DLI Trooper postcard c.WWI

[Milmed]

Just thought I would share this postcard of a trooper in the Durban Light Infantry c. WWI

Note the DLI 'white metal' collars on the stand collar.

Steven

[RobD]

Steven, what belt would he be wearing?
And isn't that helmet shape unusual in that it is not the common Wolseley shape of WW1?
Rob

[Milmed]

Hi Rob,
The belt buckle is standard GS pattern "Dieu et mon droit" with lion over KC, but it may be a QVC pattern (bit difficult to make out 100% clearly on the crown). Belt is a buff leather. The helmet appears to be Boer war period issue and not a Wolsely, so the postcard may be earlier than WWI.

Steven

[Brian Conyngham]

Steven

What is the history behind the card, I suspect it could be pre WW1?

During WW1 the DLI did not fight as such, I stand to be corrected but believe they were named as the 6th SAI for this period.

Regards
Brian

[Milmed]

Hi Brian,
Just a postcard I picked up... I dont have any history. Whenever I comeacross photo's or postcards of people in uniform, I usually buy them if the price is right. Makes for great research and positive ID of insignia been worn. Sometimes I find complete albums... a recent find at the local fleamarket were 3 albums of the service history of a military nurse during WWII, from 1940 through 1946. A real find for my personal interest.

The postcard has no information on the back execpt standard postcard stuff. I did come across a postcard website once that helps date the postcard based on the layout of the reverse... will need to find it again to try and date this one. You are probably correct that it is pre WWI, but I think maybe post ABW. I have a small collection of Cape Medical corps photographs post 1903 and they wore the ABW stile khaki helmet during this period also.

Steven

[RobD]

I have never seen photos of shorts being worn during the ABW by anyone other than kids. When did short tousers become part of SA uniform?
That might give you what archeologists call a "terminus post quem" A terminus post quem is the earliest time the event may have happened. As opposed to terminus ante quem ("time before which the event must have occurred"). Pompous way of expressing things, but useful nonetheless. And for those of us who did Latin for matric it is quite nice!

[Brian Conyngham]

Originally Posted by Milmed

Hi Brian,
Sometimes I find complete albums... a recent find at the local fleamarket were 3 albums of the service history of a military nurse during WWII, from 1940 through 1946. A real find for my personal interest.

Steven

Steven

I too highly rate photo albums, however only have four. Like all things one seldom sees them anymore at flea markets. I can kick myself for not hoovering up all the ones I saw at markets back in the eighties and nineties

Are the nurse photo albums for local service or "up-north/Italy" service and possibly named?

Brian

[Milmed]

Hi Brian,
Yes the albums (3) are named to a nurse. She was a red cross VAD at beginning of the war and the pictures take us through service in South Africa in her VAD uniform. Then as a probationer nurse through East Africa, North Africa, Middle East and finally Italy. Most of the nurses who saw service outside of SA were trained nurses, so it is pretty rare to see an album of a probationer nurse. I learned quite a few things form the pictures regarding uniform that I did not know. For intance the SAMNS nurses wore beret's in Italy with battledress and they had a maroon flash behind the SAMNS badge on the beret.

I also have an album to Matron, but that only has East Africa service.

Regards
Steven