What does you call someone in the Guards?

[fsn]

What ho, chaps. I'm calling upon the hive mind again ...

I work in the Walker Building in Liverpool. It's building with the North Atlantic HQ in the cellar - named after Johnnie Walker, and right next to (Max) Horton Building. Because car parking in Liverpool is silly money, I walk 20 minutes to a cheaper establishment. Good for the general health, and allows a period of unwinding before the tedious drive home.*

My walk takes me past Canning Place, home of the Mersey Police (and a fine body of chaps and chapesses they are) who, a few weeks ago engaged some school children to plant poppies in planters around the fence of Canning Place. To this, I was oblivious.

A couple of days ago, boards were attached to the fence, each one bearing the name of four Merseyside police officers who was killed in WWI. The fence seems to stretch on forever.

It is a family joke that war memorials, tattered flags or old servcie persons will cause me to fill up. It is said that I can be brought to tears by the sight of a Chelsea pensioner ... and it's not too far off being true. You can imagine then, that the walk past Canning place is somewhat emotional. First day I carefully read each board. Today, I still stopped to read a few.

Which brings me to my question. The names are assocoiated with a number of establishments; Royal Garrison Artillery pops up, as does the expected regiments the Kings and the South Lancs. There are also (to me) a surprising number who served in battallions of the Guards.  Each person was shown with their rank - "Gunner ..", "Trooper ..."; but for the Guards the rank given was "Private". I thought (and this is where I looking for hive mind clarification) that the proper rank would be "Giuardsman". I am quite prepared to be wrong, but I wondered if it was "Private" at the time?

You helpful comments much appreciated.  

The comments I'm expecting - not so much.    








* Since the new Runcorn bridge has opened my journey home has been seriously expedited. This reduction in time spent in the car has left me with less time for creative thinking and so, sadly, fewer whimscial pieces on the Forum.    

[Leman]

Interesting one that, as I also thought the proper terminology was Guardsman. However I have only recently discovered that officially cavalry men in WWI were titled private, the rank trooper not being made official until after the war.

[Dr Dave]

It IS "Guardsman"

[Norm]

Agree, it is Guardsman.

[Norm]

I know that at least by 1945 it was Guardsman.

[Ben Waterhouse]

Not in the Great War, introduced in 1920

[mollinary]

Not in the Great War, introduced in 1920

Isn't Wikipedia wonderful?!!!!  

[Ben Waterhouse]

Isn't Wikipedia wonderful?!!!!  

or 1919 or 1918...

[fsn]

Thank you Mr Waterhouse.

I can now pay these remembrances respect unalloyed with the niggling feeling that they're incorrect.

[Ben Waterhouse]

 

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Woodentop, and it's not a ref to their headgear colour....

[Sunray]

Bill Browns, Lilly Whites, The Kiddies, the Micks.....forgotten the nick name for the Welsh. 

[Leman]

Something to do with rough coated sheep isn't it?

[Sunray]

Something to do with rough coated sheep isn't it?

Naw- that's the Royal Welch and its goat related.   My mate reminds me that it was the Foreign Legion, as they were only formed in 1915, and 'first entry' was the transfers from the four other Guards.   Good question for a table quiz.

Here's a question - what Brit unit is known as the M4 Regiment ?
(the clue is in the counties spanned by that motorway) 

[FierceKitty]

I thought you addressed a member of the guards along the lines of "Hello, sailor. Love the uniform..."