indian rank on medal

[cazack]

Hello all

 

I have jet another post 1947 medal with a rank I am not sure of

The rank is  - W/MAN

My guess would be water man? but not sure

any  assistance or thoughts appreciated

 

regards

 

Caz

[peter monahan]

That was my first thought, even beforte I saw your guess.  I used to have a long list of 'odd' ranks to Indian and Pakistani units and am almost positive that 'Waterman' was one of them.

[Laurence Strong]

Weighman?

http://www.empirefaithwar.com/tell-their-story/research-your-soldier/helpful-guides/indian-army-abbreviations/

 

 

Cheers

Larry

[peter monahan]

That makes even more sense.  Well spotted, sir!

[cazack]

thank you guys appreciated

 

I have another rank that I am slightly puzzled with:

Sep sub AT

that's the rank on the medal, a General Service  Medal (Naga Hills) to the Kumaon Rgt

 

any ideas to what this is

 

regard and thanks

 

Caz

[Sahil117]

@cazack @peter monahan

"W/man" is almost certainly "Washerman". For the record, 'Washerman' is actually a 'trade' & not a 'rank'; but in India, there is a tendency to be casual over long/ complicated ranks, especially where space is at a premium- like on a medal.

The only exception is for clerks- they being more literate than the other tradesmen & non commissioned ranks, see themselves as top of the food chain as far as 'tradesmen' are concerned, and they will never use their rank loosely/ lightly. So whereas it should officially be "Sep (W/man) XYZ" and "Dfr/ Clk (SD) ABC" the latter will inevitably be correctly written and the former, wrongly. 

As far as Sep Sub AT is concerned, it should either be Sep AT or Sub AT, and not both. While AT is an acronym for 'Animal Transport' and signifies that the medal awarded was either in the ASC (Army Service Corps) or the RVC (Remount & Veterinary Corps, the Sep is short for Sepoy and Sub is short for Subedar- both are ranks at extreme ends of the non commissioned rank spectrum!

On 7/10/2017 at 08:29, cazack said:

Hello all

 

I have jet another post 1947 medal with a rank I am not sure of

The rank is  - W/MAN

My guess would be water man? but not sure

any  assistance or thoughts appreciated

 

regards

 

Caz

In this case, since Putti Lal was from the Artillery (Arty), his rank officially would be Gnr (W/man) Putti Lal. [Gnr- Gunner]. 

If he was from the Armoured Corps/ Cavalry then 'Gnr' would be replaced by 'Swr' which is short for 'Sowar' which literally means 'mounted' or if he was from the infantry, it would have been 'Sep' or Sepoy, which is an anglicised version of 'Sipahi' meaning foot soldier. 

[peter monahan]

"W/man" is almost certainly "Washerman". For the record, 'Washerman' is actually a 'trade' & not a 'rank'; but in India, there is a tendency to be casual over long/ complicated ranks, especially where space is at a premium- like on a medal."

So, the modern equivalent of 'Dhobi'.  Makes sense.  And I completely agree about the casual approach to long rank titles.  Presumably the mint workers are not paid by the letter and tend to abbreviate as the mood takes them.

Edited October 6, 2017 by peter monahan