That line of demarcation would make historical sense, Mark, as it fits with the previous divide between battalion staff and company level SNCOs.
From 1915, the new rank and appointment of CSM was raised to the same status as battalion staff (but the CQMS was not), the first ever company level appointment of the infantry to be so raised up (artillery first and cavalry (since the 1890s) had already done this decades previously). Traditionally battalion staff wore the same or very similar style of headdress badge (and for many years the headdress too) as officers.
For the infantry it was a highly significant change and yet is now all but forgotten. Its misunderstanding in more recent times has led to great confusion among those who do not fully understand the rank/appointment system and the collective term ‘staff sergeants’.
This momentous change is the reason why in parade dress CSMs of infantry wear a sword belt and ‘carriage’ (i.e. 2-slings), a privilege previously reserved for WOs and SNCOs on the battalion HQ staff only.
Last edited by Toby Purcell; 10-10-17 at 07:47 AM.
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