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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Staff Officers Galore


jimmyjames

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I bought the attached photo in a Cheltenham antiques shop two years ago. The frame has broken so I was about to replace it.

I wonder what information can be gleaned from it. Where was it taken and when. In what formation these officers served. Regiments/Corps the officers belonged to. Any faces recognised.

Regards

Jimmy

post-2-1077473115.jpg

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I am no expert on uniforms etc but so far as location is concerned, I reckon it is 'somewhere' in Flanders. Consider the architecture.

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Only the one on the right appears to be a Staff-wallah; the others look like regimental officers, and I must say the background does look like Querrieu chateau on the Somme, but the architecture on many of these chateaux is similar.

Any chance of a close up of head and shoulders of some of the others, to get a clear look at badges?

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I wondered about Querrieu, and I also thought it might be La Motte au Bois. But having checked a couple of websites, I can see it is neither of them. The round-topped windows appear to be unusual and may be the route to identifying this building.

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Only a wild guess but the "chalky" appearance of their boots would suggest the Somme area.

Roger.

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Head and shoulder shot of the officer on the far left.

More to follow.

Jimmy

post-2-1077483508.jpg

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The officer in the centre - he is wearing trousers and not breeches and puttees.

Jimmy

post-2-1077483666.jpg

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The officer second from right.

Jimmy

post-2-1077483737.jpg

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Officer on the far right.

Jimmy

post-2-1077491737.jpg

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Officer second from left.

Jimmy

post-2-1077491812.jpg

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The officers are from the following regiments:

From left to right:

1) Northamptonshire Regiment

2) Royal Warwickshire Regiment - appears to be a Territorial Force officer as there looks like there is a bronzed "T" under his collar badges.

3) South Staffordshire Regiment - might be able to identify this officer as he has silver knot collar badges which I think were worn by the 1st Battalion. I need to check this though.

4) Royal Berkshire Regiment, possibly 1/4th Battalion as he too has bronzed "T"'s under his collar badges.

5) Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry - the Ox and Bucks did not wear collar badges but instead wore regimental buttons with a "gimp". This is sometimes confused with staff officer's gorget patches. Also, he wears both straps of his Sam Browne equipment, as per regimental orders.

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My bet is that these officers are students at one of the schools that each of the British armies established in France to keep junior officers up to date with the latest tactics and to broaden their military knowledge. They also provided a welcome relief from the humdrum of trench warfare.

Charles M

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