steve140968 Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 Can anyone please give me the order of rank in the British army , thanks . Steve . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 this is about correct but i am sure this is not how it would have been at the beginning of the war around 1915 it changed a tad. This i think has more of a modern theme to it. You also have things like lance sergeant in gaurds i think! RQMS may be warrant officer II not one i am not to sure on this. perhaps someone can clarify this. private/trooper/gaurdsman/fusilier/rifleman lance corporal corporal sergeant staff sergeant/colour sergeant warrant officer II.... company qartermaster sergeant/company sergeant major warrant officer I......regimental quartermaster sergeant/ RSM (God!) 2nf lt lt captain major lt colonel colonel.......(usually just staff appointment) brigadier-general (1921 i think just brigadier) major general lt general general feild marshall hope this helps but you may need to clarify with better experts than me!! regards Arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve140968 Posted 5 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2005 Thanks Arm , this will be a great help . Steve . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 Throws up another question. I've always been a little puzzled by Martin Middlebrook's definition of ranks and responsibilities in 'First Day ...' In it he gives a 'flow chart' running from 'the top' to the front line. The relevant section is:- Company commander (captain) Platoon Commander (2nd Lt.) Section Commander (corp.) The soldier. Thus the Sergeant does not fall into this line. Is there a good role definition for a sergeant in an inf. platoon/company? I've always assumed that the 2nd Lt. would delegate to the Sgts. who would delegate in turn to the corporals? Not knocking Martin Middlebrook .. just a little piece of the book which has always puzzled me. Des Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 Throws up another question. I've always been a little puzzled by Martin Middlebrook's definition of ranks and responsibilities in 'First Day ...' In it he gives a 'flow chart' running from 'the top' to the front line. The relevant section is:- Company commander (captain) Platoon Commander (2nd Lt.) Section Commander (corp.) The soldier. Thus the Sergeant does not fall into this line. Is there a good role definition for a sergeant in an inf. platoon/company? I've always assumed that the 2nd Lt. would delegate to the Sgts. who would delegate in turn to the corporals? Not knocking Martin Middlebrook .. just a little piece of the book which has always puzzled me. Des Des, Actual platoon commander regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 I'll accept that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 Des I've found the niceties of the grades of serjeants baffling too, I found this in Tommy by John Laffin “A company or regimental sergeant-major is much more than a dominant parade ground figure; he has extraordinary authority and influence. To the men of an infantry company the CSM sits on the right hand of God -'God himself being the RSM. Having been a private soldier himself the sergeant-major knows every trick of the trade, he knows the soldier psychologically, he knows how far he can stretch mentally and physically. When the OC of the company wants information or advice, he naturally consults the CSM. If a soldier has a problem he will take it to his own section commander or platoon sergeant who will, in turn, take it to the CSM - if the CSM has the reputation a CSM should have. The CSM can awe junior subalterns only just a little less than the RSM awes them. He can make life a lot easier for a new officer; conversely, he can make it much harder, merely by denying the officer his co-operation. Platoon commanders-leaned heavily on their sergeants, company commanders on the company sergeant-major and the CO on the regimental sergeant-major.” All the best Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 Steve, Here is a little more info on OR's thru WO's out of the 1912 regulations. http://1914-1918.org/forum/index.php?showt...findpost&p=9491 Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Bosano-Andrews Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 You also have things like lance sergeant in gaurds i think! Not just in the Guards, my GG Uncle was a Lance Serjeant in the Connuaght Rangers, before his FCM when he was busted down to private. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve140968 Posted 5 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2005 Joe , thankyou very much , makes interesting reading . Steve . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMG65 Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 I do believe that there was an appointment/rank of 'Corporal of the Horse' who was actually a Sergeant Major. Can anyone confirm this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 5 February , 2005 Share Posted 5 February , 2005 Two things. The Sergeant is actually 'the Platoon Sergeant' and effectively Platoon second in command - senior soldier - to the 2/Lt or Lt. The Household Cavalry used/use the form 'Corporal of Horse' and 'Squadron Corporal Major' 'Squadron Quartermaster Corporal of Horse' 'Regimental Corporal Major' etc etc as 'Sergeant' is derived from a form of 'servant' - and the HC were gentlemen (of a kind, note small 'g' ) and the term Sergeant was incompatible. As explained to me by a PSI (Permanent Staff Instructor), Life Guards, to my TA Yeomanry Squadron in the early 1980s. By the way - there were NO 'Guardsmen' in WW1; it was a post-war innovation. They were Privates like everyone else during the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 6 February , 2005 Share Posted 6 February , 2005 By the way - there were NO 'Guardsmen' in WW1; it was a post-war innovation. They were Privates like everyone else during the war. Now that I did not know, another peice of information learnt today. regards Arm. Ps Eddie, the Devils Own were always a law unto themselves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Bosano-Andrews Posted 6 February , 2005 Share Posted 6 February , 2005 Ps Eddie, the Devils Own were always a law unto themselves He was Court Martialled for "Disobeying in such a manner a lawful command given personally by his superior officer" I tried to find the full details of this in the NA but it's not listed. I'd love to have been a fly on the (trench) wall !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisharley9 Posted 6 February , 2005 Share Posted 6 February , 2005 By the way - there were NO 'Guardsmen' in WW1; it was a post-war innovation. They were Privates like everyone else during the war. Now that I did not know, another peice of information learnt today. regards Arm. Ps Eddie, the Devils Own were always a law unto themselves The title Guardsman was approved & authorised by King George V on 22 Nov 1918 in recognition of the service rendered by the Guards Div in the Great War All The Best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMG65 Posted 7 February , 2005 Share Posted 7 February , 2005 Can anyone confirm that there was a rank/appointment of Pioneer Sergeant in the Great War? I know that they existed in the Boer War. I was also told that they carry an axe and are the only soldier allowed to have a beard. SEAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisharley9 Posted 7 February , 2005 Share Posted 7 February , 2005 Can anyone confirm that there was a rank/appointment of Pioneer Sergeant in the Great War? I know that they existed in the Boer War. I was also told that they carry an axe and are the only soldier allowed to have a beard. SEAN Sean the appointment still exsists today in Infantry Bns of the British Army All The Best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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