L/Cpl's reverting back to Pte's

[petbro]

Hi, I have some WWI grt uncles who were L/Cpl's but at some later stage would 'revert' back to Pte's 'at own request'. Their records don't give a reason, but is there anyone out there who might be able to enlighten me a little more. Was it that they didn't want a huge responsibility for what the rank carries? or somethink else?

[dowdstree]

Hi,

I have just let my husband read your post and he thinks that if it was not for reasons of "misconduct" then it may have been only an "acting" promotion in the first place if the L/Corp
had been killed. Then they declined to do it permanently because of the responsibility of giving their pals and comrades the order to go "over the top". More or less what you thought.

I have a WW1 record for one of my ancestors and he was promoted then reduced to private a couple of times for being drunk and swearing and shouting at an officer. Can't say I blame him as the conditions were horrendous.

Can't find any other reason.

Hope this helps.

Dorrie

[km1971]

Lots of Lance Corporals were unpaid. If after a year a paid post was still not available they would automatically revert to Private. But here I think they may have not liked the responsibility.

Ken

[petbro]

Thanks Dorrie & Ken,

I was thinking that perhaps they wouldn't maybe have liked to order their mates over the top. I wouldn't.

One of my grand uncles 'reverting' back to Pte happened while he was in East Indies in 1905. There is something stamped in black but sadly it's so ineligible. Still, after WWI it seems he went on and became a L/Cpl and at he's discharge was a L/Sgt. How he had the courage to re-enlist after all he went through in WWI leaves me with such admiration for him.

Peter