Stripey

Jackspeak, an introduction to Royal Navy and Royal Marines Slanguage.

The Sergeants stripes for a Royal Marines Lovat uniform. Lord Lovat was tasked by Churchill with the creation of a force that would attack and disrupt the enemy. He achieved that by first constructing a base at Achnacarry, then asking for volunteers for "Hazardous Service."

Most people are familiar with the blue uniform and pith helmet worn by the Royal Marines. Fewer people know about Lovats, a name honouring the founder of the Commandos. The colour is significantly different to the brown suit worn by the Army.

Lovats

A Sergeants stripes confer a certain amount of responsibility on the wearer. In a Commando Unit he will usually be the right hand man to a Lieutenant or 2nd Lt in charge of 30 men, known as a fighting troop. Ostensibly under the command of the Lieutenant the Sgt is responsible for presenting the troop in a disciplined and organised fashion, the Lt tends to learn from the Senior NCO, gradually absorbing more responsibility as his knowledge and experience grow. The Sgt has been there and done that, therefore the men and the Young Sir, defer to his knowledge.

As is often the case a few nicknames attach themselves to the process. Behind his back the Sgt is known as "The Stripey, or the Troop Stripey." It was often the case that a new Sgt taking over a troop for the first time would commence his duty with a quiet word of advice to his new team, via their "shell likes" - ears.

"I am Sergeant Jones to you, not Sarge, mate, or any other name you can come up with."

A Colour Sergeant is the next rank, he wears a crown above the stripes, one of his responsibilities is to provide a ceremonial guard for the unit colours on parade. Conseuently his name of Colour Sergeant is usually abbreviated to 'Colours' which will on occasion earn the addressee the following comment, "I'm Colour Sergeant to you! What do you think I am a chuffing rainbow?"

Queen Victoria, under whom I did not serve, had her own ideas on the rank of Sergeant.

The Household Cavalry has no sergeants in its ranks. This is because Queen Victoria, on discovering that the derivation of the rank sergeant was servant, and that corporal meant something closer to chaperone, decreed that she would not be attended by the former. Hence the following non-standard ranks and appointments:
Regimental Corporal Major - Regimental Sergeant Major (WO1)
Squadron Corporal Major (SCM) - Squadron Sergeant Major (WO2)
Corporal of the Horse (CoH) - Sergeant
Lance Corporal of the Horse (LCoH) - Corporal