Seany K Posted 31 December , 2008 Share Posted 31 December , 2008 Hi, Wondering if anyone out there can help. I'm trying to discover which regiment my great uncle Austin Kavanagh (aka James Austin Kavanagh) was in when this photo was taken. I can make out the cornet, so am sure he is light infantry of some form but that's about it. The Durham LI seems the closest I can make out but am unsure why he would be in that regiment as I beleive he was living in the Aldershot area at the time (he was born in Liverpool and spent a long time in Manchester, but no connection with further up north). Any help would be great. Thanks again, - Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 31 December , 2008 Share Posted 31 December , 2008 Hi Sean, I'd go for the DLI, there's a MIC for Sgt James Kavanah at the NA. His collar badges would denote a Pioneer Bn. from what I remember the 11th and 20th Bns were Pioneer Bns. Also it looks like he's wearing his medal ribbons so good for dating the photo, cheers, Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themonsstar Posted 31 December , 2008 Share Posted 31 December , 2008 The badge dos not look like the DLI, I will go for KOYLI. As for the medal ribbons, they look like the QSA & KSA medal ribbons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 31 December , 2008 Share Posted 31 December , 2008 I would say KOYLI also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 31 December , 2008 Share Posted 31 December , 2008 Def not KOYLI - their badge was a French horn with a white rose in the centre. From the shape, this has to be DLI or KSLI, I'd say; as only the DLI had Pioneer Bns (11th and 22nd (3rd County) Bns), I'd say DLI. Additionally, as the 22nd were disbanded in July 1918, if it's a post-war photo, then 11th is favourite. One caveat: the 1/7th (TF) absorbed the 22nd and themselves became a Pioneer Bn (8th Division) in 1918, so they're an outside chance, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolly Posted 31 December , 2008 Share Posted 31 December , 2008 The shape indicates either DLI or KSLI. The KSLI capbadge has a 'knot' in the bugle cord where the DLI has the crown. It is DLI because it has a crown on the top. Kind regards Woolly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 31 December , 2008 Share Posted 31 December , 2008 KOYLI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seany K Posted 31 December , 2008 Author Share Posted 31 December , 2008 Thanks for the quick response. The photo is dated WW1 - not very helpful! I don't beleive he served prior to the war. What are the QSA and KSA (guessing South Africa). He is missing from the 1901 census so could have been overseas in the army. Might also help to explain why the rest of the family moved to Aldershot. Have also attached another photo of him with his brother (Henry aka John H. Kavanagh), who was in the Royal Scots at the time (I beleive; his MC shows 4 different regiments - Royal Scots, Sussex, Queens & Hampshire) and their father to see if that helps. Thanks again - Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinglma Posted 31 December , 2008 Share Posted 31 December , 2008 Hi Sean, I'd go for the DLI, there's a MIC for Sgt James Kavanah at the NA. His collar badges would denote a Pioneer Bn. from what I remember the 11th and 20th Bns were Pioneer Bns. cheers, Jon Jon and Sgt James Kavanagh, 25612 DLI, 425548 Labour Corps was in the 11th Battalion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findabetterole Posted 31 December , 2008 Share Posted 31 December , 2008 Gentlemen.. The regiment in question is not the K.O.Y.L.I, for that is the smallest badge in the British Army, and is made up of a Brass light-infantry horn with a White Metal English Rose mounted upon the center. The D.L.I., or K.S.L.I. are the closest match. However, as 'Woolly' has mentioned, the D.L.I. seems the most ligical due to the Crown being uppemost. I shall post illustrations of all as soon as I retrieve my books shortly. Seph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findabetterole Posted 31 December , 2008 Share Posted 31 December , 2008 ..here you go, but the illustrations are not to scale ... K.O.Y.L.I., K.S.L.I., D.L.I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Doyle Posted 1 January , 2009 Share Posted 1 January , 2009 Definitely DLI - and definitely not KOYLI, as stated. KOYLI badge no bigger than a collar badge, to help with the scale. Happy New Year Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Droocoo Posted 2 January , 2009 Share Posted 2 January , 2009 I'm no expert, but could it be the somerset light infantry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 2 January , 2009 Share Posted 2 January , 2009 I'm no expert, but could it be the somerset light infantry Definately not SLI whose badge carried the 'Jellalabad' scroll on top and no King's crown Sean, the second pic shows James with at least 3 overseas service chevrons (blue) on his lower cuff. Henry is wearing his Royal Scots 'Tam' and 2 brass wound stripes on his lower cuff. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findabetterole Posted 2 January , 2009 Share Posted 2 January , 2009 Droocoo... your way off with that assumption, for the Somerset Light Infantry cap badge has a castleated rampart surmounted by a motto schroll instead of the King's Crown (as mentioned by Jay)... as illustrated. Seph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelsjbl Posted 2 January , 2009 Share Posted 2 January , 2009 Hope you don't mind. I took the liberty of cleaning up the original photo a bit. regards Brian P.s. Also tried fixing the group shot, but must be too close to christmas...cant seem to get it right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 2 January , 2009 Share Posted 2 January , 2009 If thats not a Durham Light Infantry cap badge, then I'll eat hay with a cuddy. I wore the beret badge as a member of Ushaw Moor Detachment, Durham ACF during the 1960's albeit with a Queens Crown and in anodised aluminium. The badge continued to be worn by certain Durham ACF Detachments long after the regiment had become part of the Light Infantry. The lads at South Shields used to wear their own badge modelled on the DLI one, which had the letters 'DCB' instead of 'DLI' and went by the title '1st Durham Cadet Battalion'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seany K Posted 5 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2009 Gents, thank you all again for your help with this. Does antone know if their was ever a list or book published of people awarded the QAS and KAS (assuming those are the ribbons shown)? Brian, many, many thanks for the job on the photo's - really apreciated. Thanks again, - Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 5 January , 2009 Share Posted 5 January , 2009 Re 'cleaned up' photo. He is unequivocally in a pioneer battalion (see collar badges) of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 6 January , 2009 Share Posted 6 January , 2009 ..and in the second, cleaned-up photograph he has overseas service chevrons, and seems to have acquired a third ribbon not present on the first picture (the white central stripe of the King's South Africa is the marker - there is something after that ribbon). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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