left half Bn

[love4history]

Hello gents,

In retracing the career of a private in 1 Berks Rgt I notice that the "left half batallion" was sent from Egypt to Malta in 1886 while the right half was sent to Cyprus.
What does that mean in terms of companies? Are left half and right half Bn standard terminology? left half being A,B,C,D Coy, right half being E,F,G,H ? or not?
Thanks for the info!
cheers from Belgium
l4h

[FROGSMILE]

Hello gents,

In retracing the career of a private in 1 Berks Rgt I notice that the "left half batallion" was sent from Egypt to Malta in 1886 while the right half was sent to Cyprus.
What does that mean in terms of companies? Are left half and right half Bn standard terminology? left half being A,B,C,D Coy, right half being E,F,G,H ? or not?
Thanks for the info!
cheers from Belgium
l4h

At that time a battalion comprised 8 Service Companies and 2 Depot companies and the former was the fighting element while the latter acted as a training unit and supplier of trained replacements.

The 8 Service companies were generally either lettered A to H, or in some units numbered 1 to 8. Tactical divisions of these companies worked on a binary system whereby all elements could be divided into two. The battalion could be split into 2 Wings, or half battalions and was established for 2 Majors, one to command each, should the Lt Col be required for other duties (common if he held 'brevet' rank that qualified him for a higher level). This is the origin of the two terms 'Wing Commander' and 'Senior Major' (the senior of the 2 Wing Commanders).

Each company (commanded by a captain and assisted by a colour sergeant) had 2 platoons, each commanded by a subaltern (with a drummer each) and each platoon had 2 sections, each commanded by a sergeant. Each section had 2 half sections, each commanded by a Corporal, and these could be further subdivided into files under unpaid 'Lance' Corporals.

When a battalion was divided into 2 'Wings', or Half Battalions it could be done with any combination of companies and was not necessarily A to D and E to H, or 1 to 4 and 5 to 8. The mix would generally depend on the CO's judgement of seniority and experience regarding the company officers concerned.

This organisation remained until the beginning of WW1 when a '4 company system' was adopted by merging pairs of companies until the battalion comprised companies A to D at around a 100 men each. Of the 2 captains in each company the senior became the commander and the junior the second in command. Of the 2 colour sergeants, the senior became the company sergeant major and the junior the company quartermaster sergeant, thereby replicating the roles of their more senior equivalents at battalion HQ level.

The foregoing method of sub-divisions with each sub-unit having an officer, a sergeant major and a quartermaster sergeant had been pioneered by the line cavalry from around 1895 and, was found to be so successful, that it was emulated by the infantry as explained.

[love4history]

Thank you Frogsmile. This answers my question and gives me some interesting clarification on the relationship CSM - CQMS

[FROGSMILE]

Thank you Frogsmile. This answers my question and gives me some interesting clarification on the relationship CSM - CQMS

I am glad you found it useful. As a footnote to this reorganisation it is an interesting point that for a short period the rank of colour sergeant was abolished, but there was such an outcry at the demise of this honoured rank (largely because of its association with the Colours of the regiment) that it was soon agreed that within the infantry the 'rank' would remain colour sergeant and the 'appointment' CQMS. Fortunately this coincided with the introduction of two grades of warrant officer, so that the relatively new rank titles warrant officers class I and II could be used, whilst retaining the more ancient 'appointments' of battalion (now regimental) sergeant major and (company) sergeant major. This is the origin of the rank/appointment combination unique to the Army and ensured the retention and continuity of ancient differentials like corporal of horse, farrier quartermaster sergeant, staff sergeant major, conductor, and so forth.

Below are the original pre-1881 ranks and their precedence (notice the original meaning of staff sergeant as a 'grouping':

The Non-commissioned Officers take rank and precedence in a Regiment as follows :

1st Class 'Staff' Sergeants:

1st.— Sergeant Major.
*2nd.—Bandmaster.
3rd.—Quarter-Master Sergeant.
*4th.— Sergeant Instructor of Musketry.

2nd Class 'Staff' Sergeants.

5th.— Paymaster's Clerk.
*6th.—Armourer Sergeant.
7th.— Hospital Sergeant.
8th.—Orderly Room Clerk.
*9th.— Pipe or Bugle Major.
*10th.— Sergeant Cook.
*11th.—Pioneer Sergeant

12th.— Colour Sergeants, who rank with 2nd Class Staff Sergeants, and take precedence according to date of appointment.
13th.— Sergeants, according to date of appointment.
14th.—Corporals, ditto

Lance Sergeants' and Lance Corporals, where the duty is heavy, may be appointed, who will rank after Sergeants and Corporals respectively.

The chevrons and distinctive badges worn by the several ranks are as follows :

Lance Corporals—One stripe.
Corporals—Two stripes.
Sergeants—Three stripes.
Colour Sergeants of Infantry—Crossed Swords and Colours, surmounted with a Crown.
Colour Sergeants of Rifles—Crossed Swords, surmounted with a Crown within a wreath on right arm and three stripes on left.

Three stripes:

Orderly Room Clerk,
Armourer Sergeant,
Hospital Sergeant,
Paymaster's Clerk

Drum Major—Four stripes and Drum.
Bugle Major—Four stripes and Crossed Bugles.
Sergeant Instructor of Musketry—Four stripes and Crossed Rifles.
Quarter Master Sergeant— Four stripes and crown.
Band Master—Four stripes and Lyre.
Sergeant Major— Four stripes and Crown.