World War 1, 24th Battalion CEF - Wound Strip

[Wes_Robinson]

I'm 95% sure that on his left arm towards the bottom buy the cuff are two wound strips. Please Tell me im correct, I do not know of any other insignia for junior ranks that would be there, other then wound strips.

[findabetterole]

Yes.. your correct.. two wound stripes.

Seph

[brett361975]

Wound stripe, the large plate being fixed to the rear so only the thin braided stripe would be seen.

[john in minnesota]

Wound stripe = Yes; 24th BN CEF = No: This fellow is wearing highland uniform while the 24th Bn (Victoria Rifles of Montreal) was not a highland unit.

[Wes_Robinson]

Wound stripe = Yes; 24th BN CEF = No: This fellow is wearing highland uniform while the 24th Bn (Victoria Rifles of Montreal) was not a highland unit.

Hmm, see the problem is this is a picture of my great great uncle, who served with the 24th, and only the 24th. the hat is highlander theres no mistaken that which now the you mention it throws me for a loop. but the jacket seems to be tucked up in under, and the cap badge could be either 34th or 25th, the 25th was a highlander unit and i did have another relative who served with them, which had me thinking that the picture could of been of him, but im sure its of my great great uncle who served with the 24th.

im puzzeled now lol

[john in minnesota]

His tunic is what's referred to as a "Highland Cutaway". The bottom fly opening has been tailored into a curve to reveal the highlander's sporran - in this case the sporran is not being worn but you can clearly see that it's been replaced by a khaki apron over his kilt. His headdress is also the khaki balmoral which is peculiar to only a few of the CEF highland units - I believe the 25th (pipe band) may have worn them.

John

[Wes_Robinson]

His tunic is what's referred to as a "Highland Cutaway". The bottom fly opening has been tailored into a curve to reveal the highlander's sporran - in this case the sporran is not being worn but you can clearly see that it's been replaced by a khaki apron over his kilt. His headdress is also the khaki balmoral which is peculiar to only a few of the CEF highland units - I believe the 25th (pipe band) may have worn them.

John

could a man from Nova Scotia, in a Montreal based unit such as the Victoria Rifles of Canada, wear a highlander uniform.

Wes

[laughton]

On the assumption that you were related on the paternal side, I checked LAC and there was only one (1) Robinson in the 24th Infantry Battalion CEF and that was THOMAS ROBINSON.

Thomas Robinson Front of Attestation Papers

If that is not your man, give me his name and as many other particulars as you can (might as well do the other suspect relatives as well) and I will look them up in the data base.

Richard of Canada

p.s.

Thanks for the wound stripe photos in this topic, I had always assumed they were sewn on the sleeve. I have most everything else from my grandfather's uniform but not the wound stripe.

[Prussia]

Loveley photograph. Can you identify the leather belt? Is it 1916 Pattern equipment?

[Andrew Upton]

...but the jacket seems to be tucked up in under...

His tunic is what's referred to as a "Highland Cutaway". The bottom fly opening has been tailored into a curve to reveal the highlander's sporran - in this case the sporran is not being worn but you can clearly see that it's been replaced by a khaki apron over his kilt.

John, if you look carefully you'll see that as Wes pointed out the tunic hasn't actually been tailored, but simply pinned or tacked back to give something appearing a little more like the tailored version. The tailoring of the tunics was banned early in the war if I recall correctly (ignored to a certain degree) but some units clearly got around the rule by just temporarily pinning the tunic flaps up as is the case here. A collector I know once saw an original tunic which had clear matching rust marks on the corners at the front and further up the body where pins or similar had once been...

[Andrew Upton]

Thanks for the wound stripe photos in this topic, I had always assumed they were sewn on the sleeve. I have most everything else from my grandfather's uniform but not the wound stripe.

Early wound stripes were sewn to the sleeve - the earliest issue examples from 1916 were made in gold "Russian Braid", sewn to a cloth backing, although these seem to have been largely replaced by (possibly unofficial) metal examples by the end of the war.

Loveley photograph. Can you identify the leather belt? Is it 1916 Pattern equipment?

Certainly looks like it, see:

http://www.kaisersbunker.com/cef/equipment/cefe02.htm

[Wes_Robinson]

Early wound stripes were sewn to the sleeve - the earliest issue examples from 1916 were made in gold "Russian Braid", sewn to a cloth backing, although these seem to have been largely replaced by (possibly unofficial) metal examples by the end of the war.

Certainly looks like it, see:

http://www.kaisersbunker.com/cef/equipment/cefe02.htm

the man in the picture is my great great uncle Levi Robinson, his stats are below, in all honesty, the picture could be of some one else, it's just i was always told it was Levi and when i scaned the orginal it said Levi on the back, he looks pretty young for enlisting at 31.

Pte. Levi Robinson 469302

24th Bn. Que. Regt. 5th Bde. 2nd Can. Div. CEF.

May 8th 1884, S. Maitland, N.S. Can. -

Apr. 9th 1917, Vimy Ridge, Pas De Calais, Fr.

[Michael Johnson]

The badge looks like it might be 85th Bn. which was a Nova Scotia Highland battalion. His papers show an enlistment into the 64th Bn. in Nova Scotia - they were used as reinforcements. I suspect that he went to the 85th, or one of several N.S. Highland battalions linked to it, and then was transferred to the 24th.

