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17th Lancer Good Conduct Stripes
Jeremy Reynolds


Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Posts: 18
Location: Cornwall
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Hi Everyone.
Could some one let me know if Good Conduct Stripes
were removed when 17th Lancer troopers or Lance Corporals reached
the rank of full Corporal? I seem to have read conflicting reports on
this, some help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Jeremy Reynolds.
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John Young


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1020
Location: Lower Sheering, Essex
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Jeremy,

Only if the 17th Lancers did something that the rest of the British Army didn't!

I quote: A man whose conduct has been good, and who has not received any punishment for a certain period, is granted a good conduct badge, which entitles him to one penny a day. Some soldiers have three or four of these on their arm, but to distinguish these men from Sergeants, the peak of the badge points upwards, whereas that of the Sergeants, &c. is downwards.

The Long Service & Good Stripe was worn by other-ranks below the rank of Sergeant. The only rank I am unsure about is that of Lance-Sergeant, but I must confess none of the images I have in my collection of Lance-sergeants are wearing L.S. & G.C. stripes.

John Y.
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17th Lancer Good Conduct Stripes
Jeremy Reynolds


Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Posts: 18
Location: Cornwall
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John.
That will do nicely sir! Thanks.
Jeremy.
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Martin Everett


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 786
Location: Brecon
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At the time of the AZW - good conduct stripes were worn at the right cuff - after 1881 they were worn at the left cuff.

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Martin Everett
Brecon, Powys
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17th Lancer Good Conduct Stripes
Jeremy Reynolds


Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Posts: 18
Location: Cornwall
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Martin.
Thank you for your information,very much appreciated.
Jeremy.
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John Young


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1020
Location: Lower Sheering, Essex
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Jeremy,

I appreciate your question only relates the 17th Lancers, just to further Martin's reply, there is an unless..., and that is unless the unit concerned was Light Infantry - suchas the 13th & 90th; Fusiliers - 21st or Highlanders - 91st, in which case the L.S. & G.C. stripes were worn on both the right & the left cuff. The same applied to insignia of rank and trade and proficiency badges in those units as well.

John Y.
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17th Lancer Good Conduct Stripes
Jeremy Reynolds


Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Posts: 18
Location: Cornwall
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John.
Many thanks for the information.
Jeremy.
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Adrian Whiting


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 76
Location: Dorset, England
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Jeremy,

The confusion may have been caused by the upper rank in the Household Cavalry for GC pay being that of Corporal of Horse. This may have led some comments to confuse that rank with corporal in other cavalry regiments?

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Hope this assists,
Adrian
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17th Lancer Good Conduct Stripes
Jeremy Reynolds


Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Posts: 18
Location: Cornwall
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Adrian.
Thanks for the info,its greatley appreciated.
Jeremy
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David Langley


Joined: 30 Nov 2012
Posts: 20
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This from my MHS article, generally and charitably regarded as authoritative. Please note that it disagrees with some of the above. The Badges were officially known as "Good Conduct".
Two sources suggest a variation in the qualifying periods by 1860; The Victorian Army at Home by JR Skelley and the MHS Bulletin quoted above, but they disagree in the number of badges possible: the former says that badges could be awarded at 3, 8, 13, 18, 23, 28, 33 and 38 years, whereas the latter (quoting an Account Book printed in 1865) stops at 28 years. The RW 1866 published the shorter list 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 [/i]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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17th Lancer Good Conduct Stripes
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