# Stripes in the UK Military **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 23, 2000, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripes-in-the-uk-military/37973 "2000-10-23T15:02:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripes-in-the-uk-military/37973/1 "2000-10-23T15:02:45Z")
Some older relatives of mine recently died, and while going through their effects my mom has dug up photos of her great uncle during WWI. She always thought he was a sargent, but in a photo dated 1917, he has 4 stripes on his sleeve. Anybody know what 4 stripes means in the UK army circa The Great War? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2000, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripes-in-the-uk-military/37973/2 "2000-10-23T15:18:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Barbarian \* > \*\*Some older relatives of mine recently died, and while going through their effects my mom has dug up photos of her great uncle during WWI. She always thought he was a sargent, but in a photo dated 1917, he has 4 stripes on his sleeve. > > Anybody know what 4 stripes means in the UK army circa The Great War? \*\* Do you mean stripes, or chevrons? A stripe (a straight line) is worn on the shoulder or down at the end of the sleeve and is indicative of an officer. A chevron (a V shape) might be what you mean. In that case sometimes designates a sergeant-major (the senior NCO in a unit or formation) or some other senior NCO, such as a band major. That particular rank insignia is no longer used, except in the case of cermonial units, such as drill squads or military bands. ---
**Author:** ![Walrus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/51bf81/32.png) [@Walrus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walrus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripes-in-the-uk-military/37973/3 "2000-10-26T22:01:57Z")
Barbarian, If the photo is of 1917 and NOT a highland unit, then I suspect that the “stripes” are chevrons worn point upwards on each cuff/forearm and that above the point there should be a small brass eight pointed star, this is the badge of rank of a Quarter-master Serjeant/sergeant (spellings vary at this time) usually abbrieviated to QMS, this was a warrant rank {which later became the rank of Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant (RQMS) when Company Quartermaster Sergeant (CQMS) became a rank insted of a Staff-Sergeant appointment} In (IIRC) February 1918, the badge of rank officially changed to a crown within a laurel wreath. Walrus (note, if the photo is of a highlander, then the bage could be that of a pipe major) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Derfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lord\_Derfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Derfel)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripes-in-the-uk-military/37973/4 "2000-10-26T22:58:00Z")
[Here’s](http://www.nucleus.com/~madorosh/nco.htm) a page that has pictures of rank insignia for the Canadian Army throughout the First and Second World Wars. I imagine the UK rank insignia are pretty much the same. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2000, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripes-in-the-uk-military/37973/5 "2000-10-27T06:01:58Z")
There is one regiment which uses 4 stripes to indicate sergeant, I think it is the Coldstream Guards but I’m not completely sure. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2000, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripes-in-the-uk-military/37973/6 "2000-10-27T07:39:45Z")
Thanks. After a second phone call from my mom I determined she was actually talking about chevrons (Mom, if they look like the letter ‘V’ it’s not a stripe…) Much obliged. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2000, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stripes-in-the-uk-military/37973/7 "2000-10-27T17:33:24Z")
If the chevrons are on the right arm they indicate years of atisfactory service 4 for each up to a max of 12 years. On the left arm they indicate rank or rating.