Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => Genre/Period Discussion => 20th Century => Topic started by: fsn on 29 June 2018, 07:07:44 AM

Title: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: fsn on 29 June 2018, 07:07:44 AM
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.  :P  








* 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.    
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Leman on 29 June 2018, 07:18:35 AM
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.
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Dr Dave on 29 June 2018, 07:27:41 AM
It IS "Guardsman"
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Norm on 29 June 2018, 01:51:06 PM
Agree, it is Guardsman.
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Norm on 29 June 2018, 01:53:21 PM
I know that at least by 1945 it was Guardsman.
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Ben Waterhouse on 29 June 2018, 02:08:54 PM
Not in the Great War, introduced in 1920
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: mollinary on 29 June 2018, 02:18:56 PM
Quote from: Ben Waterhouse on 29 June 2018, 02:08:54 PM
Not in the Great War, introduced in 1920

Isn't Wikipedia wonderful?!!!! :o :o  :o
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Ben Waterhouse on 29 June 2018, 02:29:35 PM
Quote from: mollinary on 29 June 2018, 02:18:56 PM
Isn't Wikipedia wonderful?!!!! :o :o  :o

or 1919 or 1918...
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: fsn on 29 June 2018, 02:54:01 PM
Thank you Mr Waterhouse.

I can now pay these remembrances respect unalloyed with the niggling feeling that they're incorrect.
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Ben Waterhouse on 29 June 2018, 02:55:38 PM
 :D
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 29 June 2018, 03:11:38 PM
Woodentop, and it's not a ref to their headgear colour....
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Sunray on 29 June 2018, 03:28:36 PM
Bill Browns, Lilly Whites, The Kiddies, the Micks.....forgotten the nick name for the Welsh.  :)
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Leman on 29 June 2018, 06:36:22 PM
Something to do with rough coated sheep isn't it?
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Sunray on 30 June 2018, 01:14:20 AM
Quote from: Leman on 29 June 2018, 06:36:22 PM
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)  ;D
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: FierceKitty on 30 June 2018, 01:48:59 AM
I thought you addressed a member of the guards along the lines of "Hello, sailor. Love the uniform..."
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 30 June 2018, 05:41:56 AM
Coldstreamers can be referred to by their proclivities with sheep.  (Not twice to their face)  ;) ;)
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Ben Waterhouse on 30 June 2018, 10:04:37 AM
Quote from: Sunray on 30 June 2018, 01:14:20 AM
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)  ;D

Derrrrr?
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Ben Waterhouse on 30 June 2018, 10:05:34 AM
Quote from: ianrs54 on 30 June 2018, 05:41:56 AM
Coldstreamers can be referred to by their proclivities with sheep.  (Not twice to their face)  ;) ;)

Ditto Goose allusions for the Grenadiers...
Title: Re: What does you call someone in the Guards?
Post by: Sunray on 01 July 2018, 12:38:33 PM
Quote from: Ben Waterhouse on 30 June 2018, 10:04:37 AM
Derrrrr?


Answer - The M4 Rifles  = Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment  ;D ;D