RAMC

[Mike Jackson]

A photographer in Sandown, Isle of Wight caught these four for posterity, but the card is not dated.
Could an expert please date this group, explain the significance of the uniform worn by the two in the centre and, most importantly, tell me what the cloth titles xxFA/RAMC might have read in full, and what colour they might have been?
Many thanks
Mike
RAMC_01.jpg

[REMEVMBEA1]

XXFA could have been a number for a Field Ambulance unit.

[LONGSHANKS]

That's a really nice picture. I'm getting a real taste to add these to the general collecting list.

Simon.

Hello Mike,

Just a stab in the dark I'm afraid, but it looks like: '3FA'... could it possibly be 'Third Field Ambulance'?

http://www.1914-1918.net/fieldambulances.htm

Regards,

PJ

[Edit - just beat me to it, lads]

[Alan O]

This is 1915 and the 2 in the middle are wearing 'Kitchener Blues' - a dark blue uniform made for the new recruits to initially train in due to the shortage of khaki.

Alan

[LONGSHANKS]

Good catch on that Alan, I remember reading about that recently when I was looking up some of the Pal's Battalions.

Simon.

[Mike Jackson]

Many thanks to all for your observations. I'll try enlarging the insignia - cloth patch and the left hand soldier's shoulder title.
Mike

[NEMO]

Good evening , hello Mike , your photo I think dates from around FEB / MARCH 1915 these tunics where issued to the Kitchener volunteers till quantities of the khaki serge 02 uniforms were manufactured , so perhaps the cloth unit sign shown in your photo is again a short term stop gap , as regards photos these are a nice area to collect as there is a very fascinating amount of insignia worn on them mostly short term armbands or cloth and tin badges

( with unit designations painted on in sometimes very basic style )

Ray westlake brought a book out on the kitchener volunteers its the large size with the coloured divisional signs printed on front , inside is a belting photo of a 12th West yorks man wearing this tunic with a very crude unit arm band .

I have seen the normal brass shoulder titles been worn as collars on these uniforms in several photos such as Middlesex , westriding etc .

All in all this is quite an un covered area of study , think we / I should start a thread and show our pictures ? regards ,Michael.

P.S REGARDING these blue tunics there is documented opinion that they were in fact manufactured long before the war and issued to civilian prisoners and inmates in lunatic institutions , I have also heard they were made for the post men !

[Mike Jackson]

Thanks again.
My best effort to enlarge the badges:
I think there is a brass, 3 line, shoulder title being worn? If so, would this imply Territorials and possibly include a County or City designation?
On the cloth patch, assuming digit(s) precede the F.A. - it looks like ..7.F.A.
to me.
RAMC_02.jpg RAMC_03.jpg