14. Opportunities for Promotion
Unlike the rigid class system at home, the army sometimes allowed talent and bravery to be rewarded with promotion. This meritocracy appealed to working-class British soldiers, known as “Tommies.” For instance, the Imperial War Museums’ collection includes the Victoria Cross awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Robert Edward Ryder of the Middlesex Regiment for his actions during the Battle of Thiepval in 1916. (iwm.org.uk)
