Peculiar rank for an engineer and a gunner

[GrenPen]

I've taken a look at the service record of a New Zealander who was in the Boer War, and duly joined the New Zealand Permanent Force, seeing Home Service duty during WW1 with the Examination Service, stationed in Wellington, as I understand it. 

 

He enlisted as a Probationary Sapper, and then progressed to the rank of 2nd Class Sapper. He was remustered as a Private in the General Duties Branch, NZ Permanent Force.

 

The rank of 2nd Class Gunner appears to have existed at the same time, too, according to some search results from Archway. Did these ranks continue into WW1 as well?

The nearest I had come across was Second Corporal, but the above is lower than the aforementioned rank.

[Ron Clifton]

In the case of the Gunner, he may have been in receipt of the second class of "service pay" (the predecessor of proficiency pay). The same may have applied to the Sapper, or he may have received second-class engineer (trade) pay. Or the system may have been peculiar to New Zealand. You do not find Gunners or Sappers 2nd Class in the British Army at this period.

 

Ron