119 Coy, A.O.C. (previously Unidentified group, Sutton Coldfield, Circa 1916)

[Jim Clay]

I'm posting the attached group photograph in the hope that a) it may be of interest to those of you with West Midlands ancestors and someone may be able to suggest what's going on.

The photograph appears to have been taken by Sleight of Sutton Coldfield, and I'm guessing was taken around 1916 (simply because my granddad, 4th from left, front row) looks very much as he does on a family photo with my dad as a small baby (late 1916/early 1917).

I've not done any research into my granddad's war yet, and don't know if he served (on my dad's birth cert of late 1916, granddad then aged about 33, was the informant and described as grocers' manager).

The pic is large so any clues may be visible!!

Good luck

Jim

Edited 21 April , 2020 by Jim Clay
reposting photo

[Jim Clay]

Sorry, that should say Speight of Sutton Coldfield, not Sleight.

Jim

[Matt Dixon]

Jim,

Try emailing Terry Carter off the forum, he is the expert on Birmingham.

[Graeme Fisher]

The man in the front row in civvies and a cap suggests he was at the back of the queue for kit.........

Possibly a Service battalion in the early days. Sutton Park was used as a camp in the early part of the war, and the lack of cap badges on the uniformed privates suggests a recently formed unit.

How about a Birmingham Pals unit, Terry?

[Raster Scanning]

Jim.

Interesting picture, the odd assortment of uniforms and equipment indicates to me it was taken in late 14 or early 15. Particularly interesting to me are the (what appear to be) double pleated breasts to many of the jackets. Most of the men appear to be older than your average for early recruits, some sort of reserve maybe, formed from factory workers. Interesting to see a beard on the man in the front, who also wears an armband.

What was your Grandfathers name? I will look to see if he was recorded in the Birmingham National Roll.

John.

[Jim Clay]

John

Thanks for your observations. My grandad was Charles Henry Clay, aged 31 at the beginning of the war and probably living at Chester Rd S Coldfield. His occupation was grocers' manager. Any info you might find would be most gratefully received!

Regards

Jim

[AndrewThornton]

These chaps look like members of the Volunteer Training Corps to me. If you look at their uniforms, they do not follow the conventional cut of service dress and are also lighter in colour, like the green/grey hue used by VTC units. Also, there are several men who are wearing armbands in place of uniform, which was not issued but was purchased by the individual. The cap badges also conform to the shape of the badge issued by the VTC Central Association. The age of the men also seems to conform with those who were members of the VTC, which was the Great War equivalent of the Home Guard.

[Terry Carter]

Hello

I agree with Andrew, they seem to be a unit of the VTC. Certain units had their activities and training nights etc published in the local Birmingham press at the time.

Terry

[Jim Clay]

Terry, Andrew

Thanks for this - yes I had thought Dad's Army, but had no knowledge of an equivalent WW1 setup.

Regards

Jim

[Jim Clay]

Well, stone the flippin' crows!  After 16 years, I just found Granddad in the (recently uploaded to FMP) 1918 Electoral Roll for Sutton Coldfield, living at 605 Chester Road, and with the following details:

 

Service No 032885, private, 119 Company, A.O.C.!  And I then looked for and found his MIC.  No overseas service recorded.

 

I had found nothing all those years ago and wrongly assumed he didn't serve, other than in the VTC.  We all know about assume - makes an ass of u and me ...

 

It occurs to me:  I wonder if any RAOC researchers know where 119 Coy was based?

 

 

Edited 21 April , 2020 by Jim Clay