Muerrisch's Guide to rank badges

[Chief_Chum]

Waiting with baited breath...

[Muerrisch]

OK, it seems I have 2 readers!

[truthergw]

Three

[Muerrisch]

Oh! well, three is it?

Better get cracking.

[Tyneside Chinaman]

No No its Four

Keep it up very interesting

John

[Muerrisch]

Sergeant appointments other than infantry.

These were many and various. In the Household Cavalry, C-o-H Trumpeter, Farrier-C-o-H, Paymaster-C-o-H, Saddler-C-o-H, all with equivalent ‘Sergeant’ titles in the line cavalry. The Gunners had no specific one other than sergeant artillery clerk, but each piece [gun] usually had a Sergeant as the commander, two such under a subaltern, comprising a Section. There were many types of Sergeant-Instructor, there were Flight-Sergeants RFC [yes, one down on the present status], Fitters, smiths and Carriage-smiths ad infinitum.

Colour-Sergeant.

Hitherto, a Colour-Sergeant had enjoyed the ‘honourable distinction of attending the Colours’ and getting shot at, in a role first defined in 1813. The badge had evolved [deteriorated, more like] from early forms depicting crossed swords and Colour and Crown to a utilitarian stripped-down version on SD of a small crown over three chevrons. Only on the scarlet tunic did the elaborate badge remain, and, after war was declared, even that became a rarity except on Foot Guards, where each regiment has a different design. The exception is the Grenadier Guards, whose Colour-Sergeants cling to a notional old badge on SD with, in sequence, three chevrons, grenade, crossed swords and crown above.

A Colour-Sergeant’s basic infantry pay was 3/6- per day, and his primary duty was to be the senior soldier in each [old] company of the [old] eight-company battalion, and to be the Pay-Sergeant. To this day, the Foot Guards call the Colour-Sergeant the Pay Sergeant. Private Frank Richards, famous author of Old Soldiers Never Die, wrote of his pre-war time in India:

“Although all gambling was strictly prohibited, even the most regimental of the N.C.O.s in the Second Battalion [RWF] always winked an eye at it. Most of them were fond of a gamble themselves and on the line of march every one of them had a flutter now and then - with the exception of the Regimental Sergeant-Major and the Colour-Sergeants, who had their dignity to keep up”.

The reorganisation of the infantry, begun in 1913 and not completed until 1915, meant that the four new double-companies would have had two Colour-Sergeants, clearly undesirable. There was, however, adequate precedent for an appointment called ‘Company Sergeant-Major’ in other arms of service [the Artillery and the Engineers, for example], so, without promoting any soldiers, and with only the slightest disbursement of extra pay to 4/0- , the senior four Colour-Sergeants were appointed Company Sergeant-Major and retained their rank badges as Colour-Sergeant. The junior four became Company Quartermaster-Sergeants, with no extra pay, and no change in badges. A very economical and unsatisfactory temporary fix.

[tocemma]

OK, it seems I have 2 readers!

Four and a half...I've only got one eye open...

Keep it coming Mr G

[Mick D]

I'm in !

Mick

[jay dubaya]

...and me, keep 'em coming Grumpy t'is great stuff

Jon

[Muerrisch]

Staff Corporal-of-Horse.

When it came to the Colour Sergeant tier of ranking, the Household Cavalry had painted themselves into a corner, in that their use of the crown as a regimental arm badge over all sets of chevrons had effectively 'used-up' the obvious combination one tier down, at Corporal-of-Horse, the Sergeant equivalent.

In 1881 it had been ordained that any badge of 4 chevrons had to be lower sleeve, and points up 'like the hairs on a monkey's arm', whereby chevrons above the elbow point down, those below point up.

It would not do for the Household Cavalry to not include the crown, so the badge of their CSgt equivalent had to be four chevrons and crown, and the rank title had to reflect the increased responsibilities. It became Staff Corporal-of-Horse. A nice mouthful, and difficult to pronounce if in drink.

The remainder of the cavalry soldiered on happily with Squadron Sergeant-Majors at this level, badged as Colour-Sergeants, together with their Quartermaster-Sergeants. RA and RE Troop, Battery, Company Sergeant-Majors were at this level, the the RA and RE men retaining their regimental SNCO badges respectively. There were the usual Farrier, Wheeler, Saddler, Smiths at this level. Clothing regulations do not describe the use of their special trade badges, but they were usually worn between the chevrons and the crown.

