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  #1  
Old 17-05-20, 07:05 PM
Tony Davies Tony Davies is offline
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Default Cap badge

I am doing the ancestry thing and trying to identify what regiment my grandfather served in.
All that I have is this photo and was hoping someone could identify or give me a pointer on the cap badge.
I have attached a photo of a very old photo so not that clear.
He was born and lived in Langport Somerset or the surrounding area, and I believe he would have served 1914 to 1922 ish, although I seem to remember there being some talk of him not being honest about his age at the time.
Any help will be appreciated as this subject is not my field.
Tony Davies
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  #2  
Old 17-05-20, 08:37 PM
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Hello Tony, welcome to the Forum. Your account is active and open for posts.
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  #3  
Old 17-05-20, 08:39 PM
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Welcome. It’s Royal Artillery.
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  #4  
Old 17-05-20, 08:52 PM
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Looks Royal Artillery to me also, have you the full picture if it shows more,there might be some other insignia on his uniform that we can advise on .

Gerard
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Old 18-05-20, 09:08 AM
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He is RA and probably in the second half of the war judging by the style of the cap with the lack of stiffening etc. he has 'split' the chinstrap to have one part of it over the top of the badge whilst the other part runs below. It's not uncommon and as far as I know has no practical use but an affection of the owner in the way he wore the cap.
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  #6  
Old 18-05-20, 10:29 AM
Tony Davies Tony Davies is offline
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Reference cap badge.
Thank you for that information, I would never have thought about that, as you know trying to find out the history of people who served in the army is very difficult (well for me).
Your help is appreciated.
Tony
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  #7  
Old 18-05-20, 10:37 AM
Tony Davies Tony Davies is offline
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Default Cap badge

Thank you for the information.
Tony
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  #8  
Old 19-05-20, 06:48 PM
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He is wearing the 1916 New Specification (NS) ‘soft cap’ in drab wool. It’s purpose was to be easily stowed in large or small pack or pocket for donning when steel helmets were not worn ‘out of the line’. A cotton gabardine version was issued in 1918. The splitting of the chin strap was an affectation to secure the cap badge in place so that it could not move upwards out of its slot and be lost.
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  #9  
Old 20-05-20, 06:57 AM
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Looking at the photograph, both pieces of the split chin strap appear to actually be below the cap badge.
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  #10  
Old 20-05-20, 07:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Kelley View Post
Looking at the photograph, both pieces of the split chin strap appear to actually be below the cap badge.
Yes, in this case they are Frank, my point is that the fashion of splitting the chin strap was for the purpose I’ve mentioned. There are numerous examples to be seen on the Great War Forum and various genealogical websites.
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  #11  
Old 20-05-20, 08:45 AM
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I'm not too sure the strap is split rather than just both "layers" showing.

What's the soldiers name please?
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  #12  
Old 20-05-20, 08:48 AM
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In fact it is such a good image that you can see the shadow cast by the cap badge upon the chin strap beneath.
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  #13  
Old 20-05-20, 11:49 AM
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A normal chinstrap that's been loosened (I was misinterpreting "split" as meaning "slit").
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  #14  
Old 20-05-20, 01:03 PM
Tony Davies Tony Davies is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leigh kitchen View Post
I'm not too sure the strap is split rather than just both "layers" showing.

What's the soldiers name please?
His name was Henry George Cornick but he was always called George and that seemed to generally be the name that he went by.
Never questioning him when he was alive I picked up fag ends of conversations. I spent a lot of time living with my grandparents while growing up and now regret never really being
interested in their lives (how you view things differently when you become old)

Thank you for your help and interest.

Regards
Tony
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  #15  
Old 20-05-20, 01:13 PM
Tony Davies Tony Davies is offline
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Toby,
That information is great, it helps me work out the time he was likely to have been in the army.
Tony
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