PaulC78 Posted 30 January , 2015 Share Posted 30 January , 2015 I have a copy of one of my great uncle's war letters, at the end of which he says the following: When you write again just put Driver as I had a row with the Sergeant Major said I did not make prisoners so went and seen the Colonel and gave up the stripe His MIC and medal roll entries show that he reverted from Bombardier to Gunner (not Driver) on 14 March 1916, and from this brief line in his letter it sounds like he did so voluntarily. But I'm curious what he meant by "did not make prisoners" - does this mean that his superiors would have expected him to capture more Germans? Any thoughts on the above would be appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 30 January , 2015 Share Posted 30 January , 2015 Are you sure it says 'make' and not 'take'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 30 January , 2015 Share Posted 30 January , 2015 The notes suggests voluntarily, Rev OR - reverted at own request Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 30 January , 2015 Share Posted 30 January , 2015 Anyone say if its likely the artillery would be capturing prisoners as Id have thought more likely something infantry would be doing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 30 January , 2015 Share Posted 30 January , 2015 Soldier's rankMany of the ranks within the Royal Artillery have been abbreviated. The soldier's full substantive rank is given with any acting 'A' or temporary 'T' rank in brackets afterwards. During WWI, the artillery rank structure included corporal which was removed from the regiment in the 1920s and Serjeant became Sergeant. The WWI War promotion ladder consisted of:• Gnr – gunner• Bdr – bombardier (one stripe)• Cpl – corporal (two stripes)• Sjt – serjeant (three stripes with a gun above) Not much of a demotion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC78 Posted 30 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 30 January , 2015 Are you sure it says 'make' and not 'take'? Pretty sure. This is the relevant portion of the actual letter, I only have a photocopy to work from (the photocopy is slightly more readable than this scan) but it does appear to say "make". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 30 January , 2015 Share Posted 30 January , 2015 Does look like 'make', but I haven't a clue what it means! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 30 January , 2015 Share Posted 30 January , 2015 So he meaning 'make' prisoners as in 'take' prisoners and the row with the Sgt Major was because he didn't (for whatever reason) want to 'make' the Germans prisoners. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 30 January , 2015 Share Posted 30 January , 2015 Would a bombardier/gunner be close enough to the front line to take prisoners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 30 January , 2015 Share Posted 30 January , 2015 Neither of my suggestions will be totally satisfactory or complete , but for the sake of discussion here goes: it is common enough, I think, to say that a captured man was "made prisoner," so could this be an extension of that usage ? Or could it be that a hastily written note omitted something . . . . e.g. "the sergeant major said I didn't make prisoners work hard enough . . ." Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 30 January , 2015 Share Posted 30 January , 2015 Don't read it as prisoners but more personals. Short hand for a personal parade of sorts within the unit. Did't make it, had set to with the SM so went to Col and said i'm not to be trusted with strip, as I one is not soldier like in time keeping. Side point Gunner and Driver are the same as private, the RA used both Gunner and Driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shippingsteel Posted 30 January , 2015 Share Posted 30 January , 2015 Here is another interpretation ... I have often read that when the Infantry attacked the German trench lines that they were too busy fighting and German prisoners were simply disarmed and "sent back". Meaning they were instructed to proceed towards the rear (ie. the old British lines) obviously with hands in air and shouting "Kameraden" all the way, as was the custom. Now the artillery Gunners would have had people involved in selecting any opportune targets on the battlefield. What if said Bombardier offended by targetting prisoners.? I know this suggestion is somewhat controversial, but in the heat of battle it would be difficult to discern between lines of German attackers, or those that are surrendering. This is one possible way (in my opinion) that it could be construed that a Gunner "did not make prisoners". Sounds terrible to us now, but part of life in such a horrible war. Cheers, S>S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC78 Posted 1 February , 2015 Author Share Posted 1 February , 2015 Thanks to everyone for the comments, all good suggestions so quite a bit for me to mull over. I appreciate the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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