Belfast Home Guard?

[High Wood]

They look to be a very smart outfit but a little young to be Home Guard. The cap bages are very small and not clearly visible in the photograph. Cloth patches can be seen obliquely on the sleeves of two of the soldiers.

Any suggestions as to who they are would be welcome.

[cbuehler]

Unfortunately the cap badges are not visible as you mentioned. I too do not think they look like HG at all. The officer has Staff collars. It appears that there might be arm of service strips below the flash?

CB

[High Wood]

In the third photograph the cap badges can be seen as white blobs with a hunting horn outline. I wonder, judging from the general outline, if they might be Durham Light Infantry?

As always, with photographs of forward facing soldiers wearing side caps, the badges are at the wrong angle to identify them easily.

[cbuehler]

I think you might be onto something there. A very good possibility for DLI.

[Alan O]

I think you will find they are the small bugle for the OBLI. The officers collars suggest OBLI rather than a DLI bugle. They are not staff collars but a regimental distinction of the OBLI.

[Alan O]

as worn by this officer

[High Wood]

Thank you Alan, that is exactly what I needed to know.

After Dunkirk the 1st Ox and Bucks was brought up to strength with large numbers of conscripts and later transferred to the 148th Independent Brigade Group serving in Northern Ireland. In 1941 the 1st Ox and Bucks commemorated the bicentenary of the 43rd Light Infantry which included a celebratory parade and evening concert.

[Alan O]

The 1st Bn adopted the brass collar badge which was silvered under regimental arrangements for wear in the cap. I have posted about this before.

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ctureid=142000

[cbuehler]

Right you are, OBLI. I could not distinguish that they are not gorgets, but the unique collars of that regiment.

CB