verdun Posted 14 August , 2009 Share Posted 14 August , 2009 Can anyone identify this soldier's cap badge (& photo enlargement) please??? Thanks if you can help, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 14 August , 2009 Share Posted 14 August , 2009 Looks like a Cyclists badge to me, 9th (Cyclist) Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment? Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Bulloch Posted 14 August , 2009 Share Posted 14 August , 2009 SteveE Is spot on. 9th Hampshire Cyclists. A wheel with a rose in the center. Aye Rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 14 August , 2009 Share Posted 14 August , 2009 Pedantically, a wheel with a Hampshire Rose in the centre (the red rose with a white rose in the centre, apparently awarded to the borough of Southampton by Henry V as he passed through on his way to give the French a good hiding). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verdun Posted 14 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 14 August , 2009 Thanks, guys. This is very interesting. The photo is in a family collection and I had always thought it was a picture of one of two great uncles, both of whom survived the war. One served in the Royal Sussex (as a regular) and the other joined the AVC, soon after to be transferred to the RFA. So now I have a mystery! Any further ideas would therefore be most welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thompson Posted 14 August , 2009 Share Posted 14 August , 2009 Hello Peter, Are you able to provide the names of your great uncles please and any other background information that you may have on them. Thanks Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verdun Posted 15 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 15 August , 2009 Hi Marc and thanks for getting in touch. I know quite a lot about the two brothers, partly because of Ancestry and also as a result of assistance from a GWF member some time ago. Here are their details: FREDERICK WILLIAM COLLINS, 1889-1921 (died of a "tropical disease") Royal Sussex Regiment L/9432 Private Royal Sussex Regiment L/13637 Private Royal Sussex Regiment 6392363 Private CHARLES EDWARD COLLINS, 1885-c.1967 Army Veterinary Corps 1699 Private Royal Field Artillery 120092 Private Fred was a regular in the Royal Sussex. (I'd love to know when he joined up!) His MIC shows that he has the 1914/15 Star, indicating that he must have served in the 1st battalion in India, which fits in with the fact that he also has the India (NWF clasp) medal and died of a tropical illness. If he had been in the 2nd battalion he would have qualified for the 14 Star. Charlie's service record survives (and was sent to me by a GWF member, although I can't find it on Ancestry.) He attested on December 9th 1914, joined the AVC, but was later transferred to the RFA. We had always assumed that the photo was of Fred, but then noticed only recently that the cap badge was not of the Royal Sussex. However, there may be a clue... If the cap badge belongs to the 2/9th (Cyclist) Battalion Hampshire Regiment (as seems likely) I notice on The Long Long Trail that this unit was based in Bognor in the autumn of 1914, which is where the Collins family came from. So, I am now wondering if the photo is in fact of Charlie, who perhaps joined the TA before attesting. But, if this is true, I am wondering why service with the 2/9th doesn't show up on his record? Any thoughts, ideas or information - especially on Fred's date of pre-war enlistment would be gratefully received. Many thanks, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thompson Posted 15 August , 2009 Share Posted 15 August , 2009 Peter, I can't help with an enlistment date for Fred Collins. Your best bet is to post his details in a separate thread which may stand a better chance of being picked up by a Royal Sussex Regt expert. I am not able to give you much assistance with the photograph. The wearer clearly portrays the cap badge of the 9th/Hants but there is no tangible link between this and either Fred or Charles Collins. 2 Companies of 2/9th Hants first moved to Bognor in April 1915 so I think that this can be ruled out as a photograph of Charles. In addition, his attestation paper to join the AVC in December 1914 states that he had no previous military service. Did Fred or Charles have any other brothers of military age who may be a likely candidate? The other possibility is that it isn't a family member at all. For example, it may be a member of 2/9th Hants stationed at Bognor who was friends with the family or a lodger etc etc. I assume that there are no clues on the photograph such as the studio name? Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verdun Posted 16 August , 2009 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2009 Hi Marc, I am pretty sure this is a Collins. He certainly looks like one, whoever he is! There was a third brother, Wilfred, born c.1900. He has no MIC and is thought to have been too young to have joined up. He might have been conscripted in 1918, but doubt he served in the TA beforehand. The back of the photo is stamped: Porter & Co, Masion Rouge Studio, Ventnor. The IOW connection certainly confirms the Hampshire connection! Thanks again for your interest, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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