I have a photo of my grandfather in army uniform during WWI. I had no idea he had enlisted and thought he was a volunteer in the fire brigade during the war. I have been unable to locate any records relating to any army service.
On his left sleeve he appears to have a pair of crossed axes? which I guess may have something to do with his role in the fire service. Can anyone help?
The image here is part of a larger photo which appears to show a whole unit with more senior officers.
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He is indeed wearing the badge of the battalion Pioneer Sergeant, which as you say was an appointment for selected sergeants rather than a rank. Had he been a regular it was traditional for the pioneer sergeant to wear a full beard. The only man in a unit to do so at the beginning of WW1 and still a tradition followed in today’s Army. The Herts Volunteer Regiment was formed in 1918 from a similar unit (it was a fairly seamless transition) of the Volunteer Training Corps, which was the equivalent of WW2’s Dads Army (Home Guard).
I have since learnt that the badge of two-crossed axes, together with the chevrons shows a position of Pioneer Sergeant. This seems to be a regimental appointment rather than a official rank used in line infantry regiments and regiments of foot guards. A Pioneer Sergeant was responsible for carpentry, joinery and other related works.
Mr grandfather joined No 4 (Hatfield) Coy 3rd Bn Herts Volunteer Regiment.