An appeal: Warrant Officers' Photos

[Muerrisch]

An appeal: Warrant Officers and Conductors

I am writing an account; the first paragraph is here:

Warrant Officers of the British Army: an historical perspective.

These notes describe the evolution of army warranted officers’ appointments, pay and insignia from Wellington’s time to the present. The stimulus to write was the oft-repeated statement that Conductors of Supplies and of Stores and their successors were both the first army warrant officers and always the most senior. This is not correct, and “seniority” obscures matters such as precedence, which may be different.

In the context of the army I shall use this definition of warrant: An official certificate of appointment issued to an officer of lower rank than a commissioned officer. …………………………………

And much later in the article, outbreak of the Great War

The next major development was on the eve of the Great War, primarily concerned with the reorganisation of the regular infantry battalions from an eight-company establishment to four “double companies” Army Orders 323 of 1913, 207 and 210 of 1914 refer. The Territorial Force and units in the colonies made the change in a piecemeal manner over the course of the next year. The only warrant officers in the unit were the sergeant-major, the bandmaster, and the schoolmaster if 1^st Class. A new appointment was created, that of company sergeant-major, one for each company, paid an extra 6d per day on top of the colour-sergeant’s pay, with the badge remaining as crown and three chevrons on service dress. From that time, it became necessary for unit sergeant-majors to be retitled as regimental. As an historical note, company sergeant-majors had existed as long ago as 1800 in the Rifle Brigade, also from an early date in the RE and colonial infantry.

The last complete edition of KRs before the war was 1912, republished and amended to August 1914. There were 26 appointments listed for the rank of warrant officer. The official precedence list was:

      i.         Conductor AOC, master gunner 1^st Class, schoolmaster, staff sergeant-major 1^st Class

     ii.         Master gunner 2^nd Class

   iii.         Garrison sergeant-major

    iv.         All others except………….

     v.         Special Reserve warrant officers (in succession to those of the Militia since 1908).

Those in i. And iv. were to rank with one another according to date of promotion or appointment.

 

To continue. I am very well placed for primary sources, having just about every QVRegs, KRegs and QERegs, plus Pay Warrants, Plus General Orders, Army Orders, Army Council Instructions and the like. I also have Dawnay’s marvellous work on the subject.

What I lack is photographs of the very senior and the “trade” Warrant Officers showing their badges in wear.

For example: conductors, sub-conductors, master gunners, bandmasters, schoolmasters. Also of interest are Guards RSMs, GSMs, Academy SMs, and WOs wearing “trade” badges with their ranking: Geneva Cross, Hammer and Pincers ……. You get the idea.

PLEASE IF YOU CAN HELP I WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL. ANYTHING OFFERED WHICH IS NOT IN THE PERIOD, SAY 1900 TO 1920, HAD BEST BE KEPT OFF THE FORUM.

Where will the article be placed? Because it will span 200 years it does not belong on the GWF, so probably the MHS journal, but also would be offered on this Forum to be sent as an e -mail attachment to interested parties.

[Toby Brayley]

I have sent you a PM, if any of my posted images are of use please let me know. 

[charlie2]

PM sent

[FROGSMILE]

I will help where I can. 

[Muerrisch]

Thanks to all so far.

[Sepoy]

I am certain that I could rake up a few Victorian photos for you

Sepoy

[Muerrisch]

8 minutes ago, Sepoy said:

I am certain that I could rake up a few Victorian photos for you

Sepoy

Knowing the quality of your collection that would be most welcome!