[Muerrisch]

The complicated subject of Staff-Sergeants

Every now and then I notice a little spat developing regarding this categorisation past and present. The discussions usually centre on ‘are Colour-Sergeants really Staff-Sergeants’? This answer is, I fear, Yes and No. From 1813, the year in which the army introduced a new rank in the infantry, the essential grades were:

Sergeant Major [Four gold or silver chevrons]

Quartermaster-Sergeant [four silver or white chevrons]

Colour Sergeant [badge various, but always at least one chevron, crossed swords, Colour and crown

Sergeant [Three]

Corporal [Two]

And that was it. Surprisingly, the RA and RE also had Colour-Sergeants for a while but there was an increasing use of the term Staff-Sergeant, as much as anything to do with the quality of cloth and trim to be issued to distinguish senior NCOs. It was not disputed that Sergeant-Majors and Quartermaster Sergeants had First Class Staff status, but the dividing line between them and those of 2nd Class status has varied over the years, and the last echoes of this can be seen in AD 2010 in the clothing of ‘Music-Majors’ who look for all the world as if they are First Class in any order of dress, but are, in fact, fortunate to be even Second Class, being nominally only Sergeants.

In the infantry the dotted line was clearly drawn above Colour Sergeants, of Second Class Staff status, but below such CSgts who had battalion staff appointments. In the heyday of Victorian and Edwardian pomp, such First Class worthies paraded with sword, better quality sash, extra lace to the tunic, and a very different and smart cap. As to who was above, and who below, the dotted line seems almost to have been a regimental, or even a battalion, decision, as group photographs taken pre-war suggest. I will attempt to attach a 2nd RWF group to illustrate the point, together with an analysis.

This is 1905, India. The officers wear Frock Coats, the men the scarlet India pattern frock with full embellishments.

Note the men NOT wearing the peakless Brodrick cap: these are all CSgt or below. But many men have the Staff Cap [wish I had one!].

Who can they all be?

Front row is easy, left to right:

1. [Regimental]QMS, 4 chevrons and star, 2. weird but understandable! The man looks surprised, as well he might be. This is Murphy. Yesterday a Csgt, today the Sergeant-Major! Leapfrogged a complete rank. Still wearing CSgt badges, but with an officer-style cap. 3,4,5,6 officers, 7 is the QM and Hon Lt, 8. Bandmaster, 9. QMS Yates, the Orderly Room QM Sergeant, 4 chevrons.

Row behind: 2,3. First Class staff, 6. is possibly a Corps officer attached, 8. another First Class staff. Of these, 2 and 8 are clearly only Sergeants.

Row behind [caps not visible in this crop] are two more First Class.

Other than the genuine First Class men, [the four comprising SM, BM, and the two QMSs], there are lots of candidates for the higher status, but there is no unequivocal guidance that I have ever found as to who gets the lollipop.

Choose from: Drum-Major, Band Sergeant, CSgt Instructor Musketry, Pioneer Sergeant, Signals Sergeant, Transport Sergeant, PTI, Master Tailor, Sergeant Shoemaker, Schoolmaster ........ Better brains than mine have wrestled with this topic.

The 1914 list for First Class Clothing has the appointments in bold included.

[Muerrisch]

Before going to the lofty and terrifying heights of Quartermaster Sergeant and Warrant Officer, tomorrow I will present a few facts about crowns large and small, Edward and George, and the make-up of chevrons.

Then WOs, and then at last move on to the radical changes of 1915. I shall also list and hopefully scan the most important Army Orders across the period regarding rank and badges.

[Muerrisch]

hiatus due to new laptop arrived and struggling to master the beast

Normal service will be resumed as soon as ...............

[Muerrisch]

laptop & windows 7 under control now.

Crowns

In the reign of Queen Victoria the Royal Crown design seems never to have been other than "more or less" a standard design, and, in later years, became almost a cartoon shape, with huge angular bulges like ears sticking up and out left and right.

Known by collectors as the QVC, it was bustled out with almost unseemly rapidity when the old lady died, because on 1st May 1901 the Royal Army Clothing Department ledger gives the most minute and careful description of a new crown to be adopted [the "Kings' Crown" or KC] and said sternly that the new design was to be used for all purposes.

