Differences in ranks

[jon_armstrong]

I'm tentatively dipping my toe in the water and beginning to try to learn about the men from my town (Wilmslow) who served and died in the Great War.

I'm beginning by collating the names on the town war memorial, memorials in various churches, and those buried in the cemeteries, and trying to find those men on the CWGC site so that I have some basic details to build from - regiment, DOD, etc.

Anyway, I'm already finding a handful of examples where the ranks on the memorials do not match those on the CWGC. I have clear cases where it is without doubt the same man - particularly for people with unusual names, or those who have an address in the additional information on the CWGC - but the ranks are different.

Is this something that is common? Is it, perhaps, men who have had temporary ranks have been recorded with that on one and their "official" rank on the other? Or are they men who had a promotion pending when they were killed?

It isn't a big issue, I'm just slightly confused and curious as to why this would be the case.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[John_Hartley]

Jon

Welcome to the Forum. You'll find we're a helpful bunch when we put our minds to it.

You're quite right - it's not uncommon and for exactly the reasons you mention. Substantive or acting rank is the most common. Simple misunderstandings are another - particularly if the chap didnt have very close family connections with the area (say worked in the town).

One of the chaps I've researched gave me quite a lot of trouble initially as all the press reports called him a Lieutenant. But his actual rank was sergeant ( he was going to be discharged to the commission 5 days after he was killed).

Good luck with your project. By the way, I have lots of stuff about one of your men - Arthur Wrench MM. He (and his two brothers) are commemorated on the Cheadle memorial. And I've met his niece! Contact me by PM or email for details.

John

[Terry Denham]

Jon

The ranks given by CWGC were those communicated to them by the military and (in theory) should be correct - though there will always be errors.

Often temporary ranks were not so communicated or had ceased to be effective by the time the person died.

Do not be surprised by such discrepancies. They occur.