56th Div
 

Afternoon All,
Just thought I'd share this photo, it's a group of 56th Div chaps but what caught my eye was the R.E, the shoulder title showing Edinburgh RE. The 416th (1st Edinburgh) Field Coy joined the Div in May 1916 (Thanks to LLT) , also a couple of 1/5th Cheshires in there as the Pioneers, nice titles on display too,
Wilf

What a great photo, thanks for sharing. Also, very nice spot of the Edinburgh RE.

I wonder what they mean by "strafers" in this context; something to do with being attached to the trench mortars is all I can guess at.

Cheers,

Chris

One for Jerry??
 

Jerry, would you happen to know the colours of the Edinburgh title mate?
Wilf

Should be dark blue on red for Engineers.

regards

Cheers Simon. Appreciated,
Wilf.

Many thanks for the ID, I for one, was very curious about the colour of these titles. I hope you do not mind me checking, but was the blue on red used as early as WW1 for RE embroidered titles?

Chris

It was certainly used in Victorian times on eppaulette titles, so no reason for it to stop during WW1.

regards

Thank you very much. That is very interesting.
Regards,

Chris

WILF, I have never seen this title before so cannot comment on the colour.

As already stated the standard RE colours are blue on red but to my knowledge, which is little I don't think that these colours were worn during WW1. They would wear the RE in black or white(can't remember which was WW1 or WW2) on kharki on the shoulder strap.

I agree that on WW1 slip on shoulder straps the lettering would be white on khaki and in WW2 black on khaki, BUT, these are not shoulder straps and are clearly coloured.

I feel the Blue on Red option is most probable especially bearing in mind the way they appear in the photo due to the chromatic film alteration of colours.

regards