This coincided almost exactly with the need for new designs of badges for the new SD in drab. The nearest Priced Vocab in date that I have is 1907, when crowns large and crowns small were in the Vocab for SD. Clothing Regs do not seem to make the distinction, but it is reasonable to conclude that the large ones were for Sergeant-Majors and equivalents, the small ones for the more junior ranks and regiments [such as the Household Cavalry] who used the crown as a regimental distinction.

Regarding rank chevrons at that time, the PVCN offered 1, 2, 3, and 4 bar for the SD greatcoat, all with different catalogue numbers from the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 bar for the SD jacket, the latter two for Good Conduct badges only. As far as cost was concerned, the greatcoat 4 bar was a fraction more expensive. It seems likely the the greatcoat badges were slightly larger. Note that many badges were not for wear on the greatcoat, including 'trade', Good Conduct, and medal ribbons.

The other generalisation to make here is that, surprisingly, gilding metal ["brass"] badges were considerably cheaper than worsted, the latter requiring some hand finishing at that time. Between 1905 and 1907 there was a conscious effort to standardise trade and appointment into gilding metal, and 'prize' or 'skill at arms' badges into worsted. This was by no means slavishly followed, particularly in war time, nor indeed did large crowns fail to appear as part of the rank badge of many a Colour-Sergeant, of whom photos abound wearing the large crown.

I hope to follow this with scans of the regulations and AOs governing the various changes in rank structure and associated badges during the war.

[Muerrisch]

these should get you going: quality is good enough to copyinto Word, for example.

[Muerrisch]

Now to the

Quartermaster-Sergeant

This was a RANK.

As Michael Caine is reputed to have said, "Not a lot of people know that!"

In the simple days of rank, a QMS ranked immediately below the Sergeant-Major, with a very similar badge, 4 chevrons, but usually of inferior material. He needed to be literate, wise in the wicked ways of soldiers, and to be in the right place at the right time with the right stuff.

In time, he became dressed as a First Class Staff-Sergeant ..... sash, sword, extra trim on the tunic, different head dress.

In 1881 the 4 chevrons moved to the lower right cuff, displacing Good Conduct badges hitherto on the right cuff, and with points upwards.

In 1902 ranking was to be worn by all ranks on both cuffs ..... Good Conduct badges no problem because no soldier above Lance-Corporal could wear them.

In addition to his primary role, a QMS could also serve as Orderly Room Clerk [sometimes OR Sergeant and other titles], and so the man in the senior appointment added a star of 8 points to his ranking, while the lesser QMS in the Orderly Room did not. Either way, they were numbers 2 and 3 in the unit pecking order. The basic infantry pay was 4/-.

[Muerrisch]

Warrant Officer

The Royal Navy had Warrant Officers [WOs] [ie. officers holding warrants to execute duties issued by the relevant authority under the Crown] long before the Army.

The first warrants were granted to the Army in 1879, when Conductors were created for the supply services. This has led to the spurious claim, often reiterated, that Conductors are the senior Warrant Officers in the entire army. In 1881 [that year again] some Staff-Sergeants 1st Class were raised to Warrant rank. They included Master-Gunners Class 1 and 2, Regimental Sergeant-Majors, Bandmasters, and a few specialists. Over the years, Warrant Officers came to be grouped to show seniority, apparently a matter of great concern to some. Thus, by KR 1914, there were 5 categories. The most senior were Coductor AOC, Master Gunner 1st Class, Schoolmaster, and Staff-Sergeant-major 1st Class. KR and QR have frequently stressed that these are equal, there is no primus inter pares. The fact remains that Conductor is handily placed alphabetically.

Next down is the Master-Gunner 2nd Class, next the Garrison Sergeant-Major, then all other WOs [including RSMs], and finally WOs on the Special Reserve.

From time to time, particularly early on, they have been lumped together with Non-Commissioned-Officers as all being thus, but by 1914 the practice of categorising the army as Officers, Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned-Officers and Privates was firmly established. Nevertheless, the Mess to which WOs belonged, and of which the RSM was usually President, was normally called the Sergeants' Mess.

