4001 WO1 George Arthur Scarff Scots Guards
 

I have several photographs of this man in various stages of his career. This first one shows him in his Scots Guards uniform. Somewhere I have his sleeve badge tucked away. This photograph seems to have been taken late 1918 before he transferred to the R.A.F.

Great Photo.

I would love to see the rank badge if you could photograph it and so I can compare its construction to some of mine. All hand made and differed in shape and materials over the years it was worn.

regards

I will have to find it, I thought that it was with the paperwork and newspaper cuttings that I have just unearthed from a box that I haven't opened since we moved house. I have about a dozen more boxes to open and I am working my way through them.

Here are some photographs of his wedding day in 1912.

He won the Military Cross at Cambrai in 1917, transferred to the R.A.F. in 1919 and went on to become a Yeoman of the Guard.

Wonderful stuff!!

Do you have his medals too?

regards

Sadly no, I have all his commissions and lots of Yeoman of the Guard related paperwork. It came from a house clearance about 30 years ago. I suspect that the cloth badges went into my Guards file to keep it safe, Most of the loose paperwork was too big to go into an A4 file

sounds a fabulous little collection.

regards

Fascinating stuff. This from the London Gazette of 10 June 1961 shows him as Yeoman Bed Goer awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in silver.

Tim

Tim,

many thanks for posting the London Gazette entry. If his title is to be taken literally, an inestimable amount of discretion must have been high on the personal specifications outlined in the job description.

But seriously, it would be wonderful if I could make contact with whoever has his medal group.

Simon.

I was curious .:confused:

"Each division has its own Divisional Sergeant-Major, plus pair of junior NCOs, the Yeoman Bed Hanger and Yeoman Bed Goer, which derive from when the Guard also acted as personal servants to the King."

I have just found the letter relating to the Investiture at Buckingham Palace where he was presented with the Royal Victorian Medal.

Please excuse the quality of the photographs as there is no natural light at this time of day.

Cracking photos.
Andy

A handsome man with a very pretty wife.

I was interested to see that by the time of the photo taken when he was a sergeant, the three bar chevrons were made from a single width of one inch ‘bias-and-stand’ Guards pattern lace. Previously each bar had been made up from two strands of half inch lace stitched together, a method that continued to be used for the white worsted tape chevrons for ranks below full (gold) sergeant. It is from such differences that dates or periods can be ascertained. Incidentally the expression ‘gold sergeant’ originates not from the gold lace stripes, but the wide bands of Guards pattern lace that until 1902 surrounded the forage caps of full sergeants (and above) of all the regiments of Foot Guards, except the Scots.

This is very interesting. I note in the wedding photo that he is wearing a best shot or marksman instructor badge on the lower right arm, which I find confusing. Was he both a marksman and Phys. training instructor at the same time?
I love those large Guards rank badges. Here is mine, which I picked up here in the States for a measly 20 Dollars. I believe it is roughly 1940's era, but would be very similar to those he is wearing on his service dress.
My poor photography does not capture the heavily padded 3D effect very well.

CB

The Kings Crown over crossed rifles badge when worn on the lower right arm doesnt indicate 'best shot or marksman instructor' in that position.

The badge denotes he is the Sgt. of the Best Shooting Company in the Regiment.

regards