British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Recent Books by Forum Members

   

Go Back   British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum > British Military Insignia > Photographs of British Servicemen and Women Wearing Insignia

 Other Pages: Galleries, Links etc.
Glossary  Books by Forum Members     Canadian Pre 1914    CEF    CEF Badge Inscriptions   Canadian post 1920     Canadian post 1953     British Cavalry Badges     Makers' Marks    Pipers' Badges  Canadian Cloth Titles  Books  SEARCH
 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #16  
Old 10-01-08, 03:04 PM
Malcolm Davey's Avatar
Malcolm Davey Malcolm Davey is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The Shire
Posts: 1,608
Default

Hi Alan
I thought about RA but then the spurs and riding crop put me off plus it looks like there is 3 letters in the shoulder title.

Cheers
Malc
__________________
http://www.watlingmilitaria.com/



Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 10-01-08, 03:09 PM
Malcolm Davey's Avatar
Malcolm Davey Malcolm Davey is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The Shire
Posts: 1,608
Default

Here are some closer pictures.
Could it be royal field atrillery???

Cheers
Malc
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Unknown 3.jpg (13.7 KB, 13 views)
File Type: jpg Unknown 4.jpg (18.1 KB, 22 views)
File Type: jpg Unknown 5.jpg (8.5 KB, 74 views)
__________________
http://www.watlingmilitaria.com/



Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 10-01-08, 03:29 PM
Alan O's Avatar
Alan O Alan O is offline
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 12,730
Default

Spurs are quite normal for the RA at the time to drag the guns about. It could be RHA or RFA as both were mounted.

Alan
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 10-01-08, 04:03 PM
tynesideirish's Avatar
tynesideirish tynesideirish is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,143
Default

RFA In both photo's both clearly have ball topped Helmets The mounted one with the light collars was common with AV it is not so easy to ID the exact unit with these pics as they are, and without any history. A thread counter would sort it out for you.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 10-01-08, 09:45 PM
GGP's Avatar
GGP GGP is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 6
Default

Sorry, what is 'AV'
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 11-01-08, 02:57 PM
Toby Purcell's Avatar
Toby Purcell Toby Purcell is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Completed colour service and retired
Posts: 3,202
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by GGP View Post
Thank you....another piece of the jigsaw (the last) is attached. He is the Sergeant on the RH side, clearly in the RA in France. Where the mounted stint was in the previous pic I do not know.
Well that is unequivocally RA so whether he was in the ASC before (I believe so from the mounted pic) will require further research. It was not unusual for Regular reservists to be moved between different parts of the Army over the period 1914-19, especially when wounded and unfit for infantry service (interestingly both Sgts on right side have distinctive brass 'wound stripes' on left arm indicating they have each been wounded twice). Other Arms had varying requirements of medical fitness (as they do now). Have you tried searching out his war record (many were destroyed in the Blitz but surviving copies are available online) or the medal roll (much easier and complete)? It is notable that he (and others too) is also wearing medal ribbons and I can identify the 1914/15 star ribbon on his tunic and there may well be othesr that cannot bee seen because of the quality of the repro. They look to me as if they are in Best Tunics (note 'pristine' white RA lanyards and ribbons were rarely worn in the front line) and it is therefore unlikely to be France unless at some kind of 'Review' in a rear area. My supposition is that this is back in UK and may even be at the end of the war, or just after. When was he demobbed (discharged)?

Last edited by Toby Purcell; 14-01-08 at 12:22 PM. Reason: typo and added facts
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 11-01-08, 03:10 PM
Toby Purcell's Avatar
Toby Purcell Toby Purcell is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Completed colour service and retired
Posts: 3,202
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jochim View Post
Chaps
Can anyone identify the second picture as i think the first one is Cameron Highlanders and also maybe put a date to them both.

Cheers
Malc
Interesting pics. I place the first pic at around 1905 and Queens Own Cameron Highlanders (only Reg Infantry Regt to have just a single battalion, all others had 2, most common, or 4). He is wearing 'drummers lace' (so was in the Pipes and Drums) around collar and cuffs, a 1903 pattern leather belt and is wearing a Cameron Highlanders Glengarry (with no dicing, unlike the other Highlander Regts, except for Black Watch who usually wore a Bonnet, although their band and pipes and drums wore a similar Glengarry). The second pic I believe to be RHA and around 1900, as he appears to have the ball (shaped) buttons used to distinguish that 'elite' branch of the RA from its (considered by the RHA) more pedestrian brethren. The Wolsey (not Pith, or Solar Topee worn later) helmet with its RA badge and Ball top is very clear and worn by the RA and RFA as well. The 3 letter shoulder title makes clear it is RFA, or RHA. It is also clear that he was in the RA before he went to the Highlanders as he has only one good conduct stripe with RA, but has achieved both a second conduct stripe and a Lance Corporal's chevron in the Highlanders.

Last edited by Toby Purcell; 14-01-08 at 12:25 PM. Reason: typos and added facts
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 11-01-08, 03:29 PM
Malcolm Davey's Avatar
Malcolm Davey Malcolm Davey is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: The Shire
Posts: 1,608
Default

Many thanks Alan & Toby for your input that is most helpful information.

Cheers
Malc
__________________
http://www.watlingmilitaria.com/



Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 11-01-08, 06:01 PM
tynesideirish's Avatar
tynesideirish tynesideirish is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,143
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by GGP View Post
Sorry, what is 'AV'
Artillery Volunteers. Sometimes A.V.C rarely V.A.

The light Collars where quite common for Artillery of this period. The Helmet badge shape isn't plain, I couldn't see the star shape Toby mentioned... but I think he may be onto something with this mounted guy not being RA.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 14-01-08, 01:41 AM
Toby Purcell's Avatar
Toby Purcell Toby Purcell is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Completed colour service and retired
Posts: 3,202
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by tynesideirish View Post
Artillery Volunteers. Sometimes A.V.C rarely V.A.

The light Collars where quite common for Artillery of this period. The Helmet badge shape isn't plain, I couldn't see the star shape Toby mentioned... but I think he may be onto something with this mounted guy not being RA.
Am referring to earlier pic where he is mounted and holding his helmet under his arm. You can see quite clearly that it is a 'universal star' helmet plate, which was not worn by the RA. There's was a coat of arms with gun in relief.
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 14-01-08, 08:00 AM
GGP's Avatar
GGP GGP is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 6
Default

Many thanks for the excellent help on these pages , am now 'scrolling' the medal roll as Toby suggested. Fascinating.
With all the permutations in the name, rank, unit, number scenario in the early part of the 20th century , there is a strong case for a bar-code or 'chip' implant in the future......perhaps a little too far?
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 14-01-08, 12:02 PM
Toby Purcell's Avatar
Toby Purcell Toby Purcell is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Completed colour service and retired
Posts: 3,202
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by GGP View Post
Many thanks for the excellent help on these pages , am now 'scrolling' the medal roll as Toby suggested. Fascinating.
With all the permutations in the name, rank, unit, number scenario in the early part of the 20th century , there is a strong case for a bar-code or 'chip' implant in the future......perhaps a little too far?
Important to note that at that time each Regt/Corp was allocated its own block of numbers. This meant that every time a soldier changed Regt/Corps he was issued with a new number, but of course his personal details (name., inits, date of birth etc) remained the same.

Last edited by Toby Purcell; 14-01-08 at 12:25 PM. Reason: typo
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

mhs link

All times are GMT. The time now is 06:37 AM.


Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.