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Remembered Today:

Help with rank and abbreviation required


Arthur

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Hi,

Sorry to bring this to the Forum as it is a little before WWI! However, the abbreviation might still have been in use!

I am not researching this man and I know nothing about him apart from his name. He was serving in South Africa [1899] and his details are given as: Capt. & Bt. Maj. W.D. Bird, R.W.S.

W.D. Bird seems to have been entered with a double rank! Is it possible that he was acting up a rank? As there is no abbreviation to suggest that he was. Plus, I can find no reference to the unit's abbreviation R.W.S.?

Regards

Arthur

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Arthur

He was a Captain, with the Brevet (Bt) rank of Major.

Steve

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Arthur

He was a Captain, with the Brevet (Bt) rank of Major.

Steve

Thank-you Steve,

You were quick off the mark my man.

Regards

Arthur

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Explanation of Brevet rank is shown here:

 

 

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Arthur

RWS = The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment.

and found this entry in South African War Casualty Roll:

2nd Battalion

Major Bird, W D Severely Wounded Mafeking 16 May 1900

Regards

Steve

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Hi Steve & Delta,

Steve, thank-you for your information. As for the abbreviation, I should have know the answer without having to ask. However, at the time of asking I just could not decypher it.

Delta, thank-you for your information regarding the rank. I cannot say that I have come across it before. Still thanks again to you both.

Regards

Arthur

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B)-->

QUOTE(Peter B @ Mar 3 2006, 10:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Arthur

Here are a couple of links you may not have seen and are usefull for abbreviations.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...ions-unit.asp#K

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...ons-rank.asp#LL

Regards

Peter

Hi Peter,

Thank-you for the above information. I am sure that it will be of assistance.

Yesterday I should have been looking at a much bigger picture rather than part of one. I spent some considerable time looking at abbreviations, even when I saw 'QUEEN'S' it did not register as Royal West Surrey. :blink: I suppose one of the reasons for that is, I never use 'QUEEN'S' as an abbreviation for the regiment. I normally jot it down as Q.R.W.S.R. however, I took the the abbreviation at face value and was then stumped when I could not find it.

Thanks again for all the help I have had on sorting this query out.

Regards

Arthur

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