"British Quartermaster rank" Topic

Finished William Surtees 25 years in the Rifle Brigade and am a little confused of his ranking. I get he is a non combat personal but not sure if a officer which he bunks with or a civilian attached. He does get involved in up front movement and ammunition replenishment.

I believe the role of Quartermaster could be fulfilled by an NCO (Quartermaster Sergeant) or a junior officer dependiong on who was available.

The regimental quartermaster was usually a junior officer promoted from the ranks (e.g. the previous RSM as happened to an ancestor of mine in the Peninsula). He could be a lieutenant or a captain. He would be supported by a (quartermaster) sergeant (no special rank insignia) and some clerks. These individuals should not be confused with the commissary officers who were civilians who worked for the Treasury. As far as I am aware, Surtees was a soldier who rose from the ranks and was finally an officer and QM in the 95th.

He certainly was, he volunteered from the militia in 1799…

Let me quote Lord Cardigan from Ch of the L Brig (AKA Trevor Howard, at his best)

"Quartermaster? That ain't a rank….it's…it's ……it's a trade!"

Its all in the pronoun:

'The Quartermaster' is an appointment held by an Officer commissioned from the ranks. In the Corps there are two, a QM and a QM Tech. Both Lieutenant Colonels. In the smaller Regiments they are Majors. Since the post can only be held by those who have been extracted from the ranks earlier than RSM/WO1, it is an appointment even more respected than the commissioned Warrant Officers, since they have worked their way up, not only through the ranks, like the commissioned Warrants, but also then been competitively promoted at least once from the Captain rank they are commissioned with. Since these are not ranks, there is no rank insignia differentiation.

(In my opinion, these august gentlemen are the backbone of the modern military and living embodiment that you can teach old dogs new tricks. Not only have they mastered the ways changes in technology and society change warfare, they are adept at understanding how to design gear and doctrine to be accepted and understood rapidly by young soldiers. Just one example – one of these gents' efforts to study and understand how terrs use social media has since saved dozens if not hundreds of allied lives and limbs.)

'A Quartermaster' is a SNCO rank of Squadron/Company Quartermaster Serjeant (WO2) or Regimental Quartermaster Serjeant who is the Techncal equivalent of the SSM/CSM and RSM respectively. Perjoratively known as 'blanket stackers' these actually provide the organic technical support to the company or battalion, whereas the SSM/CSM etc provide the logistics support including ordinance. Differentiated by rank insignia.

'The Quartermaster' is an appointment held by an Officer commissioned from the ranks. In the Corps there are two, a QM and a QM Tech. …

All very interesting but somewhat irrelevant in the context of the British Army in the Napoleonic Wars?

In the book he often states a quartermaster as a lt col or major as a superior. He also has a few times says to aspire to gain a higher position in other units and temporarily becomes postmaster. He starts his story as a enlisted man but I was confused that he was bunking with officers.

but I was confused that he was bunking with officers.

Bunking? God forbid!!! In the British Army we mess with fellow officers!

All very interesting but somewhat irrelevant in the context of the British Army in the Napoleonic Wars?

Your touching faith in the speed with which the British Army changes its rank structure is misplaced….

All very interesting but somewhat irrelevant in the context of the British Army in the Napoleonic Wars?

Your touching faith in the speed with which the British Army changes its rank structure is misplaced….

I was under the impression that your quote was about some other army other than the British Army. Perhaps an attribution of the quote would have clarified matters?

Navy Fower Wun Seven's description of Quartermasters (within the current Royal Marines?) is not an accurate reflection of Quartermasters within the current British Army, eg. a QM(T) can be a Capt, not just a Maj; QMs can be commissioned from WO1 (in fact, they usually are), and a Squadron/Company Quarter Master Sergeant (SQMS/CQMS) is a SSgt or CSgt, not a WO2 (an RQMS is a WO2).

Thank you – I stand corrected!

Bunking as in sharing the same tent, I am pretty sure my terminology is not out of line. If so I would stand corrected.

"'BUNK'? We used to dream of a BUNK!"

Bunking as in sharing the same tent, I am pretty sure my terminology is not out of line. If so I would stand corrected.

Not a term used in the BRITISH army my dear fellow! The Royal Navy might well use the term as in sharing the same cabin (since a bed in the Navy is a bunk) but certainly not in the Army.