Help needed with identifying officer
 

Hello everyone,

I recently came across this picture of a group of South African officers in East Africa, around 1941 presumably.

Does anybody know who the officer on the far right is?

To add onto that, it seems that he's wearing 3 buckle gaiters. Were these standard issue for South Africans at the time?

Many thanks in advance.

Hi

I have seen this picture before but awhile back, cannot recall details sadly. All appear to be high ranking officers, the chap on the left looks familiar.

An interesting picture proving how the SA troops were not that particular with their dress, this continued into the North African campaign. Personally feel that at the time stores issued what they had and have even seen WW1 issues being worn by some soldiers, maybe even their old issues they preferred to keep using?

Sorry not the answer you are looking for regards gaiters. All the WW2 ones I have seen in old surplus shops have been the twin buckle type.

Regards
Brian

Hello Brian,

I decided to take a look in the book 'The war of a hundred days' by James Brown, in which it describes the officer on the far right as being a Major H. Greenwood of an artillery unit. It's not 100% certain, though. The person on the left that you are referring to is, if I'm not mistaken, Lieutenant-Colonel W. Kirby of the 3rd Battalion Transvaal Scottish.

As for the gaiters, pictures of soldiers/officers wearing them are fairly scarce to come by. So far I've seen a few pictures of Dan Pienaar wearing them in East Africa, a soldier in North Africa wearing them, and the photo I already posted here.

2nd fltr is Brigadier B F Armstrong OC 5 SA Bde.

As for 3 and 4 buckle leggings, canvas some wore them in East Africa but seems like 2 buckles were standard in North Africa. 3 and 4 buckled varieties were still worn in the Union for training for some timealong with the old Khaki Drill frock.

For interest - four buckle anklets in the collection, dated 1943.

Hi, the man on the left appears to be wearing a leather version of the tank holster. I'm sure it isn't, but what is it? best wishes Mike