Officer Training Battalion, 1918
 

Hi Folks,
Can anyone please help with information about Officer Training Battalions of WW1?
I have a photo taken in the first half of 1918 showing a group of officer cadets in an Officer Training Battalion. My grandfather, James Simpson, is standing fourth from the right.
Dating the photo was fairly simple - several officers are wearing Overseas Service chevrons which came into being in early 1918, and my grandfather was commissioned to the King's Own Scottish Borderers on 26th June, 1918.
The officer standing third from the right is wearing a cap with a cap badge that seems to be casting a shadow. Is anyone able to identify the cap badge, or see anything in the background or elsewhere in the photo that might identify the location?
If it is any help, before being commissioned my grandfather had previously served on the Western Front as a Sergeant/WO2 with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
Thanks very much for reading this.

Hi KOSB1918, welcome to the Forum. Your account is active and open for posts.

The man third from the right appears to be Lancashire Fusiliers.

Agree with Hoot that it is Lancashire Fusiliers. Is it significant that there are no collar badges being worn?

Tim

Lancashire Fusiliers and collar tags
 

These are very interesting observations, thank you. This raises another question as to whether OTB cap badges were those of the Regiment the Officer Cadet came from, or the Regiment to where they were to be posted, or whether the badges were unique to each OTB. The question of no collar badges being worn might be because these men haven't yet been commissioned and posted to a Regiment. I know virtually nothing about how OTBs were run or what their uniform regulations were so thanks for your help so far!:) By the way, some of these cadets are wearing 1914 Star ribbons and one has a DCM ribbon so I've been told.

It is possible he trained in Scotland , the 9th and 10th OTB (Officer Training Battalions) were based at Gailes Camp which was located about two miles north of Troon , Ayrshire.

Just a guess :confused:

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All are wearing distinctive non-Scottish Officers Service Dress and some with lanyards. There seem to be a variety of coloured shirts and ties. It was the custom that officer cadets wore Officer Service Dress without collar badges at Sandhurst and Woolwich so presumably also at other training establishments.

Tim

Thanks Mike. That's a great spot, and a good lead to follow up!

Hi Tim, and thanks for the info about Officer Service Dress etc. It's great to get the details to build up the picture.

The fourth from the right seems to be wearing the darker coloured shirt usually worn by the RWF or Guards.
The extreme left has a cap similar to the Lancs Fusilier whose 3rd left .

Hi Mike,
The chap 4th from the right is my grandfather James Simpson who had been a Sergeant/WOII with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders until December 1917. He was commissioned to the KOSB on 26th June 1918. I have no idea what the uniform regulations were in an OTB, i.e. whether his uniform was standard officers' kit, or whether it was related to either the A&SH or the KOSB. I've just seen a photo of cadets in an OTB on the Imperial War Museum site and they're wearing a variety of cap badges which suggests the badges are those of their original Regiments and I agree with the suggestion of the Lancs Fusilier cap badge. Thanks very much for your observations.

A couple of threads from The Great War forum may be of interest :

Officer Training at Gaile's Camp 1917


9th Officer Cadet Battalion


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Thanks again Mike. Those are really useful links to The Great War Forum. I see there's a book on OTBs mentioned which I'll try to locate.