Canadian Cyclist Officer
 

Lieutenant R. R. Lewis. Canadian Cyclists.✠
✠ Cap badge not in CEF gallery...??? Also, name not found in LAC.

http://media.iwm.org.uk/ciim5/423/49...at=photographs

The cap badge he is wearing is either the Canadian Overseas Railway Construction Corps or the 3rd Bn Canadian Railway Troops. Nice officers' pattern badge.

NOT Cyclist, C.O.R.C.C.
 

Thank you very much Bill.
I thought his cap badge was for a cyclist unit because of the wheel.See CEF gallery,OR badge,Babin 22-3.

Found him.....Robert Percy Lewis...Lieutenant/Asst.Adjutant,Canadian Overseas Railways Construction Corps (C.O.R.C.C.).
Listed as Traffic Supervisor for the City of Winnipeg.

http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?...&id=B5628-S012

Hello Jo, I'm glad to review your posts on the forum.
Very beautiful cap badge anyway, I have never seen in my area.

Have a nice day in Québec.

Jean-Paul

Belt
 

As nice as the badges may be, what has me intrigued is the web pattern Sam Browne belt. I have never seen that before and would think that if it was something "made up" that an individual would borrow a leather one for a portrait photo.

Belt looks American- cross strap could be made from British '08 pattern strap/straps. Interesting set up. Regards, Paul.

Just after the start of Mobilization in 1914, the Minster of Militia, Sam Hughes decided to kit out the entire Canadian Military with Colt 1911's. However due to the neutrality act of the time, the Americans could not sell us military kit. So we had one or two procurement officers buy 5000 Commercial Models for themselves. They were delivered over a period of time and they are not all sequentially numbered. He was only able to really equip the first two contingents and officers had to buy thier own from the already bought lots, NCO's had their issued. Anyways, it was found that it would be two expensive, so the government moved to the Webley Mk 6, Colt New Service pistol and the Smith and Wesson in cal..455.
Clive Law➽ indicates that the pistols were possibly smuggled into Canada,
The US Neutrality Act did not prohibit private companies in America trading with the belligerents, and Colt were already supplying the British government with pistols and sending machine guns via Canada to the UK. Also, the first 2,000 pistols were shipped to the Government of Canada, Department of Militia and Defence, c/o J.Wesley Allison, Waddington, New York. If it was a clandestine purchase, surely the Canadian Government would not be the addressee?
The remaining 3,000 pistols were shipped in three batches direct to H.W.Brown,Quebec, and it appears part of a batch of 1,000 shipped was 7th November 1914.
With these Colt pistols the necessary US holsters, belts and shoulder straps were bought.

So that is why this officer was photograph with his private purchased US-made belt and shoulder strap.
➽ Canadian Military Handguns, 1855-1985.Pub.Museum Restauration Service (1994)Clive M. Law.

In Mike Chappell's book The Canadian Army at War, Osprey Men-at-Arms series,1984. there is a picture on page 10 showing a Captain Buchanan,13th Battalion,CEF. wearing the US web belt and cross strap.


Jo

Merci Jean-Paul, et j'espère que vous aurez un agréable été.
Jo

I know a collector who is lucky enough to own one of those 1911's of the Canadian "Contract". He met the original soldier and was given the pistol, holster and his medals by the widow. It makes for quite a special display.
Don

Indeed it should.
Jo

And to add another great photo from the IWM of an officer wearing the US web belt and strap.

Jo

© IWM (HU 123266)
Captain L. D. Heron, DSO, MC.,MiD. 20th. Battalion (1st Central Ontario Regiment),

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/fra/decouvr...dNumber=468765

http://media.iwm.org.uk/ciim5/475/97...at=photographs

Another great photo. I think that the holster for the 1911 is called the Mills pattern holster, is the associated webbing also referred to as Mills pattern? Also I hadn't realized that when the Officers' rank went to the shoulder that the border for the cuff rank was retained.
Don