KIRKY Posted 27 July , 2021 Share Posted 27 July , 2021 (edited) I have this photo and wonder what the chevrons indicate? Tony Edited 27 July , 2021 by KIRKY wrong image Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 27 July , 2021 Admin Share Posted 27 July , 2021 For Good Conduct I'm not absolutely certain but I think: 1 chevron = 2 years 2 chevrons = 6 years 3 chevrons = 12 years 4 chevrons = 18 years Regards Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 28 July , 2021 Share Posted 28 July , 2021 (edited) Yes, good conduct badges (GCB) as Russ says. They related to extra pay and rewarded faithful service and good behaviour. If a man breached discipline then he could lose stripes (GCB) and the pay that went with them. He appears to be a soldier of the Suffolk Regiment and that number of GCB, plus his smart appearance, suggest that he’s almost certainly a regular (professional) soldier. He’s wearing the 1905 pattern stiffened cap and an emergency pattern simplified jacket with deeper, unpleated chest pockets that was issued between approximately late summer 1914 and autumn 1915. Edited 28 July , 2021 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 28 July , 2021 Author Share Posted 28 July , 2021 9 hours ago, RussT said: For Good Conduct I'm not absolutely certain but I think: 1 chevron = 2 years 2 chevrons = 6 years 3 chevrons = 12 years 4 chevrons = 18 years Regards Russ Thanks thats great Tony 7 hours ago, FROGSMILE said: Yes, good conduct badges (GCB) as Russ says. They related to extra pay and rewarded faithful service and good behaviour. If a man breached discipline then he could lose stripes (GCB) and the pay that went with them. He appears to be a soldier of the Suffolk Regiment and that number of GCB, plus his smart appearance, suggest that he’s almost certainly a regular (professional) soldier. He’s wearing the 1905 pattern stiffened cap and an emergency pattern simplified jacket with deeper, unpleated chest pockets that was issued between approximately late summer 1914 and autumn 1915. Great information , thank you. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 28 July , 2021 Share Posted 28 July , 2021 (edited) 38 minutes ago, KIRKY said: Thanks thats great Tony Great information , thank you. Tony A final point I omitted to mention is that they were not worn by ‘substantive’ non commissioned officers (NCOs) - i.e. in the cavalry and infantry - full corporals (two rank stripes upper arm) and above, but in some specialised corps such as RA, RE and ASC this could be one rank stripe. Seeing so many GCB on the arm of a private soldier, or equivalent, instantly indicated a reliable and experienced soldier even though he was not a NCO. NB. During the course of the war and especially after the introduction of the military service act 1916 Territorial Force Soldiers were also authorised for GCB. Edited 28 July , 2021 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 28 July , 2021 Author Share Posted 28 July , 2021 26 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: A final point I omitted to mention is that they were not worn by ‘substantive’ non commissioned officers (NCOs) - i.e. in the cavalry and infantry - full corporals (two rank stripes upper arm) and above, but in some specialised corps such as RA, RE and ASC this could be one rank stripe. Seeing so many GCB on the arm of a private soldier, or equivalent, instantly indicated a reliable and experienced soldier even though he was not a NCO. NB. During the course of the war and especially after the introduction of the military service act 1916 Territorial Force Soldiers were also authorised for GCB. Thanks for the update, he actually served in 4 different regiments and also the Royal Engineers! Tony tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 28 July , 2021 Share Posted 28 July , 2021 34 minutes ago, KIRKY said: Thanks for the update, he actually served in 4 different regiments and also the Royal Engineers! Tony tony That’s interesting Tony, his three GCB certainly indicate substantial service. Do you know the sequence of his units, was Suffolk Regiment, beginning, middle, or end of his colour service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 28 July , 2021 Author Share Posted 28 July , 2021 order was : 2nd Bn Essex, Royal Engineers, Bedford, Suffolk then Middlesex. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 28 July , 2021 Share Posted 28 July , 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, KIRKY said: order was : 2nd Bn Essex, Royal Engineers, Bedford, Suffolk then Middlesex. Tony That’s quite a record of different cap badges Tony, and suggests that he earned his GCB spanning the regular infantry and then RE. It’s interesting that the majority of the infantry regiments he served with were centred around East Anglia, which presumably might be connected with his home. As regards the numbers of GCB, the precise criterion changed over the decades but by WW1 had settled. Three Good conduct badges equated to at least 12 years, as mentioned by Russ. First GCB after 2 years. Second GCB after 5 years. Third after 12 years. Fourth after 18 years, but the that could be abridged to just 16 years for unbroken good conduct, as an obvious incentive and reward. Edited 28 July , 2021 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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