Help with this photo, please - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

beau · #1 18-04-15, 12:28 AM

This photo was sent to me from family in Australia, showing my wife's G G Uncle. (sitting).

I believe the cap badge is of Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), is this correct?

Also can anyone please tell me what the insignia on his left and right sleeve means, also the stripe down his leg of trouser.

many thanks

Tinto · #2 18-04-15, 03:53 AM

Hi Beau,
The badge looks more like that for the Grenadier Guards. However, the rest of the "uniform" doesn't match. Likewise the other chap is wearing the Gordon Highlanders bonnet badge and his "uniform" doesn't match either.
My guess is that these chaps have dressed up for a play or for some other reason.
Cheers, Tinto

johnG · #3 18-04-15, 05:45 AM

I think the badge looks a bit too big to be Grenadier Guards. Possibly the Honourable Artillery Company?

leigh kitchen · #4 18-04-15, 10:12 AM

Can't see on phone - red stripes on dark blue trousers, dark blue tunics with red inserts. dark blue caps with red bands. "inappropriate" badge - POWs?

leigh kitchen · #5 18-04-15, 10:15 AM

Any photographers name, or an inked name of POW camp?

rattle-watch1 · #6 18-04-15, 11:24 AM

Hi, I believe these are two Italian Policemen, the one on the right is Carabarini
the other, one of the Municipal Forces. But I may be wrong?
Harry

rattle-watch1 · #7 18-04-15, 11:28 AM

Me again, wrong way round, the one on the left could be Caracabini.
Harry

High Wood · #8 18-04-15, 11:59 AM

I also think that they might be PoWs in Germany due to the stripe in their trousers and the inappropriate use of the Gordon Highlanders cap badge. As Leigh says there should be a gepruft type stamp on the back showing which PoW camp the photo was taken at.

Phil2M · #9 18-04-15, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnG

I think the badge looks a bit too big to be Grenadier Guards. Possibly the Honourable Artillery Company?

That was my thought too, mate

Frank Kelley · #10 18-04-15, 04:13 PM

The obvious thing to do is state there full names, if you actually know who these gentlemen are so they can be checked in WO372, WO363 and WO364.

QUOTE=beau;306794]This photo was sent to me from family in Australia, showing my wife's G G Uncle. (sitting).

I believe the cap badge is of Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), is this correct?

Also can anyone please tell me what the insignia on his left and right sleeve means, also the stripe down his leg of trouser.

many thanks[/QUOTE]

beau · #11 18-04-15, 10:00 PM

Sorry about the delay in supplying more info, I emailed Australia and then had to wait, until it was morning there, for a reply.

The chap sitting is Edward James Long. He enlisted at Sydney, Australia (1915) with his younger brother Archie Franklin Long. Archie was K.I.A, 3rd Ypres, 1917

However, Edward was a POW. I have attached the extra information (hopefully) that they sent. Unfortunately the photo was glued into a photo book, so they can not see the reverse side.

Could anyone answer a question that is puzzling them (and me); why is an Australian POW wearing a British uniform?

Tinto · #12 19-04-15, 05:22 PM

Hi Beau,

Thanks for the extra information re Edward James Long, POW.

As his brother Archie Franklin Long was not a POW but was KIA, then it seems that the photo was taken earlier, perhaps in Australia.

(I would agree that the flaming bomb badge is more likely to be that to the Honourable Artillery Company.)

Tinto

Eddie Parks · #13 19-04-15, 05:34 PM

I am finding this very confusing - if he enlisted in Oz then he would have served in an Australian unit? Yes?

Can't find a British Medal card or POW record?

Eddie

Eddie Parks · #14 19-04-15, 05:38 PM

But there is an Australian Record of service for Edward James Long son of Henry Wallace Long enlisted 17 Sep 1915 served in 1st Pioneer Bn and taken pw on 30 May 1916.

So if this is him he's wearing a fantasy cap badge.

Eddie

leigh kitchen · #15 19-04-15, 05:55 PM

Could be.... I have WWI photos of RM internees in Holland wearing a badge what vaguely resembles a Household Bn badge in outline but with union flags and the like as central devices within the garter - and in colour I think.
Could our man even be wearing a French Adrian badge? I'm getting nowhere looking at it on the phone other than to suggest Fusiliers Mont Royal - which it isn't likely to be.
I wouldn't be surprised at a POW wearing what's scrounged or supplied, the British sent out uniforms for POWs but sent dark blue rather than khaki SD. The blue was chopped about and red inserts tailored into sleeves etc, marking the wearer as a POW.