Rank marking on WW1 medal.

[Guest tonysmithkelsall]

A friend has his grandfathers WW1 service medal & in the inscription around the edge the rank is PNP, can anybody tell me what rank PNP denotes. He was apparently in the Royal engineers if thats any help.

[Stebie9173]

I suspect the rank should be PNR = Pioneer.

Sappers were Royal Engineers who were qualified in a trade whereas Pioneers were untrained in a trade (or in training and had not yet been upgraded to Sapper).

This was equivalent to an infantry Private.

Steve.

[Guest tonysmithkelsall]

Thanks for the help I'll examine the medal more closely & pass the info on.

Tony.

[kevinrowlinson]

I hate to disagree with Steve, but both were the starting rank and had equal status. They are listed as, trooper, gunner, driver, sapper, pioneer (RE), or private. There was an appointment that could be made above this called pioneer for infantry. It would be interesting for someone to say, from official primary source, what the difference was. I suspect it was training and therefore possibly pay. That is to say a sapper did not have precedence over a pioneer.

Kevin

[Ron Clifton]

Hello kevrow

The answers may be found in the Pay Warrant 1914.

RE pay consisted of two elements: regimental pay, which was solely dependent on rank, and engineer pay, which varied according to technical proficiency. Regimental pay for a sapper, pioneer, driver or bandsman RE was at the rate of 1s 2d a day.

The following are the paragraphs relating to engineer pay:

830. Engineer pay at the rate of 6d a day shall from date of enlistment be granted to all sappers who pass the necessary trade test on enlistment.

831. Engineer pay at the rate of 2s 0d, 1s 8d, 1s 4d or 1s 0d a day shall be granted to non-commissioned officers and sappers of approved trades who show that they have attained the standard of proficiency at their trade prescribed for each rate by Our Army Council. Subject to the attainment of the necessary standard of proficiency, engineer pay shall be issued to sappers on completion of the recruits’ course of training at the rate of 1s a day. The standards of qualification may be varied from time to time in such manner as may be approved by Our Army Council.

832. Engineer pay at the rate of 4d a day shall be granted to men enlisted as drivers from the date on which they are reported as qualified for corps duties, except that in each unit of the signal service, engineer pay at the higher rate of 6d a day may be granted to drivers who possess the necessary qualifications as telegraph linemen, provide that the number rated at 6d shall not exceed 16 per cent of the total number of drivers in the unit.

833. A soldier enlisted as a pioneer shall be granted engineer pay at the rate of 6d a day from the date on which he is reported to be qualified for his corps duties.

834. A soldier transferred as a pioneer from Our Cavalry, Royal Artillery or Infantry, who is a qualified signaler, shall be granted engineer pay at the rate of 6d a day from the date of transfer.

835. A pioneer or driver posted to the rank of sapper shall be rated for engineer pay according to his qualifications on passing the trade test.

With the possible exception of Stebie's use of the word "upgrading", it seems that both you and he are right!

Ron