Uniform I.D please ?

[lee greagsbey]

Hello all,

Can you help me I.D this Uniform Please ?

His name is Peter Cruickshank from Aberdeen, Scotland, on the back of the photo it said its taken in 1917.

When I looked at the Medal Roll the National Archives, WW1 Campaign Medals

There are X5 Peter Cruickshank's entry's.

One is with the South African Army Engineering Unit, so may be not him ?.

Another is with Gordon Highlanders & then with the 4th Gordon Highlanders.

Another is with 6th Royal Scots.

Another is with the Highland Light Infantry.

So I am guessing from the Medal Roll of the National Archives, WW1 Campaign Medals.

He has got to be either 6th Royal Scots or Highland Light Infantry or lastly Gordon Highlanders and being from Aberdeen, Wikipedia Claims that the Gordon Highlanders recruited principally from Aberdeen and the North-East of Scotland, so could he of been in the Gordon Highlanders ?

I believe that the Highland Light infantry wore trews.

I see in a old posting on this forum that one battalion of the Highland Light Infantry wore kilts in WW1 but by 1918, were moving toward battledress trousers, so could he of been in the Highland Light Infanfy ?

Please let me know if anybody has any other theory’s or ideas on this.

Many thanks,

Lee.

[4thGordons]

I am going to suggest he is a Gordon. Although usually issued with diced glengarries (chequered bottom) this was not universal and both individuals (and I think at least 1 training battalion) appear to have worn plain glengarries. Pipers also traditionally wore plain black glengarries (William Cruickshank was a piper in the 1/4th Bn Gordons and numerous other Cruickshank/Cruickshanks served)

Peter is wearing a simplified pattern jacket (no pocket pleats or rifle patches) and a kilt apron over his kilt. This obscures the tartan obviously. Although partially obscured the badge looks like it might be the Gordons badge worn on a ribbon backing.

The most conclusive evidence to support this identification is the double belled flashes in his hose tops which are (I think) diagnostic of the Gordons.

Is there a photographers mark / address on the back of the photo? It is clearly taken in an outside studio.

So my money is on 6168 Peter Cruickshank (Gordons).

The Gordons (esp the 1/4th) did indeed recruit from Aberdeen.

Pte 6168 (202661) Cruickshank served in the 1/4th Bn - interestingly he actually has two medal index cards (both available on Ancestry - one appears to have a 1954 notation on it).

You might find some of the information on my site of interest if there is a consensus that this is a likely candidate. Do you have any additional information on the picture etc?

Hope this helps

Chris

[lee greagsbey]

I am going to suggest he is a Gordon. Although usually issued with diced glengarries (chequered bottom) this was not universal and both individuals (and I think at least 1 training battalion) appear to have worn plain glengarries. Pipers also traditionally wore plain black glengarries (William Cruickshank was a piper in the 1/4th Bn Gordons and numerous other Cruickshank/Cruickshanks served)

Peter is wearing a simplified pattern jacket (no pocket pleats or rifle patches) and a kilt apron over his kilt. This obscures the tartan obviously. Although partially obscured the badge looks like it might be the Gordons badge worn on a ribbon backing.

The most conclusive evidence to support this identification is the double belled flashes in his hose tops which are (I think) diagnostic of the Gordons.

Is there a photographers mark / address on the back of the photo? It is clearly taken in an outside studio.

So my money is on 6168 Peter Cruickshank (Gordons).

The Gordons (esp the 1/4th) did indeed recruit from Aberdeen.

Pte 6168 (202661) Cruickshank served in the 1/4th Bn - interestingly he actually has two medal index cards (both available on Ancestry - one appears to have a 1954 notation on it).

You might find some of the information on my site of interest if there is a consensus that this is a likely candidate. Do you have any additional information on the picture etc?

Hope this helps

Chris

Hi Chris,

Thank you for you helpful reply, I have learnt alot for this photo from you, so once again thanks.

I take it the key here to the Gordons is the double belled flashes on his hose tops.

You asked is there a photographers mark / address on the back of the photo? No, there is no photographers mark / address on the back of the photo.

You asked do i have any additional information on the picture etc?

I have a Gordons cap badge that was in a box with this photo, but there is another photo of a soldier an A Johnston dated 1915, who i think was with the Gordons i thought that it was his.

Let me know if you would like me to post the photo ?

Many thanks,

Lee.

[4thGordons]

Yes I think so - double belled flashes were, as far as I know, only worn by the Gordons

and

YES PLEASE. (other photo)

Chris

[lee greagsbey]

Hi Chris,

Here is the other photo you asked to see, It's of Mr A. Johnston taken in 1915.

Again there is no photographers marks / address on the back of this photo.

Thank you for your website link,

Many thanks,

Lee.

[4thGordons]

Lee - thanks very much for posting this. Very nice pair of pictures.

Also wearing a simplified patten tunic - but in this case with a diced glengarry (Gordons badge identifiable) and a Pattern 14 leather belt. Nice picture - I'll have a look in my database to see if I have any A Johnston (s) serving in the 1/4th in correct period. He looks very young, doesn't he?

The hut in the background suggests this was taken at a wartime training camp.

Thanks

Chris

PS Not to sound like a broken record but this photo is also s good example of how the orthographic film in use at the time "hides" the thin gold/yellow stripe in the Gordons tartan by rendering it dark

[Andrew Upton]

Since no-one seems to have mentioned it, in the second photo have a look at the earth bank behind the the young mans legs - looks like there was once a name or a message done in stones, but too broken up to read properly by the time the picture was taken...

[lee greagsbey]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for taking the time to look at the other photo for me, thanks for looking on your database to see if you have any A Johnston (s) serving in the 1/4th.

You said he looks very young, doesn't he?

Yes he does, but other than his name. This is all i know about him, i dont even know his first name.

Thank you for the information about the orthographic film used at the time that "hides" the thin gold/yellow stripe in the Gordons tartan by rendering it dark. I am learning alot from you here, thank you.

Hi Andrew,

I have noticed the earth bank behind the his legs - as you say it looks like there was once a name or a message done in stones, but too broken up to read properly by the time the picture was taken...

But i have noticed by his right foot, as you look at the photo B33, What does this B33 mean ?

Many thanks,

Lee

[4thGordons]

I saw the stones and I thought this was where you got the "1915" from - that is what it looked like to me.

B33 is the plate/negative number put on there by the photographer to identify the particular picture so copies could be ordered etc. Its a very common device. Sometimes like this put on with a brush and developer at the time of printing - other times photographers propped a small chalkboard in one corner of the picture with the number written on, some even had a flip number board to use - although hand numbering seems to have been the most common.

Cheers

Chris

[lee greagsbey]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for explaining about the B33, to me.

I am not sure what the stones say ?, I got the 1915 from the back of the photo, its written on the back, Someone wrote Mr A Johnston, 1915.

Thanks,

Lee