Army uniform/badge identification

[CDK66]

Hi,

I would be most grateful if anyone could please help me identify the sergeant's uniform and military badge (poor close-up image) worn by this relative. He lived in Sussex and died in 1917 on the Front Line in France. I know he enlisted with the Royal Sussex Regiment, subsequently transferred to the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) and then the Royal Fusiliers. None of these regiments badges look like what he is wearing, unless he served with yet another regiment?

Thank you.

[FROGSMILE]

Hi,

I would be most grateful if anyone could please help me identify the sergeant's uniform and military badge (poor close-up image) worn by this relative. He lived in Sussex and died in 1917 on the Front Line in France. I know he enlisted with the Royal Sussex Regiment, subsequently transferred to the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) and then the Royal Fusiliers. None of these regiments badges look like what he is wearing, unless he served with yet another regiment?

Thank you.

I think i can just about make out the shape of the Roussillon plume at the top of the Royal Sussex Regiment cap badge. It is certainly not an East Kent (Buffs) Dragon, or a Fusiliers grenade. Was he a sergeant with the Royal Sussex before transferring?

[CDK66]

Many thanks for your reply. He might have held this rank whilst with the RSR. I have yet to see any documentation about him being sergeant, as elsewhere he is given rank of corporal, but I understand personnel were temporarily fast-tracked in those days and may have reverted to corporal again. I'll try and find out if there is any RSR record of him as sergeant.

Thank you.

[spof]

It should be listed on his Medal Card. If you give his name and number we should be able to find it.

[CDK66]

Thank you for your suggestion. I found this a while ago and attach the relevant part of what is definately his medal card. There must be a record of him somewhere holding the rank of sergeant, which will confirm his status in the picture.

Thanks

[FROGSMILE]

Thank you for your suggestion. I found this a while ago and attach the relevant part of what is definately his medal card. There must be a record of him somewhere holding the rank of sergeant, which will confirm his status in the picture.

Thanks

He might well have been a Lance Sergeant. These were an 'appointment' for experienced Corporals (their substantive or official rank) and wore 3 stripes. It was a kind of probationary position in that they fulfilled a sergeant's role, with 'privileges', but generally without pay, until such time as there was a vacancy in the sergeants establishment. In the event that they were not promoted, or if they transferred (perhaps after wounding), they would generally revert to their substantive (i.e. paid) rank.

[MBrockway]

I notice CWGC and SDGW have his name as John FITZSIMONS, whereas his MIC has him as John FITZSIMMONS.

Another anomaly is SDGW has him as formerly 7639, R. Sussex Regt., another difference with his MIC.

Have you chased through all the potential variants when hunting down a service record?

Cheers,

Mark

[MBrockway]

... There must be a record of him somewhere holding the rank of sergeant, which will confirm his status in the picture.

Thanks

Might be worth checking the Royal Fusilier medal roll (TP/104B22 Page 3054) for his rank?

Cheers,

Mark