Correct rank on headstone ?

[fellop]

I have come across a query regarding the correct description of rank.

The soldier in question is:

377458 James Horace Baker RE who died of Influenza at home on the 30 October 1918 and is buried in Tonbridge Cemetery with a CWGC headstone. At the time of his death he was transferred Army Reserve W Class and working as an engineer for the GPO.

 

On his headstone his rank is shown as 'Pioneer'.

On the CWGC site on the Grave Registration Form dated as certified and correct on the 3/8/20 shows his rank as Spr.

His service paper do survive but are burnt however it does show him enlisting in the Royal Engineers.

It shows him enlisting on the 11/12/15 and the rank is shown as Pte

He is sent to Army Reserve on the 12/12/15

He is mobilised on the 10/12/17

He is transferred to Army Reserve Class W on the 11/12/17 and his service paper states on notification of his death at home: RE Class 'W' Army Reserve 30/10/18 his rank is shown as [it looks like] Pnr and his home address is given.

 

My question please about his correct terminology about his rank.

I served for 25 years and always understand that a 'Private Soldier' in the Royal Engineers is called 'Sapper'.

The grave registration form August 1920 shows it correctly as Sapper.

However on his service papers its shows Pte and [ii] Pnr.

Headstone shows Pioneer

 

Should it be Sapper [Spr] as I believe correct and there have been transcription or errors in reading or am I missing something. Ultimately of course this is leading me to his headstone is it correct or not.

 

Regards

Peter

 

[Terry_Reeves]

fellop

 

It depends on whether the RE accepted his trade and whether he had passed a trade test. If his trade or calling was not accepted or he had failed a trade test, then his rank would been that of Pioneer. The story is a little complex but it was authorised in 1911 and instituted the following year.  

 

In essence then , you have two types of private soldier ,  a man whose skills were recognise (the Sapper)  and the ones who did not have a recognised  skill (the Pioneer).  To complicate matters a bit more, a Pioneer could be re-mustered as a sapper if he passed an appropriate trade test. Phew!

 

Just looking through his record, and on the balance of probabilities, I suspect the correct rank is Pioneer.  Given his background , he would likely to have been allocated to the RE Signal Service, but there is no mention of that , nor a trade test.

 

TR

 

Edited 31 May , 2020 by Terry_Reeves

[fellop]

Terry,

Very grateful to you for a very comprehensive answer and certainly something I did not know, along with a great many other things.

So as you say on balance then Pioneer is correct.

Regards

Peter