Help Understanding Ranks on Service Record

Discussion in 'Service Records' started by kim987, Oct 29, 2020.

  1. kim987

    kim987 Junior Member

    Hello
    there are various promotions on my Uncles service record, could any one please tell me what is the lowest to highest rank that he got . Ie Warrant Officer class 2 C.S.M or Warrant Officer 2 R.Q.M.S.

    I have attached the relevant page

    Regards

    Kim 15.jpg
     
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  2. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    Kim, on this page the lowest rank is PRIVATE and the highest rank is Warrant Officer 2 Class.

    The ‘other’ designations are “appointments” NOT his rank.......let me explain.

    With Army units, their are a “whole bunch” of positions that a person can be “appointed to” which include some of the ones on this form, eg

    CQMS (Company Quarter Master Sargent) - the person in charge of all ‘supply’ for a specific Company.
    RQMS (Regimental Quarter Master Sargent) - the person in charge of all “supply’ of an entire Regiment or unit
    CSM - Company Sargent Major - Senior Warrant Officer (or could be a Staff Sargent) in a Company
    RSM - Regimental Sargent Major - Senior Warrant Officer in a Regiment

    Etc etc

    So, when your ‘appointed’ to a position your RANK still is what the army has given you. It’s quite possible to have men with various ranks “hold” an “appointment”.......for example a WO I is ‘USUALLY” the highest RANK in a Battalion is “USUALLY” appointed to be the Regimental Sergeant Major......but it is possible if their is no WO 1 in the unit, that a WO 2 is “appointed”.

    Below is a chart, that shows “ranks” and “appointments” in the Canadian Army during WW2


    [​IMG]
     
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  3. kim987

    kim987 Junior Member

    Hello Temujin

    Thank you so much for the reply.

    So am i right in thinking that his highest rank he got was WO 2, and all the other ie CSM, RQMS, are just appointments that he had. looking at the chart you attached, is the appointment like a job description of what he would be in charge of. Or have i got that wrong

    Also was WO 2 a decent Rank to get

    Kim
     
  4. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    In the British Army an RQMS would be higher than a CSM although both WO 2.
     
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  5. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    You have it exactly right......but as Alex indicated above, some “appointment” were “more senior” (if I could put it that way) even though they had the same rank..........and your right, your read the “appointment information” and it’s like a “job description” of what that SPECIFIC appointment did and was in charge of within the unit.

    The RSM of an Battalion or Unit was the SENIOR WARRANT OFFICER in the Regiment......he was in charge of “discipline” of the troops......but he was also an ADVOCATE for the troops.....making sure that “Officer’s” did NOT abuse or misuse the men........I’ve held BOTH Non-commissioned and Commissioned ranks (Warrant Officer and Lieutenant) and “good luck to the “junior officer” (and even more senior officers) who try to take on the RSM on an issue”.

    Cheers
     
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  6. Temujin

    Temujin Member

    Sorry Kim, I forgot to answer this part of your question........the answer is YES, it is a decent rank

    I once had a WO 2 tell me that its was the BEST non-commissioned rank to obtain........as it gave you seniority over almost every enlisted man in a unit (except for the RSM), but it was one of the ranks that was “NOT tasked” with all the “other duties” that Junior NCO’s or Junior Officer’s had to do. What I mean is “whenever” their was a “job” that needed doing in a Regiment or unit, and they needed someone in charge of it......they went looking for a Senior NCO (this is Lance Cpl to Staff Sgt) or a Junior Officer (2nd Lt to Captain) to be in charge of it.

    So the WO 2’s were NOT assigned all these “extra” jobs (Duty Officer, Duty NCO, Guard Commander etc etc etc)

    I think all ranks have their benefits and their draw backs......but as long as your enjoying your job, or it gives you satisfaction in doing it......then their all good
     
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  7. kim987

    kim987 Junior Member

    Alex 1975uk

    Thank you for that information

    Temujin

    Once again thank you for your detailed explanation. Being non-military myself, it has helped me a lot in understand part of what he was doing while in the Army.

    I think he did enjoy his job as he was in the Army over 30 years. He joined in 1930 and left 1965ish.

    Served India...Burma...Malaya...Korea. I have found out a bit about his time in Burma a very kind man with a Burma web site helped. Korea is not so easy

    Once again Temujin thank you for taking the time to help me.

    Kim
     
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