Quote:
Originally Posted by mooke07
Hi all,
Picked this postcard up as had a notion that the figure to the back was my Durham Pals grandad but alas no. Anyway nice picture of a DLI sergant cleaning his rifle amongst recruits. He looks like he has QSA and KSA ribbons, crossed rifle cloth marksmans badge and two piece DLI shoulder titles and DLI WM cap badge.
Several of the new recruits are wearing a multi-pointed star lapel badge which I think is the trained soldier badge I have seen posted on the Forum. Am I right ?
Cheers Dean.
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Hello Dean, these are quite clearly Kitchener Volunteers from one of the New Army Battalions when first raised. Many had no uniform and so spent their first few weeks / months of training in civilian clothes. Unlike Regulars and Territorials they had no infrastructure to provide them with uniform and it took several months to gear up production.
Eventually 'special' blue uniforms were provided of a very rudimentary style. Some of the more wealthy cities, Birmingham being a good example, actually paid for their battalions uniforms in a more sophisticated style. The Birmingham battalions uniforms, although blue, had chest as well as lower pockets.
Units waiting for their uniforms were usually given token insignia that acted as a marker that they had enlisted and would thus not be awarded a white feather. This often took the form of a disc, a button, or as in your case a star. These badges were generally worn on the lapel.
As stated, only the Foot Guards had a badge for trained soldier.
26-01-12, 12:37 PM
Durham Light Infantry circa 1914
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