MGC

[magpie]

3 pictures of the same man, I though some of you may like to see.
Andy

[Graham Stewart]

Originally commissioned into the York & Lancs, I see.

[Toby Purcell]

I wonder where the MGC photo was taken. Belton Park perhaps? It looks like it was taken outside the officers' mess.

[badger123]

I'm no architectural expert but don't the window shutters look a bit French???

[magpie]

I thought it was good to see the difference in cap,collar and rank badges being worn .
Andy

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by badger123

I'm no architectural expert but don't the window shutters look a bit French???

Yes they do. I just thought the officers looked a bit too clean and smart to be in France or Flanders.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by magpie

I thought it was good to see the difference in cap,collar and rank badges being worn .
Andy

Yes it is very enlightening. Some in OSDB, some in GM and some wearing collar insignia as cap badges. Leather 'football' buttons too. Great photo!

[Fatherofthree]

I think the chap far right, (as you look at it) front row in the middle picture in the original post, is wearing 16th London, probably silver or perhaps white metal collar badges on both collar and cap.

Marvellous.

Regards
Brian

[Graham Stewart]

Originally Posted by magpie

I thought it was good to see the difference in cap,collar and rank badges being worn .
Andy

Better close ups show overseas service chevrons being worn and a battle patch. My thoughts are a post Armistice photo - very popular among survivors of the Great War. Chap seated, at our far right is the Chaplain - easily idenitfied by his cap/collars and piping on the SD jacket shoulder straps.

Pity they didn't show the Battle patch more clearer as it appears to be a large square with bars below, the number of bars often indicating the Brigade to which you belong.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Graham Stewart

Better close ups show overseas service chevrons being worn and a battle patch. My thoughts are a post Armistice photo - very popular among survivors of the Great War.

Yes that makes a lot of sense Graham, I think you very probably are right that it is indeed such a situation.

[Staffsyeoman]

Definitely post-war as indicated by the officers in the front row wearing the smaller MGC officers' cap badge.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Staffsyeoman

Definitely post-war as indicated by the officers in the front row wearing the smaller MGC officers' cap badge.

Are they not just collar badges then?

[Fatherofthree]

Originally Posted by Graham Stewart

Chap seated, at our far right is the Chaplain - easily idenitfied by his cap/collars and piping on the SD jacket shoulder straps.

Thanks for that Graham.
Is he definitely The Chaplain?

Although I suspect that it wasn't compulsory to wear a dog collar on all occasions, if he is The Chaplain, why isn't he wearing his?

The Chaplain in the centre photograph, original post, is wearing his dog collar and doesn't appear to be wearing the white metal/silver Chaplains badge, but the blackened metal example.

It was for this reason that I, (obviously now wrongly) believed the chap seated far right front row was wearing 16th London collars; but now that I've had another look, it does appear that the badges appear solid rather than a portcullis.

I had no knowledge in respect of the piping on the shoulder straps; I am enlightened to a fresh fact every day.

Regards
Brian

[Staffsyeoman]

Originally Posted by Toby Purcell

Are they not just collar badges then?

In 1919 the MGC officers reverted to a smaller, silver badge worn in the cap and as collars. The three were the same size. I have a couple, one with blades and another with lugs. The bladed one is made by Mappin and Webb and the lugged by Firmin London.

[magpie]

four are waring the small cap badges, two have silver badges and two seem to be OSD's.
My small silver cap badge has a 1918 hallmark, so it would seem they started to use them before 1919 unless the assay office year overlaps the normal calendar year.
Andy