Corporal / Lance Sergeant

[Ciaran Byrne]

Having looked on the Records Office Medal lists there seem to be a lot of cavalrymen with the title of Lance Sergeant. Surely this would be the same as Corporal would it not ?

[Jim Maclean]

Difficult isn't it?
http://www.irishguards.org.uk/pages/...batt/rank.html
http://www.westernfront.co.uk/thegre...ritisharmy.htm

These may help a bit, and then you may well end up delving into why the Household Cavalry don't have Sergeants. And I thought the Navy was bad!

Having looked on the Records Office Medal lists there seem to be a lot of cavalrymen with the title of Lance Sergeant. Surely this would be the same as Corporal would it not ?

[leigh kitchen]

Foot Guards have Corporals instead of Lance Corporals & Lance Sgts instread of Corporals - allegedly something to do with Queen Victoria not liking the idea of one stripe L/Cpl types.
Sergeant - Full Seargeant, is know as Gold Sergeant, as the chevrons are bullion instead of white, trimmed blue on red.

Household Cavalry have Corporals instead of Sergeants - so they have Corporal Majors etc nstead of Sergeants Major.

[MH184]

I was going to say, but I think it's sort of covered, the Foot Guard's where buggers for these ranks There are a couple more two, musicians even the artillery cav, were buggers for these.......erh what ? That means you out rank me or not ranks.

RAF and Navy......that depended if they looked liked they could kick your arse ........they were no conseqence any way to me, I always needed a pi$$ at the appropiate time

Over my head


(Marcus lowers the tone as usual )

[Jim Maclean]

I always wondered about the old 'equivalent, but junior to' and I thought we were the senior service. I think everyone has the EU flavouring number now, but if I'm correct the old caveat exists. The number of times I've heard a bootneck asking what the **** kind of sergeant is that? upon seeing a three badge killick stoker. And of course many times seeing 'Three badges gold' taking the greatest advantage of it with a swift 'I was in Baghdad before you was in yer Dad's bag' wonderful days.

I was going to say, but I think it's sort of covered, the Foot Guard's where buggers for these ranks There are a couple more two, musicians even the artillery cav, were buggers for these.......erh what ? That means you out rank me or not ranks.

RAF and Navy......that depended if they looked liked they could kick your arse ........they were no conseqence any way to me, I always needed a pi$$ at the appropiate time

Over my head


(Marcus lowers the tone as usual )

[MH184]

I'd better refraine from that



If you quote me on the above, that was.........please delete any quotes

Cheers, it saves any contention even though it's my true thoughts and heart felt.

[Jim Maclean]

Thank you for the kind words about the R.N. Marcus, I feel though that all services did their bit.

As you say the Royal Navy has the honour of being first on parade and the first off, hwat problems this can cause on at a Royal Marines establishment! Drill orders are different, the order 'shun is just not understood in the Navy, they preferring the more historic 'Ho' for some reason.

When I first joined RM Poole, my boss, a two and a half ringer said to me something alog the lines of 'Chief you might find things are done a little differently here, unfortunately there's a Regimental Parade this Saturday, buggered up my weekend but there you go. You'll find yourself on the parade ground for quite a while as we Officers have a bimble around the parade ground, I believe the 'Cabbage heads' call it perambulating!

All well and good, shouldn't be too difficult, wrong this man out in front, I think they called him RSM, was incomprehensible, 'Wot did 'e just say?' was the question from a poor young lad down the rank. Then came the march past, the RN Coy well versed in the nautical role( or Roll) took off thinking they they had this well cracked. Not to the the liking of this RSM chappie though. 'Around you go go again' came the lunatic scream. Heard in the background were mutterings of 'kin' matelots.

Every damned time it cost us beer, why couldn't they get their drill in step?

The Senior Service always march first on parade.

[MH184]

In fact don' t miss quote me. I'm prepared to back up what I say with premise of history.

And your welcome Jim, we trio and retrospect duo, made a winning team, no other country had or has.......we may be small but the best we are, and second to none , EVER ! History is testamount to that premise, however others twist the facts.

It makes you proud to be a part of Great Britain and have served in the finest forces (As crap a a soldier as I was )


RM are plastic soldiers in heavy drill, but there are no better soldiers in the British Forces, intelligent and non arrogant proffessionals, no other 'marine' could even compare.

[Jim Maclean]

Marcus,

Hope you didn't mind me keeping the bit of your post that inspired mine.
Jim

[MH184]

You're more than welcome, Senior Service with utter most respect you are

[Ciaran Byrne]

Cheers for clearing that one up fellas. Confusing indeed!

[Jim Maclean]

Sorry I dragged it a bit off topic mate .

Abject apologies!

[Simon O.]

BTW, the Royal Regiment of Artillery once used the rank of Lance Sgt too.


Then you also have the donkey wallopers that still use the bizarre 'Corporal of Horse'

[yellow]

This is my opinion on guards ranks.

The rank of L/CPL was used by the Guards regiments during WW1. I do have proof of this from WW1 medal index cards. Upon anyones request i will be more than happy to post.

Let us also remember that L/CPL is not a rank at all.........it is an appointment.

I always thought the reason why there were so many Lance Sergeants in a Battalions of Guards during WW1 was because the regiments didnt like the idea of full promotions to war time enlistments or conscripts.

If you were promoted from a PTE to a L/SGT were captured or killed you would lose this promotion.

I hope this helps.
Steve.

[leigh kitchen]

Yep, I think Moore points out in one of his books that L/Cpl is an appointment, like Drummer etc, & that someone could start the war as L/Cpl & end as a Pte not because he was demoted but because he was made POW, thereby no longer holding the appointment.
I think that Lance Sergeant has cropped up in other units including RA.