Rank of Staff QuarterMaster Sergeant

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Alex Cartwright

Having just joined on seeing this discussion I thought I could contribute with a photograph of one of my wife's ancestors (hopefully attached).

Born in 1867, this looks like (based on these posts) a Quartermaster-sergeant in the RE. Newspaper archives lead me to think that he may have served in the 1st Newcastle RE Volunteers - later he volunteered into the RAMC as a Staff Sergeant in 1915, aged about 47.

Any insights on the single four-point, or multiple five-point, stars gratefully received.

Yes, he is a unit (as opposed to company) level Quarter-Master-Sergeant (QMS), and as such, the right-hand-man to the unit Quartermaster (a former soldier holding an officers commission), who was responsible for supplying and accounting for all the unit’s stores and supplies in the field. This included all arms and equipment, ammunition, water, rations, fuel and clothing.

His arm badge, as a volunteer citizen soldier, incorporates the 4-inverted stripes, RE grenade and 8-pointed star of his rank and appointment, plus the 4-pointed ‘proficiency star’ at the top required of all auxiliary (part-time) SNCOs. In addition he has four, 5-pointed ‘efficiency stars’, each one indicating 5-years (later reduced to 4) attendance at annual training camp. So all told around 20-years service as an auxiliary soldier.

In 1915 the QMS at that level became warrant officers of the new, Class II and their badge changed to a crown within a laurel wreath.