[Wes_Robinson]

The badge looks like it might be 85th Bn. which was a Nova Scotia Highland battalion.

possibly, but i know that when Levi was killed at Vimy, he was with the 24th, it might be of an early picture of him before he went with the 24th, is that possible. he was born in NS, as to how he ended up in a Quebec regiment is unbeknown to me. as for the cap abdge, it could be 24, 25, 85 like you said, its to poor of an image to say for sure.

wes

[Michael Johnson]

I'm pretty positive that it's an 85th badge, as they were taller than the general run of maple leaf CEF badges. The fact that he has two wound stripes up indicates that he has seen active service - so definitely 85th, not one of its related units. His service record would be conclusive, and I'd be willing to bet that it shows a transfer to the 24th, probably after recovering from his second wound.

[Wes_Robinson]

I'm pretty positive that it's an 85th badge, as they were taller than the general run of maple leaf CEF badges. The fact that he has two wound stripes up indicates that he has seen active service - so definitely 85th, not one of its related units. His service record would be conclusive, and I'd be willing to bet that it shows a transfer to the 24th, probably after recovering from his second wound.

that would make since, i have wrote in to lac for his records, now heres the switch, i also have another great great uncle, threw marraige, that served with the 25 and the 112 and he records says he was wounded, and the 25 was a highlander regiment. so you can see how puzzel i am now. is there any faster way i can get these service records and or pictures.

Wes

[Michael Johnson]

The 25th weren't a highland regiment - the 85th was the first N.S. highland regiment.

Unfortunately, I can't think of any shorter route. If your public library has newspaper archives going back to 1914-18, you might be able to find him in the regular Casualty Lists, but that is a lot of searching.

When I think of it, I suspect that the 24th Battalion was running short of recruits, since the Montreal English were also feeding the 13th and 14th Battalions. I know of two Oakville Ontarrio boys who were killed with the 24th.

[Wes_Robinson]

The 25th weren't a highland regiment - the 85th was the first N.S. highland regiment.

Unfortunately, I can't think of any shorter route. If your public library has newspaper archives going back to 1914-18, you might be able to find him in the regular Casualty Lists, but that is a lot of searching.

When I think of it, I suspect that the 24th Battalion was running short of recruits, since the Montreal English were also feeding the 13th and 14th Battalions. I know of two Oakville Ontarrio boys who were killed with the 24th.

thats right too, my mistake, the 25th was just the nova scotia regiment, so chances are thats a picture of Levi straight out of enlistment into the 85th, after servicing overseas and being wounded twice. after the picture was takenn he ended up filling the depleted ranks of the 24th. is that a plausable statment.

wes

also his enlistments papers say 64th at the bottom for co.

[Wes_Robinson]

thats right too, my mistake, the 25th was just the nova scotia regiment, so chances are thats a picture of Levi straight out of enlistment into the 85th, after servicing overseas and being wounded twice. after the picture was takenn he ended up filling the depleted ranks of the 24th. is that a plausable statment.

wes

also his enlistments papers say 64th at the bottom for co.

any thoughts am i way off in left field.

Wes

[Michael Johnson]

I that that fits all the known facts. Lacking the photo, I would have said 64th -> 24th, although it makes more sense for him to have been posted from one N.S. regiment to another. The photo seems to clinch it.

The war diaries of the 24th and 85th might mention transfers/drafts, but highly unlikely that he would be mentioned by name as transfering, although it is just possible he might be mentioned as wounded with the 85th or killed with the 24th.

BUT

I just checked Geoff's search engine, and there are a lot of 64th men killed with the 24th, and quite early, too:

002 ASH, F 469417 05/05/1917

003 BRENNAN, G 469806 17/09/1916

004 BROWNELL, F 469796 17/09/1916

005 CAMERON, LC 469792 28/09/1916

006 CHAPPELL, FF 469489 25/07/1916

007 DOUCETTE, R 469011 17/09/1916

008 DOWLING, JDA 469387 13/10/1916

009 FORD, F 469388 16/02/1917

010 HOLLIDAY, RE 469498 11/04/1918

011 JEANS, A 469477 17/09/1916

012 KENNEDY, JP 469506 01/10/1916

013 LANGILLE, EN 469991 17/09/1916

014 LUCKETT, F 469367 15/08/1917

015 MCGILLIVRAY, JA 469466 17/09/1916

016 MCGRAW, W 469068 17/09/1916

017 MCRAE, R 469405 08/08/1918

018 O'HARA, LC 469981 17/09/1916

019 O'REILLY, N 469426 18/08/1917

020 ROBINSON, L 469302 09/04/1917

[Muerrisch]

The only official wound stripe was gold russia braid but many, most, officers and men favoured the several privately produced varieties in gilding metal

[Michael Johnson]

The only official wound stripe was gold russia braid but many, most, officers and men favoured the several privately produced varieties in gilding metal

Having sewn on more badges than I care to think about, I don't blame them! Poke, poke and you're done!

[Wes_Robinson]

so does the uniform hes wearing would you say 64th or 85th by looking at it.

wes

[Prussia]

so does the uniform hes wearing would you say 64th or 85th by looking at it.

wes

Thats a very hard one to answer but a previous poster reckoned he's wearing an 85th Batt cap badge.

In addittion he's also wearing a 1916 Pattern Dismounted Equipment belt.Only the Canadian 4th Division were issued 1916 Pattern equipment and the 85th Battallion was in that Division (12th Brigade.) I would say that on the little evidence there is that the balance of probability lies with the 85th Battallion.

[Wes_Robinson]

Thats a very hard one to answer but a previous poster reckoned he's wearing an 85th Batt cap badge.

In addittion he's also wearing a 1916 Pattern Dismounted Equipment belt.Only the Canadian 4th Division were issued 1916 Pattern equipment and the 85th Battallion was in that Division (12th Brigade.) I would say that on the little evidence there is that the balance of probability lies with the 85th Battallion.