Artificer?

[Gardenerbill]

My grandfather was classified Artificer while serving in an ASC MT company in Salonika, his trade was Electrician. While researching his companies war diary, I came across the following entry:

'One man (fitter) reported for trade test'

My interpretation of this entry is that a man from another unit has come to take a trade test.

Has anyone else come across this? Was it common practice for a man to take a trade test at a different unit?

Secondly was there any badge or similar on the uniform to recognise a man who is an artificer?

[jay dubaya]

Worn on the upper right sleeve a badge of crossed blacksmiths hammer and pincers, can't post a picture but google comes up trumps for good images

[Gardenerbill]

Thank you Jay dubaya,

Found lots of examples on google.

Also may be able to answer my other question found these two entries:

'1 man to R.E. Base Park for trade test.'

'1 man to 660 M.T. Coy. A.S.C. for trade test.'

[Ron Clifton]

I've not come across it before, but it would make sense for a limited number of companies of RE or ASC to specialise in administering trade tests. They might have special facilities, or particular instructors, which would help to ensure a fair and consistent approach to the required skills. Location behind the front, such as would be true of a Base Park RE, would also be useful.

Ron

[Phil Evans]

If you look through RE service records, you will very often come across the paperwork referring to trade tests.

660 Coy was a Heavy Repair Shop, so a specialist company with, I should think, higher than normal requirement for fully trained personnel.

It was presumably also reflected in the rate of pay.

Phil

[Gardenerbill]

When my Grandfather was transferred to the ASC there is a comment in brackets on his service record '(Ordinary ASC rates of pay)'. The attached entry recording his classification as Artificer doesn't mention any change in pay rate and his rank is still 'pte'

As you can see it is Artificer 2nd Class presumably there were levels of competence, perhaps once you had achieved a certain level you could become an instructor and trade test examiner.