The basic badge of a Warrant Officer in 1914 was the large crown, although Schoolmasters had none, Conductors a crown in wreath, and the usual additions such as Geneva Cross [RAMC] and artisan badges were worn in addition. Whereas Master Gunners were to wear the gun badge, no equivalent was specified for the RE in CR, although I suspect that grenades were indeed worn. Bandmasters wore a 'special badge' of large crown, harp and wreath [RA and RE had distinctive designs], Bugle-Majors etc of the Corps had expensive and ornate creations enough to weigh down the arm.

Basic pay for the RSM of an infantry battalion was 5/- per day, although the top rate was 7/- for some technical specialists.

For the great majority of soldiers, WO was as far as they would ever get in peace time. Quartermaster Commissions were usually filled from the WOs [and Riding Masters of cavalry], but combatant commissions required a very young entry age limit of 26 years. The war ended all that, with many excellent men promoted who rose to Major or Lt-Col. Whereas such commissions for senior regular soldiers would not always be within their own regiment, they were usually regular commissions, not temporary. As such, the army had post war problems with elderly and gallant officers clogging up the Lieutenant, Captain and major levels.

[Muerrisch]

That concludes the 4 August 1914 bit.

The other logical parts are:

the changes of 1915

the changes of 1918

Please, before I leap on to the Tardis to move forward a year, can I have feedback regarding errors of commission or omission. Public will do nicely .... I am sure that the moment is ripe for talkback.

[squirrel]

Excellent work Grumpy, succinct and informative. Looking forward to the next missive.

[Muerrisch]

I quote from an earlier entry:

"It would not do for the Household Cavalry to not include the crown, so the badge of their CSgt equivalent had to be four chevrons and crown, and the rank title had to reflect the increased responsibilities. It became Staff Corporal-of-Horse. A nice mouthful, and difficult to pronounce if in drink". The same badge served for the Squadron Corporal Major, who was at the same rank level.

Which leaves unanswered the mystery of the rank up from Staff C-o-H, the QMS equivalent. These various Quartermaster Corporal-Majors, not yet warranted in 1914, had nowhere else to go except wear the badge of the junior rank except in the case of the man in the actual QM post, who adopted the eight-point star. He thus became, as far as I can tell, the ONLY Household Cavalry NCO to not wear the crown.

So we have, in the Household Cavalry a multitude of NCOs wearing 4 chevrons: all the SCMs, all the various Staff C-o-Hs, all the QMCMs. No doubt the senior ones had a way of asserting their seniority.

Let me add that I am not an expert on the donkey-wallopers ...... even Dawnay doesn't read too clearly in the relevant chapter, so I stand to be corrected on the above.

[Muerrisch]

The infantry rank badges of 1914 from my notebooks

[Muerrisch]

Just the odd oddity to point out regarding the rank badges of 1914.

There were three sorts of NCO who wore the flaming grenade on the sleeve:

Grenadier Guards [including Privates appointed Lance-Corporal, 2 chevrons]

RE NCOs full sergeant and above

and

HAC NCOs, who, in many ways, wore variations of GG badges.

To which total during the war were added all ranks [mostly infantry] qualified as bombers or mortar men.

And the other oddity is that one can see a goodly number of Guards junior NCOs with Good Conduct badges .... apparently flying in the face of Regs, but not so ..... LCpls, even those with 2 chevrons, were entitled to wear GC badges.

[Muerrisch]

Just the odd oddity to point out regarding the rank badges of 1914.

There were three sorts of NCO who wore the flaming grenade on the sleeve:

Grenadier Guards [including Privates appointed Lance-Corporal, 2 chevrons]

RE NCOs full sergeant and above

and

HAC NCOs, who, in many ways, wore variations of GG badges.

To which total during the war were added all ranks [mostly infantry] qualified as bombers or mortar men.

And the other oddity is that one can see a goodly number of Guards junior NCOs with Good Conduct badges .... apparently flying in the face of Regs, but not so ..... LCpls, even those with 2 chevrons, were entitled to wear GC badges.

Away now until weekend: fear not, I will finish the course!

[Muerrisch]

The introduction of Warrant Officer Class 2 [or II]

[Muerrisch]

and ..........

which does not say WHY Class 2 was invented. My opinion is that the CSgt appointed CSM [and equivalents elsewhere] was very unhandy and created a huge bulge in the pyramid. And were the men to call him 'Sir' I wonder?