Conductor / Sub-Conductor

Discussion in 'General' started by RosyRedd, Jan 29, 2011.

  1. RosyRedd

    RosyRedd Senior Member

    I saw the abbreviation 'cdr' googled it and found it meant conductor. Was the title given to NCO's only and what would you have to do to be a conductor?

    Thanks.

    Jules.
     
  2. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    It can also mean 'commander.'
     
  3. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    The Rank of Conductor is held by senior Warrant Officer Class 1 in the Royal Logistics Corps in the Modern Army. Historically the term means officers who took men to assembly points in fuedal times when a Lord would have an obligation to provide so many soldiers of certain types to the King for Campaigns. By the 16th Century the term was used in the supply train of the army in the Commisary and Supply Departments of the Army. In the 1896 army reforms members of the Ordnance Corps become known as Conductors of Stores if they held WO1 rank, or Sub Conductors if in the Supply Branch. They were also known as Staff Sgt Majors.
    In the Modern Royal Logistics Corps only 8 people are allowed to hold the rank of Conductor.
     
    RosyRedd likes this.
  4. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    Captain Peter Norton a former Conductor in the RLC won the George Cross in Iraq near Baghdad on 24 July 2005
     
  5. RosyRedd

    RosyRedd Senior Member

    The Rank of Conductor is held by senior Warrant Officer Class 1 in the Royal Logistics Corps in the Modern Army. Historically the term means officers who took men to assembly points in fuedal times when a Lord would have an obligation to provide so many soldiers of certain types to the King for Campaigns. By the 16th Century the term was used in the supply train of the army in the Commisary and Supply Departments of the Army. In the 1896 army reforms members of the Ordnance Corps become known as Conductos of Stores if they held WO1 rank, or Sub Conductors if in the Supply Branch. They were also known as Staff Sgt Majors.
    In the Modern Royal Logistics Corps only 8 people are allowed to hold the rank of Conductor.

    This answer explains everything I wanted to know. Thanks very much :)

    Thanks too Jeff for your help.

    Jules.
     
  6. Assam

    Assam Senior Member

    I know that a Regimental Sergent Major is not a rank it is an appointment, do the 2 terms above fall into the same catagory when applying them to their respective corps? or are they actually ranks?

    Thanks in advance

    Simon
     
  7. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Threads merged
     
  9. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

    The senior conductor - a warrant officer (royal warrant) is not a commissioned rank but is distinct from NCO rank. He is the senior warrant officer of the British army.


    images.jpg
     
  10. Assam

    Assam Senior Member

    After all the confusion with members refering to both as "ranks", I sort of understand that the terms Sub C & Conductor are NOT ranks but appointments

    Thanks Jedburgh22 Owen & Wills
     
  11. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

    They are indeed appointments, 1311 -Edward III paid for a Conductor of Soldiers, by 1544 a Conductor of Ordnance was appointed.

    1965 RAOC - 5 appointments - Conductor (Senior WO British Army) sub conductor, Staff Sergeant Major 1st Class, Staff Sergeant Major and Regimental Sergeant Major.

    Now with all the amalgamations into the RLC There are 8 appointments!


    Terminology is something that is often wrong, we refer to the British Army when in fact it has always been United Kingdom Land Forces, an army is something sent into the field as in 8th Army. But we have come to accept the terminology. If you look at soldier records you will see under rank lance corporal, when in fact it was not a rank until 1961 - prior it was an appointment.
     
  12. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Yes, thanks chaps, I always wondered about the title conductor. Several of my Rangoon Jail inmates were sub-conductors in the Indian Army.

    Sub-conductor Lissenberg
    Sub-conductor Dainty

    Cheers.:)
     
  13. Assam

    Assam Senior Member

    And just to rub my nose in it, I suppose you are going to tell me that those groups you have contain interwar campaign medals + LSGc's as well....... Bugger
     
  14. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Crikey SJ I don't possess their medal entitlements, only dream about that one mate!!:D
     
  15. Assam

    Assam Senior Member

    It's a sub theme I am working on actually (when my Far East casualty groups are complete), lots of scope for research & interesting combinations.

    Regards

    Simon
     
  16. Assam

    Assam Senior Member

    Off topic Bamboo, but I thought you would want to see this, regrettably not a Chindit but rare as....
     

    Attached Files:

  17. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    My word he must have been a pensioner by the time he served in India during WW2? And a first aider aswell, top group.:)
     
  18. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    By the way Simon, I came into another large selection of documents just recently pertaining to Lieutenant Duncan Campbell Menzies MC (Black Watch and 13th KLR).

    You helped me out a few years ago conecting me to his school archives in Adelaide. Through the Burma Star I was contacted by the curator of his home town (Prospect) library and they sent me an enormous amount of paperwork and documents.

    Cheers

    Steve
     
  19. Assam

    Assam Senior Member

    Glad to be of help Steve, any thing else you need from this part of the world don't think twice i will do what I can. I have access to the Royal United Services Institute Library which is probably the finest in the country

    Regards

    Simon
     
  20. kiwi craig

    kiwi craig Member

    The Conductor
    As long ago as the siege of Boulogne in 1544 there were Conductors of Ordnance and with every train assembled there were Conductors. Conductors ranged over many areas from Conductor of stores to a Conductor plumber, Conductor of woolpacks, and Conductor of horses. Conductors were in charge of stores for which they were accountable as they “conducted” them from one place to another. They were also in charge of ammunition wagons in the field.
    For the New Zealand War of 1860, Conductors accompanied the offices of the Military Stores Dept. There were six of them, transfers from the Royal Artillery, the Foot Guards and the Infantry of the line. Conductors had to be at least the rank of Sergeant and attend a six week course in Ordnance Stores duties at the Tower and at Woolwich Arsenal. Records detailing the preparations of these men show with their kit they were also issued with two pounds of tobacco at a cost of two and one half pence per pound. They were all reported on at the end of the campaign.
    The appointment of Conductor was used in the New Zealand up to the 1930’s. It then lapsed to be reintroduced by the Director of Ordnance Services, Lt Col A J Campbell, in 1977. The appointment is denoted by a crimson backing to the Warrant Officer Class One badge.
    A maximum of five Conductors at any one time by the Colonel Commander

    The RNZAOC, along with RNZASC and RNZEME, to form the Royal New Zealand Logistics Regiment.
    SUA TONANTI TELA
    [​IMG]
     

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