TOPIC:

I'm in the process of acquiring a Cradock Town Guard medal to the rank of Armourer Sergeant and wondered if this was an unusual rank for a Town Guard?

Regards

Rory

Hi Rory......

I did a search through FMP and only found one in a town guard......

First name(s) Albert William
Last name Walshe
Service number 542
Rank Armourer-Sergeant
Regiment Kimberley Town Guard
Other regiments/units Unit: served with 1 Regiment Scottish Horse, Rank: Private, Number: 36076
Rolls WO100/268
Literary references WO126 The National Archives The National Archives WO127. Nominal rolls colonial units.
Nominal rolls colonial units Notes
Discharged Scottish Horse 31/05/02
The Queen's South Africa (QSA) Medal Clasps: Defence of Kimberley, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902


Mike

Thanks Mike

I thought it a rather unusual rank for a Town Guard! Cradock must have been very "organised" back in the day.

Regards

Rory

Rory
My opinion, for what it is worth, is that a man holding the rank of Armourer Sergeant in a Town Guard unit would have been responsible for maintaining the small arms on issue in a certain district(s); most likely on a travelling view.
Unit Armourers were were always in short supply and much overworked. In the days of the Martini-Henry and the Lee Metford, a rifle or carbine appears only to have been replaced when it shot badly. This was clearly unsatisfactory. After a lot of experiment, the British army introduced a new system for determining the remaining accuracy life of a worn barrel. In the past, a cursory examination of a rifle/carbine for the state of the bore was complicated by the fact that some worn barrels shot very well after a less-worn barrel started scattering shots. On 1/1/1901, the army introduced a system of gauging barrels internally to determine any degree of wear. When a barrel reached a certain point (as indicated by the gauges - issued to all Armourers in sets), the barrel was replaced. On active service, an Armourer Sergeant could quickly check rifles/carbines for wear and ensure they were not "cord worn"; also ensuring the arms retained their correct bolts. In the field, it would have been more practical to arrange for a replacement arm and return doubtful rifles, etc., to Ordnance.
In peacetime, there was a yearly "travelling view" of all arms on issue by visiting Examiners. On active service in the field, unit Armourer Sergeants would carry the burden.
The above might seem to be of a very "dry" nature. However, my point is that an Armourer Sergeant in a TG would have been a very hard-working individual carrying a great deal of responsibility. I would be quite happy to have such a man's QSA in my collection.
Regards
IL.

Hi Rory,

I can tell you that he was a 42 year old watch maker. Obviously used to intricate mechanical work so probably the best man in the unit for the job !!.

Cheers

There was one thing that I was thinking but it was answered in the last post......

Can anyone confirm or not that every Town Guard would have had an active service soldier / NCO, on their strength...... To have a rank of Armourer Sergeant he must have had some form of military training I would think...... Most likely retired.......

I guess they would not like an old soldier like me who was in Procurement..... LOL.....

Mike