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  #1  
Old 01-07-17, 01:16 PM
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Default Canadian Cyclist Officer

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

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  #2  
Old 01-07-17, 02:00 PM
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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.
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  #3  
Old 01-07-17, 02:24 PM
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Default NOT Cyclist, C.O.R.C.C.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill A View Post
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.
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
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"There truly exists but one perfect order: that of cemeteries. The dead never complain and they enjoy their equality in silence." -

“There are things we know that we know,” “There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don't know.”
Donald Rumsfeld, before the Iraqi Invasion,2003.

Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese.

Last edited by Voltigeur; 01-07-17 at 02:41 PM.
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  #4  
Old 01-07-17, 03:47 PM
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jean-paul Vermersch jean-paul Vermersch is offline
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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
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  #5  
Old 01-07-17, 04:21 PM
8Hussar 8Hussar is offline
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Default 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.
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  #6  
Old 01-07-17, 04:31 PM
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Belt looks American- cross strap could be made from British '08 pattern strap/straps. Interesting set up. Regards, Paul.
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  #7  
Old 01-07-17, 06:13 PM
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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
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“There are things we know that we know,” “There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don't know.”
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Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese.

Last edited by Voltigeur; 01-07-17 at 06:27 PM.
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  #8  
Old 01-07-17, 06:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jean-paul Vermersch View Post
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
Merci Jean-Paul, et j'espère que vous aurez un agréable été.
Jo
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"There truly exists but one perfect order: that of cemeteries. The dead never complain and they enjoy their equality in silence." -

“There are things we know that we know,” “There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don't know.”
Donald Rumsfeld, before the Iraqi Invasion,2003.

Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese.
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  #9  
Old 01-07-17, 08:49 PM
cefguy cefguy is offline
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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
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  #10  
Old 01-07-17, 09:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cefguy View Post
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
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"There truly exists but one perfect order: that of cemeteries. The dead never complain and they enjoy their equality in silence." -

“There are things we know that we know,” “There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don't know.”
Donald Rumsfeld, before the Iraqi Invasion,2003.

Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese.
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  #11  
Old 07-07-17, 07:54 PM
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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

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"There truly exists but one perfect order: that of cemeteries. The dead never complain and they enjoy their equality in silence." -

“There are things we know that we know,” “There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don't know.”
Donald Rumsfeld, before the Iraqi Invasion,2003.

Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese.

Last edited by Voltigeur; 07-07-17 at 08:05 PM.
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  #12  
Old 07-07-17, 08:05 PM
cefguy cefguy is offline
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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
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