brodie Posted 4 September , 2009 Share Posted 4 September , 2009 The man in this photo was born in Scotland but married in Ontario, Canada in 1918. On his marriage certificate, his occupation is given as R.A.F (soldier). The picture was taken 6 years earlier, in 1912. We can't work out what they mean by RAF (soldier). The collar patches look to me to be something like a Canadian moose. Any ideas or advice on this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 4 September , 2009 Share Posted 4 September , 2009 He's a Gordon Highlander. The collar badges are infact tigers. The interesting part for me and perhaps Grumpy is the badge located above his Good Conduct badges on the lower left cuff, could you possibly do a blow up of that area for us please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 4 September , 2009 Share Posted 4 September , 2009 Managed to download the photo and blow up the area concerned before it blurred and you be pleased to know it's an 'S' in a wreath which I beleve would indicate one of the battalion 'Scouts'. I think the only way to give him a modern definition would be member of a 'Recon' section/platoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brodie Posted 4 September , 2009 Author Share Posted 4 September , 2009 Thank you very much Graham - excellent information. So it seems that this man must have moved from the Gordons into the RAF at some point between 1912 and 1918. The fact that he put 'soldier' in brackets after RAF as his occupation makes me think of something like the RAF Regiment. But they didn't exist then did they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 4 September , 2009 Share Posted 4 September , 2009 An excellent picture, do you have a name? I have some lists of the 1/4th Battalion from 1912. The 1/4th recruited in Aberdeen. I suppose if his occupation is given as soldier he is likely a regular. Nice demonstration of the effect of orthographic film too, the cuffs and collar would in fact have been yellow but look darker than the scarlet frock (note it is a frock not a doublet another nice touch) and the yellow stripe in the Gordon tartan has also "disappeared" because of the colour reproduction of orthochromatic film/plates. Although the photo is good enough that you can make out the dark line in the tartan. Black buttons on the gaiters are also a Gordon trademark. It is interesting that he has a hackle in his diced glengarry. This is unusual (I do not know that I have seen it before) pipers wore blackcock feathers in their plain glengarry but I am not sure I have ever seen this in a diced one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 4 September , 2009 Share Posted 4 September , 2009 I think the only way to give him a modern definition would be member of a 'Recon' section/platoon. Could we not use "Recce"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 5 September , 2009 Share Posted 5 September , 2009 Could we not use "Recce"? Ooop's - thanks Steve - my definition was more Yank than Brit and I should have known better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brodie Posted 5 September , 2009 Author Share Posted 5 September , 2009 4th Gordons - The soldier's name is Marshall Glen Findlay. I'd appreciate it if you could give me any info your lists may hold. I'm still a bit confused about how he landed up saying he was in the RAF. Does anyone know whether lots of people transferred over from the Army to the RAF when it was formed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 5 September , 2009 Share Posted 5 September , 2009 The RAF wasn't formed until 1st April 1918, prior to that it was the Royal Flying Corps and as such it appeared in the Army List. It is quite possible that he could have been transferred into the RAF later in the war, especially if he had skills which would be of some use to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 5 September , 2009 Share Posted 5 September , 2009 I hazard a guess that the photo was taken in India, or shortly after his return from India. This is because the 'S in wreath' badge was the Indian issue version of the Fleur-de-lys worn by Scouts elsewhere. It was made in worsted, and also in gilding metal. I only have the GM version in my collection. Some units continued to wear it in the trenches when they were sent to the W Front. A cracker of a photo: question is, am I right about India? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 5 September , 2009 Share Posted 5 September , 2009 4th Gordons - The soldier's name is Marshall Glen Findlay. I'd appreciate it if you could give me any info your lists may hold. Sorry - I have looked through 1910, '12 and '14 and can find no mention of him. I also had a look through the Gordons MICs and can't find him either. Sorry. It is a great picture though. I have a couple of Gordons in frock coats that probably did originate in India so that might support Grumpy's hunch. I'm still interested in the feathers in a diced glen.! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brodie Posted 7 September , 2009 Author Share Posted 7 September , 2009 Thanks for your input everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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