Anyone recognise this Officer as a V C winner?

[Rodge Dowson]

Visit My Website

[archangel9]

I have no idea but great picture!!

John

[Rodge Dowson]

Thanks John - going to take some working out - may be from some other event of course at Buckingham Palace, but yes a good find from a collectors fair.

[Rob B]

Cracking photo as said, I notice some one to the rear left showing a decoration on their jacket so a certain medal presentation at the Palace. We have a similar one of a Great Uncle after his award of a DSO. I would expect there to have been more of a scrum had it been a VC presentation. He also has the look of a Colonial Scot.

[Rodge Dowson]

QUOTE (Rob B @ Apr 4 2009, 09:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cracking photo as said, I notice some one to the rear left showing a decoration on their jacket so a certain medal presentation at the Palace. We have a similar one of a Great Uncle after his award of a DSO. I would expect there to have been more of a scrum had it been a VC presentation. He also has the look of a Colonial Scot.

I hadn't noticed that Rob, the soldier in the background I felt although a poor shot looked a little like Riflemen Mariner V C?

[MBrockway]

I hadn't noticed that Rob, the soldier in the background I felt although a poor shot looked a little like Riflemen Mariner V C?

Rodge,

Here's the only picture I have of William Mariner, VC:

[source: The Great War magazine, Vol.IV, p.373, publ. 23 Oct 1915]

For info, he was only 5'3" tall ... but that didn't stop him becoming the KRRC lightweight wrestling champion when in India before the War!

Hard to tell the height of the chap in your photo, but he certainly isn't tall.

I can't see an obvious cap badge either - one could read that as supporting it being a blackened KRRC badge I suppose.

William Mariner was an interesting character - illegitimate son of a Lancashire cotton worker, court-martialled twice for serious discipline offences. He was also convicted as a house-breaker after leaving the Army. His investiture at Buckingham Palace was in August 1915 and he was in the magistrate's court immediately afterwards following a somewhat over-exuberant celebration! He wore his VC in court, but still got a severe dressing down!

He was killed on 30th June 1916 at Loos having single-handedly charged an enemy trench during heavy shelling.

If there's any way of finding out who else might have received a VC at the same investiture in August 1915, you might get somewhere with the Kiltie. That 23rd Oct 1915 issue of The Great War magazine has pictures of most of the VCs awarded up to late 1915. I've studied the pictures and so far the only one with a good resemblance is Rfn Henry MAY, 1/Scottish Rifles, but he is not an officer and the Scottish Rifles did not wear kilt nor Tam/Balmoral.

Cheers,

Mark

[Rodge Dowson]

Thanks Mark, there is one possible for me to follow up so far, and yes if I can tie up the ceremony by cross referencing the dates it may narrow things down a little. I have seen similar photos that have been after V C awards one we have at the museum I am at is of Tom Dresser and his mother outside the gates.

Tom's arm is in a sling and he is clutching his box for the medal. Over the years I have been fortunate to find V C winner photos the last one was of Robert Ryder, Middlesex Rgt. wearing his V C in a platoon photo.

Best Wishes - Rodge