King's Corporal

[Bill Smy]

Has anyone accurate information on this rank?

I have been told it was common in the early days of the last century to promote an individual on the basis of his deeds rather than his qualifications.

Any comment?

 

[Michael OLeary]

I'm not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for, but it may have the same origins:

King's Regulations and Orders for the Army - 1908

from para 297

"A G.O.C.-in-C. may excuse a corporal or bombadier of over 12 years service from attendance at school on condition that he receives no further promotion, and that he is ineligible for special promotion, except under the exigencies of active service or for very gallant conduct."

 

[Bill Smy]

Thanks Michael. This might be what I'm looking for. I have also been told that the rank badge had a crown above the chevrons, much like that of a Staff Sergeant.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Mike Dorosh might be able to answer the insignia question.

Here's one online reference to the King's Corporal -- http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-medals/history-mid.htm

 

[jmacleod]

The Director of the Citadel Fortress Museum Citadel Hill, Halifax NS, one of the finest military Museums
in North America in my opinion, may have some information on the rank of "King's Corporal" which
I am sure existed in the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR), which had it's Canadian Depot in Halifax
prior to World War II, - now the site of HMCS Stadacona.
The Citadel Fortress Museum, owes much of its quality and restoration to the efforts of the late
Wing Commander Bob Braham DSO,DFC, Royal Air Force, one of the great nightfighter pilots of
the RAF in World War II, an airman of great intellect, and foresight. His battles with Ottawa based
bureaucrats during his tenure as Director of the Museum are legendary, and the results of his tenure
are there for all Canadians to share. The late Prime Minister John Difenbaker was committed to the
preservation of Canada's military history, and was the force behind the multi-million dollar restoration
of the French North American Fortress, "Louisbourg", Nova Scotia, as well as the creation of CFB
Gagetown New Brunswick. MacLeod

 

[Steel Badger]

I am wondering if the King's Corporal you speak of is similar to the Queen's Corporal which preceeded teh Appointement of MCPL.
I have a combat QCPL rnk kicking around some where. the ones with the Leaf placed in the top chevron.

 

[Michael OLeary]

I believe the MCpl rank badge with the broken upper chevron was a trial version of the MCpl rank badge, but was shortlived and replaced by the one we have.

(Though I could be wrong, and then Mike D. has the correct explanation below.)

 

[Steel Badger]

Thx Mike

Do you know aof anywhere I can drag up more info on the QCPL ?

 

[Michael Dorosh]

I believe the MCpl rank badge with the broken upper chevron was a trial version of the MCpl rank badge, but was shortlived and replaced by the one we have.

I was under the impression the split upper bar chevron badge was actually the badge for Corporal, with a Master Corporal badge being the same as the one we have now. It was too easy to confuse the two, however, and the split upper bar badge for corporal was deleted in favour of a bare 2-bar chevron.

 

[George Wallace]

I am wondering if the King's Corporal you speak of is similar to the Queen's Corporal which preceeded teh Appointement of MCPL.
I have a combat QCPL rnk kicking around some where. the ones with the Leaf placed in the top chevron.

The King's Cpl/Queen's Cpl has nothing at all to do with the Appointment of MCpl or any history in anyway predating the Appointment of MCpl.  Forget MCpl rank altogether when thinking of a King's or Queen's Cpl.

I know a Queen's Cpl.  He was presented his rank by the Queen herself.  In that alone, tradition more or less made him 'untouchable'.  It is said that the only person who could take that rank away, once awarded, would be HM himself/herself.  The Queen's Cpl I know of never rose above the rank of Cpl for his 20 plus years of service.  This 'appointment'  has nothing to do with merit, but is simply a fact that the promotion to that rank was done by the Sovereign in person, thus giving that Cpl a special status.

GW

 

[Jungle]

George, was this a CDN or British Soldier ??

 

[Shec]

I was under the impression the split upper bar chevron badge was actually the badge for Corporal, with a Master Corporal badge being the same as the one we have now.

I would second that.    As I recall in the post-unification CF days of the early '70s the split upper bar hooks indicated its Cpl. wearer was engaged on a career basis, ie. Regular force.    Militia Cpls. wore the full upper and lower bar hooks.     Reg. force M/Cpls. wore the hooks they wear today while, until they were issued combats and greens,   Militia M/Cpls. in those regiments that carried that rank, and not all did, superimposed a collar-dog on the v-joint of the Cpl's hooks.

Any other "old soldiers" out there who can validate my memory?

 

[Steel Badger]

My Father aserved in the Regular Army prior to the Evils of integration and afterwards.

He told me that the QCPL was a mark of distinction awarded by the Sovriegn to long Service Cpls, who, although not being able (or willing) to progress to Sgt were rewarded with the appointemnt for excellent svc.
He also mentioned the rank badge states during the immediate post integration phase and remembered that the 2 chevrons w/ inset leaf was used for a while as a cpl rank...Can any old solider's out there clarify the issue?

Apparently the a leaf was at one point considered for addition to  every rank to increase the Canadian content.

 

[George Wallace]

Jungle 

A Canadian soldier.  Believe he was a Strat.  Many at the Armour School remember Groovy Kean.

GW

 

[Fishbone Jones]

OMG, George. There's a name I haven't heard in a long time. Last time I saw Groovy, he was working the tool crib in the Maint hanger around "96, asking to be introduced to my 13 year old (at the time) daughter. Still carried rolled up pizzas in his back pocket. Whatever happened to him?

And for the rank badge. That's the Corporal rank we used to wear. I still have a set of CF Greens around with them on.

 

[Steel Badger]

Recce Guy

I had thought that the badge had been issued to CPLs, thx for confirming

I am still under the impression that the set of chevrons with the leaf inset was designed for Queen's Corporal.

 

[George Wallace]

OMG, George. There's a name I haven't heard in a long time. Last time I saw Groovy, he was working the tool crib in the Maint hanger around "96, asking to be introduced to my 13 year old (at the time) daughter. Still carried rolled up pizzas in his back pocket. Whatever happened to him?

And for the rank badge. That's the Corporal rank we used to wear. I still have a set of CF Greens around with them on.

I just heard that he is working at a civie job in the Fredericton area and is still known by his new colleagues to carry a slice of pizza in his pocket.

That is the original Cpl rank at Unification.   It caused some confusion with the newly created MCpl rank and was dropped.   The Maple Leaf became the indicator of a 'supervisory' rank.

GW

 

[Art Johnson]

This site has an interesting take on King's Corporal and other commendations.

http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-medals/history-mid.htm#king

 

[Veterans son]

I was under the impression the split upper bar chevron badge was actually the badge for Corporal, with a Master Corporal badge being the same as the one we have now. It was too easy to confuse the two, however, and the split upper bar badge for corporal was deleted in favour of a bare 2-bar chevron.

Michael

Thank you for your message.
The chevrons(with leaf) as pictured, were the type worn by my father when he retired from the CF in 1971.
He retired as a Corporal. I used to think that his rank was Mcpl but I believe he said  a Mcpl had a crown over their two chevrons.

 

[marshall sl]

When I was promoted to Cpl thats the badge I first wore, then the M/Cpl rank came to the reserves and we got the plain two hooks. As I had only been a Cpl a couple of months I and several others didn't get an automatic bump to M/Cpl.