Company Quartermaster Sergeant

[Guest]

My grandfather re-enlisted, age 41, in 1914.  He was immediately appointed a Sgt Master Cook and then in March 1916 appointed Company Quartermaster Sergeant.

 

He was in the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and killed in action on 3 May 1917.

 

I am interested to find the duties of that rank and also what he was likely to have been doing up to the time of his death.  He was a cook.  Were they shielded from frontline action or did they all take part in frontline combat?

[ss002d6252]

Rations etc were generally prepared behind the lines and taken up to the men - you often hear of the rations not arriving due to enemy action. I'd imagine a cook would be given the basics of using a weapon but it would be separate times if the cook had pick up his rifle and fight.

Craig

[BullerTurner]

Every British soldier is an infantryman first and a specialist second.  The CQMS would be responsible for the company stores.  This would include consumable stores, like food or ammo or RUM, and other company assets like defence stores et cetera.  He would be responsible for central cooking where applicable.  A good CQMS has a woth above rubies!

[Bob Davies]

Hello Viver, is your Grandfather called James O'Gorman by any chance? Regards, Bob.

[Guest]

Hi Bob Davis

 

I was google searching, and came across your post, My great great grandad is James O'Gorman, and is listed as a Sgt Major on my great granddads marriage certificate. I think he would have been Irish, my dad seems to think from gormanton near Dublin, latterly they were definitely in London, but I don't have dates, it would be around the turn of the 1900's, if you have any information on this James O'Gorman, I'd be very grateful to hear of it. Many thanks, Alison O'Gorman

[Mark1959]

Welcome Alison

i would suggest you start a new thread particularly about your grandfather. 

It would be useful to provide any further information you may have. For example from the marriage certificate - who did he marry and when

The man who is the subject of this thread was born in India and enlisted in Leicester. Some service papers survive. He was previiously in th Irish Guards,He married Ethel Battle in London, St Edwards RC Church on 19/2/05 according to those docs. Does that match the marriage certificate?

Edit

Some docs exist for his earlier Irish Guards service. Enlisted .1898 in London to the Scots Guards and moved to the Irish in 1902. He served in South Africa in the Boer War.

Edited 9 September , 2019 by Mark1959

[Bob Davies]

Hello Alison, the information I have is from Matthew Richardsons' book  "The Tigers" . On the  3rd May 1917 was the battle of Bullecourt. The 8th and 9th Battalions of the Leicesters attacked the Hindenburg line,  with the 6th and 7th battalions Leicesters in reserve. I now quote; " company Quatermaster-sergeant James O'Gorman had been killed. He was the son of a regular soldier and had been born at Secunderabad, India where his father had been stationed."  Casualties for the 3rd May, rank and file were; 6th Batt' 24, 7th Batt' 17, 8th Batt' 97 and the 9th Batt' 67. That is all I know about him at this point of time Regards, Bob.

[Bob Davies]

He is buried in  Henin Communal Cemetery Extension France. Regimental number for his service with 6th Battalion Leicesters is 10270. There is a lot of information about him on Ancestry. As Mark 1958 suggests, start a new thread. Does anyone have the War Diary for the 6th Batt? Regards, Bob.

 

Edited 14 September , 2019 by Bob Davies
to add a bit

[Guest]

Thank you for all your replies. I'm pretty sure It's the correct James O'Gorman, married to Ethel Battle. I will check out the book. Thanks again 

[museumtom]

Records on FMP here.

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f007276654%2f00738&parentid=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f7276654%2f36%2f730