Ned Coates question

[basod]

Reading through Night Watch and I am flummoxed to whether Vimes had Ned Coates promoted or demoted to the rank of Lance Corporal.

If promoted, what was his rank before?
And if demoted, then why?

[Dotsie]

Hi basod

Without fetching the book out, I would say it was a promotion, which means he would have been a constable before.

[raptornx01]

It had to have been promoted. though i don't recall there being a change, Vimes was talking about it.

[Tonyblack]

The entry for Ned Coates in the Discworld Companion is as follows:

Constable in the Night Watch when Sam Vimes was a new recruit. Promoted to lance-corporal by Sergeant Keel. A freethinker, probably a revolutionary at heart and a better fighter than Keel in every respect except that of unscrupulous cunning. A hero of the Glorious Revolution of 24/25 May (it happened overnight).

Welcome to the site!

[Andy M]

I’ve just been re-reading Night Watch - I always wondered who Ned Coates REALLY was?

He just seems to be far too good a street fighter to be an ordinary watchman, he is more like an outside “specialist” brought in for a job by some secret organisation. . .especially the way he is able to be in the right place at the right time by getting into the special mob that Carcer brings out to silence Keel after the revolution is over when he turns out to be on Keel’s side at the end.

But who brought him in and where from and why?

[Cool Middle Name]

The end of Night Watch confused me...
I remember that Ned was part of Carcer's group in the heated battle, and that Vimes warned him to go far away, knowing what would happen to him.
And after Sam returned to the future, Ned apparently died.

[raptornx01]

ned switched sides mid battle remember? but yeah i felt odd about that too. guess he had to though, since he knew.