Headstone with Corporal in Royal Artillery

[Glenn]

I visited the Noel Chevasse cemetery over the weekend with some recruits from ATR Pirbright and noticed a head stone with a Royal Artillery cap badge with the rank of Corporal. Surely this would be an error as the rank of Corporal does not exist in the Royal Artillery and this should be Bombardier.

I didn’t make a note of the name though I will make a note when I again visit in 2 weeks time. Any obvious reasons why?

Glenn

[Tom Morgan]

Glenn, there were corporals and bombardiers in the Royal Artillery until 1920. A Corporal had two chevrons and a Bombardier had one.

Tom

[Glenn]

Thank you, very helpful.

Glenn

[Muerrisch]

and no way to distinguish between bombardier and acting- or lance-bombardier, of course.

[Will O'Brien]

and no way to distinguish between bombardier and acting- or lance-bombardier, of course.

Which brings a question to my mind...........How would you address a soldier of the Royal Artillery who had only 1 chevron, if he was personally not known to you?

[Muerrisch]

as 'bombardier', also 'corporal' for all sorts of corporal including 'lance', and 'sergeant' includes 'lance sergeant', and indeed 'colonel' includes 'lt. col', and 'commander' includes 'lt. commander'.

This is strictly for verbal communication: on an envelope the full title is used.

And the above does not include the nuances of junior/ senior discourse, eg a soldier would refer to the Lt Col as Col, but [if he ever spoke to him] verbally he would be sir.

Oh, and Colour Sergeants of foot guards are 'Sir!', known as pay sergeants in the Grenadier Guards and so on and so on .........

[Will O'Brien]

as 'bombardier', also 'corporal' for all sorts of corporal including 'lance', and 'sergeant' includes 'lance sergeant', and indeed 'colonel' includes 'lt. col', and 'commander' includes 'lt. commander'.

This is strictly for verbal communication: on an envelope the full title is used.

And the above does not include the nuances of junior/ senior discourse, eg a soldier would refer to the Lt Col as Col, but [if he ever spoke to him] verbally he would be sir.

Oh, and Colour Sergeants of foot guards are 'Sir!', known as pay sergeants in the Grenadier Guards and so on and so on .........

Thanks for that General Grumpy Sir