Marine to Lt Col

[Hopkins1418]

This is kind of connected to another topic relating to the senior ranks topic. My great grandads brother Cecil Hopkins joined the ranks of the Royal Marines artillary in 1917 aged 17 and finished up a honoury lt col of the royal army ordanance corps and depuety commander of the tower of London. Does anyone else have any stories of such advances of rank?

Colonel Cecil Hopkins, OBE, RAOC

Born 30 Sep 1897 [actually 1900]

In ranks for 18 years, 40 days

Served in the ranks of the Royal Marine Artillery in 1917 (British War Medal & Victory Medal)

Warrant Officer, Class 2 for 302 days

Warrant Officer, Class 1, 3 Oct 1936

Conductor (Warrant Officer Class 1), RAOC, 29 Oct 1938

Ordnance Executive Officer, 3rd Class, RAOC with rank of Lieutenant on 24 Dec 41

Acting Captain from 30 Apr 1941 to 29 Jul 41

Temp. Captain, RAOC, 30 Jul 41 to 12 Aug 43

War Substantive Captain, OEO 2nd Class, RAOC on 13 Feb 42

Temp. Major, RAOC, 21 Feb 42

War Subst. Major on 13 Aug 43

Acting Lt. Col., RAOC, from 13 May 43 to 12 Aug 43

Temp. Lt. Col., RAOC, 13 Aug 43

OBE, London Gazette 16 Sep 43

Major (OEO), RAOC, 7 Sep 48

Retired as Hon. Colonel, RAOC on 25 Sep 54

Not exactly a general [but Im proud].

Will

[Barry Hayter]

Got my GGF signing up as a Private in 1888 and retiring 1910 as CSM. Rejoined 1914 as CSM and retiring after hostilities as Lt Col.

Reckon career prospects increase when your fellow Officers are being blown to lumps on a daily basis!

[Chris_Baker]

How about Trooper William Robertson becoming Field Marshal?