeant, entailed writing and dictation from a more difficult work, familiarity with all forms of regimental accounting, and facility with proportions and interest, fractions and averages.

First-class certificates were a great deal more difficult and were required for commissions from the ranks. Successful candidates had to read and take dictation from any standard author; make a fair copy of a manuscript; demonstrate their familiarity with more complicated mathematics, except cube and square root and stocks and discount; and as well prepare for examination in at least one of a number of additional subjects. After 1887 candidates were examined in British history and geography in place of a special subject. First-class certificates were awarded on the results of periodic examinations held by the Council (later Director-General) of Military Education. Second and third-class certificates were presented on the recommendations of the Army schoolmaster.

• SKELLEY, A.R. The Victorian Army At Home: The Recruitment and Terms and Conditions of the British Regular, 1859-1899. Mc Gill-Queen’s University Press, Montreal, 1977, p. 94, 95, and 311.

I would add that, from the introduction of Proficiency Pay in 1905/6, any soldier wishing to receive the enhanced rate needed at least the Third Class.

Our man, having reached Corporal by means of an Army Certificate, a period of minor responsibility as a Lance-Corporal, and acquiring some skills of man-management, fieldcraft, and endurance, might have taken many years to achieve this, or only a few months. It was possible for a Grammar School boy to whistle through the 3rd and 2nd class certificates and become, for example, a Corporal Assistant-Instructor Signalling in 18 months. Promotion to Sergeant would usually take rather longer, with some Commanding Officers being very conservative, and others progressive and always with an eye to having a unit with young and active Senior Non-Commissioned Officers {SNCOs].

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Lance-Sergeant

Apart from the Foot Guards, this appointment for a full Corporal was abolished in 1946. In some units, it conferred a limited membership of the Sergeants’ Mess, enabling a young soldier to mix with, and learn from, his betters in a social setting. The Lance-Sergeant might be ‘paid’ or ‘unpaid’. If the latter, he received his basic pay as a full Corporal. If the former, he was paid an extra 4d, bringing him to 2/-, double that of the Private. He wore three chevrons on the upper arm, and on formal parades he could usually be distinguished only by the absence of a full Sergeant’s scarlet sash [Although, as ever, the Foot Guards had other distinctions]. He would expect to be addressed as Sergeant, and would do duty on Sergeants’ rosters such as Guard, Picquet, Orderly.

The Household Cavalry had no use for the noun Sergeant, and had only various grades of Corporal, which, of themselves, could form the basis of a separate article.

It was useful to have Lance-Sergeants scattered in the specialisms: the Signals often had one, and the Transport Section, and the Drums, thus assisting an orderly succession of leadership.

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Sergeant

Sometimes ‘Serjeant’, which usage was being maintained in KR 1914.

A Sergeant had arrived, so to say. He belonged to a Mess, which enabled him to mix with his seniors and the Sergeant-Major . He had a specific job, a job-description in modern management terms, and was one of the 50 most senior Other Ranks in a battalion [at War Establishment] of about 1000.

He frequently commanded a Platoon [there were 16 Platoons, and there was always a shortage of qualified subalterns, even when the BEF sailed to war], he might be 2ic Signallers and Assistant Instructor, 2ic Transport, 2ic Machine Guns, 2ic Battalion Scouts. There were Sergeants in charge of battalion cooking, tailoring, shoemaking and repair, pioneering, the regimental police, and sundry other tasks. Some Sergeant posts carried status exalted above Sergeant, with a more elaborate Full Dress scarlet tunic of better quality. They included the ‘Music Major’ ie. the Drum-, Bugle-, Trumpet-, or Pipe-Major, more correctly entitled the Sergeant Drummer etc. at that date. Such worthies carried a sword on formal parades, and wore the old Staff Sergeant First Class badge of 4 chevrons point up, on the cuff, with a suitable musical instrument badge above. The band Sergeant, under the Bandmaster, was also usually clothed to a higher standard in Full Dress, but had the conventional badges.

The basic pay of a Sergeant of infantry was 2/4- per day, and his badge, of three chevrons worn upper arm with point down had changed little since 1800. [strictly, it is an inverted chevron, as the heraldic chevron has the point uppermost]. The scarlet sash of full sergeants was of wool, whereas that of Warrant Officers was a deeper crimson and of superior material.

I will attach illustrations to include the crossed swords of the Gymnastic Instructor, and the crossed flags of the Assistant Instructor Signalling.

In the Household Cavalry, the rank at the Sergeant level was Corporal-of-Horse, three chevrons surmounted by the regimental crown badge, and in other cavalry there was usually a regimental badge in silver worn with the chevrons. The RA Sergeant wore a gun [called ‘the gun badge’] above his ranking, and the RE wore the traditional grenade. Grenadier Guards Sergeants were called ‘Gold Sergeants’ and wore the grenade above their ranking.

A man could expect to put some hard yards in as a Sergeant before earning any more promotion, so this is a good point to pause and invite feedback, disagreement, amplification.

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Crossed swords: PTI, crossed flags AI Sigs [and qualified signaller worn left cuff], both varieties rough-rider spurs.

Crossed swords: PTI, crossed flags AI Sigs [and qualified signaller worn left cuff], both varieties rough-rider spurs.

whoops: not to scale .... not quite!

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