1/4th OBLI

[tocemma]

Hello all,

Is anyone out there researching this Battalion? I would particularly like to hear from anyone who has knowledge of this Regiment's dress distinctions. For instance I understand that Officers wore a double braced Sam Browne of Regimental pattern.

I am also trying to put a tentative identification to some uniform items belonging to a Major of this Battalion. This may be possible due to the large stature of the individual concerened.

Can anyone help?

Regards

Tocemma

[Paul Reed]

You might find Graham Greenwell's 'Infant in Arms' (London 1935) of interest. He served with the battalion from 1915 to the end of the war.

[Steven Broomfield]

And here's the cover of my copy (Allen Lane, 1972), with a photo of the author, showing not only the double-braced Sam Browne, but also the regimental gorget tab collar dogs.

[Steve Berridge]

Hi all,

Thank you-Seeing Steven's picture of the book cover has answered a question I posed myself on reading this thread regarding whether the Territorials of the 4th Battalion wore the “gorget” or the “T” on their collars.

Another point of interest regarding the double brace sam brownes is that in the Ox and Bucks the buckle was not that of the standard sam browne but usually flatter and squarer in appearance.

The battalion also wore its own distinctive shoulder title of BUGLE/OXF & BUCKS with T4 within the strings of the bugle.

Instead of the more normal T/4/BUGLE/OXF & BUCKS.

I hope this is of interest.

My normal sphere of interest is that of their brothers in 145 Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division, the 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion.

Regards

Steve.

[tocemma]

Hello all,

Thanks for the replies. To Steve Berridge, I will post some photos of the 1/4th Major's jacket later. I seems they wore both the cord and button insignia and the 'T' affixed to the cord. I have a PC photo of an O&B man in kd and he is also wearing the button and cord insignia.

Paul and Steve, thanks for the tip re the Graham Greenwell book. I will try and find a copy of this.

Anyone got an OBLI Sam Browne they want to part with??!

Regards

Tocemma

[tocemma]

Hello all,

Atached are some photos for Steve Berridge of the Ox and Bucks Major's tunic. Note the use of the 'T' with the button and cord collar badge. Has anyone got a clear picture the Regimental pattern Sam Browne? I have now acquired a copy of the Graham Greenwell book via Amazon (thanks again Paul reed and Steve Broomfield, it's a good read) and the cover photo shows the braces of the Sam Browne quite well, but not the buckle etc. Does anyone have an example of the Ox and Bucks style they can post photos of? Please note I am looking for details of the Regimental pattern only. I have several normal pattern double brace Sam Browne's in my collection.

Any help gratefully received.

Tocemma

Button detail of the Major's tunic.

Tocemma

[Steve Berridge]

Hi Tocemma,

Thanks for posting the photos of the tunic, it all makes sense now about the "gorget".

I have some photos of the OBLI Double brace sam brownes at home but am at work at present so will post them later unless someone beats me to it.

By way of interest within some if not all battalions of the regiment the officers double brace sam browne was referred to as the "Regimental belt" one of those "regimental" odditys.

Steve

[Steven Broomfield]

And, of course, in that wonderful film The Foreman went to France, Tommy Trinder realised the Ox & Bucks officer was a German spy because he was wearing collar dogs, not the gorget tab. (I'd worked it out much earlier, of course, but they never asked me).

[pmaasz]

The OBLI at Slade Barracks, Oxford, which shares the same site as 'my' regiment, has a very active archive/museum/research facility. I'd be surprised if all your questions cannot be answered.

[Grovetown]

Herewith some images from the OBLI Chronicle 1914-1915. Marshall - the second - was 2nd Bn and DoW 23-10-14 from wounds received near Langemarck during 1st Ypres.

There is a mixture of two brace Sam Brownes worn in the few images showing them in this book; and the only real distinction I can discern (and in the 1915-1916 edition) is the sharp 'corneredness' of the buckle.

Tocemma - I'd be really grateful for dimensions etc of the button; and some description of the cord material. I have a named/ Jan 15 dated cuff-to-shoulder conversion SD of a guy wounded by shelling May 15-18th 1915 at Festubert. Unfortunately, the collars have been stripped, and I've been looking for info/ illustrations for a while...

Best wishes,

GT.

[Steve Berridge]

There you go, I knew someone would beat me to it!

However grovetown's superb images illustrate the "squarer" buckle that I mentioned in post 4.

The picture of 2Lt Marshall also shows the leather strap secured by the top tunic button that was originally designed to support the two braces. This was later adapted for holding at either end in the pockets a fob watch and whistle.

This strap was still in use in the days of battledress although by that time most officers having wrist watches one end of the strap was free, to which I know that a number of officers attached a bottle opener as being a far more useful thing to have!

Above is one of the photos that I promised of the "regimental belt" in use by the RSM and CO of 2OBLI alongside the QM who has a more "normal" type of buckle for comparison.

Steve