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Sapper Mason
Joined: 05 Sep 2005 |
Posts: 333 |
Location: ANGLESEY |
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Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:49 pm |
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The award of GOOD CONDUCT STRIPES were awarded after TWO YEARS GOOD CONDUCT,or service, they were not so much LONG SERVICE AWARDS but an indicator a man had completed TWO years service without falling foul of strict rules , there was also an award of 1 d ( one pence a day ) extra pay for this stripe . The MAXIMUM of GC STRIPES that could be obtained was SIX , if memory serves me correct there was a Rorke's Drift defender who supported FIVE at the time . The only " six - packer " i know of was C / SGT [ Sgt - Major ] G W Mabin also of Rorke's drift who gained SIX but as his rank was eventually Sgt Major HE DID NOT WEAR THESE BUT was entitled to the 6 d ( six pence ) a day extra for these stripes .
Quite often an " old sweat " would take the pay and not the responsibility of rank , take the case of William Jones VC , he supported THREE GC stripes but was a private , having been a Cpl at one point but reduced to Pte , he then gained three such stripes but stayed a Pte till his discharge in 1880 .
A man could loose these stripes just as quickly as he was awarded them , usually due to excess drink . Stripes could be won again if the man behaved himself and i have records which show certain men winning and loosing stripes of this nature with great frequency .
The stripes could also be exchanged for rank but most men i am aware of took the extra pay instead . I have seen a picture of a man showing FIVE GC stripes but not the MAXIMUM 6 . Just when this practice was ceased i cannot say , possibly in WW1 ? , but of that i am not certain .
If wanted i will check my files and see of the Rorke's drift defenders in particular who had the most GC stripes apart from C / Sgt Mabin who had he stayed a private would have worn SIX. HE served 30 years service and never once was on report , certainly an exemplary soldier if there ever was one , " Sapper " . ![Wink](images/smiles/icon_wink.gif)
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Adrian Whiting
Joined: 31 Aug 2005 |
Posts: 76 |
Location: Dorset, England |
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:02 pm |
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Hopefully I can assist a little further. My reference for my contribution is the "Royal Warrant 1878, Parts 1 & 2, Pay and non-effective Pay". Section 1087 onwards sets out the details of Good Conduct Pay and Badges.
GC Pay and badges were available to all soldiers under the rank of Corporal in the Life Guards and Horse Guards, or under the rank of Serjeant in other branches. There are some variations which I can describe further if anyone would like me to.
Pay and badges were awarded after 2 years service, then after 6, 12, 18, 23 and 28 years. Each increment was a penny a day and one badge. Thus the maximum number of badges (stripes) was six, and the maximum additional pay was 6d a day.
For the first award at 2 years, the soldier had to have avoided having his name entered in the Regimental Defaulters Book for 2 years prior to the claim. Each successive year required him to have maintained the preceeding rate of good conduct pay for two years prior to the claim. The reason for this was, as Sapper indicates, stripes could easily be lost, but if they were, then the soldier did not have to take so long to recover it. In effect a soldier who achieved 28 years service could have all six stripes and attendant pay for 12 years good conduct - I hope I have managed to explain that OK!
There were arrangements to accelerate progress if the soldier maintained extended periods of good conduct.
Soldiers could lose stripes and pay on a partial pay, e.g. a soldier entitled to three stripes could lose one of them. The regulations set out, in some complexity, how all this would apply. It was possible for the entitlement that had been lost to simply be reinstated after a fixed period of time.
As a point of interest, soldiers of the garrisons of Lucknow and Alumbagh (sic) were granted one years seniority for their service, which counted towards good conduct pay.
I couldn't find any reference to being able to exchange good conduct awards for rank though.
The arrangements for recognition of good conduct changed at several points in Her Majestys reign, but the above were the arrangements in use in 1879.
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_________________ Hope this assists,
Adrian
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Adrian Whiting
Joined: 31 Aug 2005 |
Posts: 76 |
Location: Dorset, England |
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:59 pm |
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Sapper,
Basically yes re the reinstatement point. The regulations permitted a time period to be stipulated after which the lost stripe(s) would be reinstated. There is no guidance on what period this might be in those regs, so a year seems feasible.
You are right about the ranks that would wear stripes at that time. This changed at various points, indeed by the mid 1880s the regulations only allowed them for private soldiers, thus excluding corporals, but including Lance Corporals (as they rank as privates as I think you will know).
If memory serves me correctly, there was once a photograph of a private soldier wearing six stripes published in the Regiment magazine. I recall the soldier being from a count regiment, but I cannot recall which one. I will ask around and see if I can locate a copy.
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_________________ Hope this assists,
Adrian
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Sapper Mason
Joined: 05 Sep 2005 |
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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 11:43 am |
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Dear Adrian , thank you very much again for your response , i based my ONE YEAR re-enstatement of GOOD CONDUCT STRIPES on the service papers i currently hold , it does appear that it was a year assuming the individiual kept out of trouble that a lost GOOD CONDUCT STRIPE was given back , it must have kept the pay master very busy all this change in pay ! . In one of his books Ian Knight has a picture of a Pioneer Section of the 1 / 24 th , most of the men supporting beards , the Cpl has two rank chevrons and three good conduct stripes , the private at the end is showing FOUR Good conduct stripes , did the Pioneer sections of these infantry regiments form the Pioneer Corps and is it still ( apart from some naval types ) permitted for Pioneer Sgts to wear a beard ? , thanks again , " Sapper " . ![Wink](images/smiles/icon_wink.gif)
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David Langley
Joined: 30 Nov 2012 |
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Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 5:33 pm |
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The record is held by L-Cpl "Dutchy" Pearce of the R INN F. who achieved 12 badges under the rules, and retired c. 1925 with over 50 years service.
Had trouble bending his left arm to drink his pint!
The RW 1866 published the list 3, 8, 13, 18, 23, 28 years and also confirmed acceleration by two years for the last three badges for continuous good conduct. Again, soldiers under sergeant were eligible, and those junior to corporal of the Household Cavalry were added. In subsequent editions, this latter rank became corporal of horse. There is no note of the method of wearing of the badges, and such a note does not appear until 1881. The next RW (1870) makes yet another change, to 2, 6, 12, 18, 23 and 28, with acceleration by two years for the last three badges. These periods remained virtually unchanged until near-modern times, but there are suggestions that the left sleeve became the preferred one c.1875. Around this time, there was certainly some confusion as to the correct mode of wearing, culminating in the positioning of the badges on both sleeves for good measure, as shown in Carman�s Dictionary of Military Uniform on a 3-badge Northumberland Fusilier. In 1878 the warrant leaves the eligible ranks and the periods unchanged, and also grants an extra year�s credit to the garrisons of the Indian Mutiny sieges at Lucknow and the Alumbagh. There was in 1881 (as in so many other subjects under the Cardwell reforms) a major rewrite of the warrant with regard to Good Conduct Badges and Pay. Beginning with Paragraph 914, it noted that the badge is a high distinction conferred under the rank of corporal, 2nd corporal or bombardier as a token of �Our Royal approbation of good conduct�, to be marked by a chevron worn on the left arm (upper or lower not specified, but photographic evidence since the Crimean War confirms the lower sleeve). The periods, each associated with an increment of 1d, were 2, 6, 12, 18, 23 and 28 years, again with the possibility of two years acceleration for the last three.
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