WW1 photo brainstorming - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Mike · #1 25-03-11, 12:05 PM

have these incoming from a family history researcher - would rather trust the expertise on here than my own interpretation!

so if anyone would be kind enough to jot down their thoughts on insignia / ranks etc it would be most greatly appreciated.

One of the important questions is to identify if the female shown is in one of the WW1 women's corps/services? - i don't know but the uniform looks familiar??

LONGSHANKS · #2 25-03-11, 01:54 PM

Beautiful pictures Mike, especially the officers. No idea on the detail your looking for, I'll leave that to the experts on here.

Simon

paj1 · #3 25-03-11, 02:29 PM

Hi the officer seated is rank of major

GriffMJ · #4 25-03-11, 02:37 PM

My Guess:-

Woman : Dont know
1st Chap: RSM of the ASC cWW1 possibly (massive neck!).
2nd Chap: Major RAMC cWW1

grumpy · #5 25-03-11, 02:42 PM

second man is not necessarily a RSM but he is certainly a Warrant Officer Class 1, badge no earlier than mid 1915.

Alan O · #6 25-03-11, 02:57 PM

Your major is in the RAMC.

David Tremain · #7 25-03-11, 04:04 PM

Could the young woman be a nurse or member of the WAAC - Women's Auxiliary Army Corps? David

Old Smelly · #8 25-03-11, 05:26 PM

The RAMC Major looks like he has the MC ribbon, if there is a name then more research possibilities
Lee

tonyb · #9 25-03-11, 05:47 PM

Would the Warrent Officer be from a mounted unit of the ASC, is he wearing riding breeches and boots?
Regards Tony

Toby Purcell · #10 25-03-11, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy

second man is not necessarily a RSM but he is certainly a Warrant Officer Class 1, badge no earlier than mid 1915.

He might well hold the appointment of Staff Sergeant Major (SSM) and the absence of medal ribbons would imply that the photo was taken pre-1918.

Toby Purcell · #11 25-03-11, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyb

Would the Warrent Officer be from a mounted unit of the ASC, is he wearing riding breeches and boots?
Regards Tony

Yes, he might well be from a mounted unit, but then almost all ASC were either horsed, or motor transport men. It is because of the ASC's association with horses that they wore a double stripe down the outer seam of their trousers and spurs in full dress.

Rob Miller · #12 25-03-11, 06:41 PM

Could the young lady be a member of a V.A.D. (Voluntary Aid Detachment)?

Mike · #13 26-03-11, 10:59 AM

hi chaps many thanks I will forward the info. I think she (the researcher) was told the center chap was cavalry, which was wrong to me.

Quote:

Could the young lady be a member of a V.A.D. (Voluntary Aid Detachment)?

that title does see to fit and I suppose they had various roles with the red cross rather than the medical side (driver?) it's a possible avenue to think about anyway.

Toby Purcell · #14 26-03-11, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

hi chaps many thanks I will forward the info. I think she (the researcher) was told the center chap was cavalry, which was wrong to me.

that title does see to fit and I suppose they had various roles with the red cross rather than the medical side (driver?) it's a possible avenue to think about anyway.

As a VAD I would have expected to see her in a nurse's uniform. The uniform of the lady in question is more reminiscent of a driver in one of the women's services, perhaps the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, but I am not sure what form their shoulder title took at that time.

#15 27-03-11, 09:58 AM

Gentlemen,

Attached are a couple of photos of the women volunteers of the Scottish Women's Hospital Unit, which (I believe) served largely in Serbia during the Great War. The coats/tunics and large hats, whilst possibly not identical, are very similar to those in Mike's photo.

SWHU 1.jpg IR 1.jpg

Just a thought.

PJ