punkymonkey Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 This is a photograph of my Great Grandfather Thomas Foster. I'm not sure when it was taken. I discovered from the 1911 census that he was in the DLI, but I'm guessing this isn't a DLI uniform. He was born in 1891 in Yorkshire and lived in Durham. I can see a medal ribbon on the photograph, but I'm not sure what medal it's for. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 No photograph showing, Sarah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punkymonkey Posted 30 March , 2010 Author Share Posted 30 March , 2010 No photograph showing, Sarah. Oopsie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 Oopsie! I think you are looking at a Seaforth Highlander. The tartan is correct and you can just make out the outline of the badge. As you say he appears to have a medal ribbon up, this and the puttees rather than gaiters/spats would suggest mid-later war to me. Anything on the back? (photographer's name/location etc) Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 DCM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punkymonkey Posted 30 March , 2010 Author Share Posted 30 March , 2010 I think you are looking at a Seaforth Highlander. The tartan is correct and you can just make out the outline of the badge. As you say he appears to have a medal ribbon up, this and the puttees rather than gaiters/spats would suggest mid-later war to me. Anything on the back? (photographer's name/location etc) Chris Thanks so much for that information! I only have a copy of the photograph, my Dad has the original though so I'll check with him whether anything is written on the back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 The ribbon could be a British War Medal blurred? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 Could the man in the photo be from one of Tyneside Scottish battalions in the Northumberland Fusiliers? If so, then there's a Pension Record to a 4520 FOSTER, Thomas Herbert (miner of Middleton, Teesdale, age 30yrs 5 months) who enlisted into 8/NF on 13 Aug 1914. On the Question about prior military service on the Attestation From, he has responded "2nd Durham LI Volunteers - time expired" However he was discharged on 24 Nov 1914 as "unlikely to become an efficient soldier (medical grounds)" KR Para 392 iii c Address at Discharge is given as 55 Sycamore Street, Hirst or Hurst, Ashington and wife's name Tabitha. Three children: Joseph, Maud and Wyndham. I know 8/NF were not one of the Tyneside Scottish battalions, but perhaps this man re-enlisted later in the War into 20-23 NF? Anyone know whether the Tyneside Scots NF battalions wore highland dress and, if so, which tartan? I know in WW2 there were links with the Black Watch and this photo is definitely not the Black Watch/Government tartan [Edit: and I agree with Chris - tartan looks like Seaforth Mackenzie otherwise). The wife's name and the address etc. should make it easy for *Sarah* to eliminate him quickly. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 Does look like the DCM ribbon. Should be easy to check. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 Anyone know whether the Tyneside Scots NF battalions wore highland dress and, if so, which tartan? I know in WW2 there were links with the Black Watch and this photo is definitely not the Black Watch/Government tartan [Edit: and I agree with Chris - tartan looks like Seaforth Mackenzie otherwise). Cheers, Mark I believe that the Tyneside Scots had an odd tartan woven to the pattern of Black watch but using greens and browns? and without the light stripe. I am very poor at identifying tartans in pics and HERE is the only useful ref. I can find quickly to the Tyneside Scottish tartan - which does not look to me like that in the picture Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 30 March , 2010 Share Posted 30 March , 2010 I believe that the Tyneside Scots had an odd tartan woven to the pattern of Black watch but using greens and browns? and without the light stripe. I am very poor at identifying tartans in pics and HERE is the only useful ref. I can find quickly to the Tyneside Scottish tartan - which does not look to me like that in the picture Chris Chris, Yes - none of the variants of Tyneside Scottish tartans on the Register of Tartans seem to have anything like the large white square in the sett that we see in Sarah's picture, so I think Tyneside Scottish is probably a dead-end and we're back to your original suggestion of Seaforth Mackenzie. Shame as Tyneside Scottish would have been a good logical match for a chap from County Durham. Of course, we've all seen plenty of examples of enliistments of Englishmen into Highland regiments, so there's no real reason why Foster could not have been in the Seaforth Highlanders. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punkymonkey Posted 30 March , 2010 Author Share Posted 30 March , 2010 Thomas Foster was married to Mary Local so he isn't the 4520 FOSTER, Thomas Herbert you found . I also have another photograph of Thomas in another uniform with a small red cross patch on his arm, I'll try to get that scanned and add it tomorrow. Thanks for all your help so far Sarah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 31 March , 2010 Share Posted 31 March , 2010 couple of possibles: Description Medal card of Foster, T Seaforth Highlanders 202934 Private Date 1914-1920 Catalogue reference WO 372/23 Description Medal card of Foster, Thomas S Seaforth Highlanders 204499 Private Date 1914-1920 Catalogue reference WO 372/7 Description Medal card of Foster, Thomas Seaforth Highlanders 266670 Private Date 1914-1920 Catalogue reference WO 372/7 Description Medal card of Foster, Thomas W Seaforth Highlanders 3970 Private Seaforth Highlanders 266670 Private Date 1914-1920 Catalogue reference WO 372/7 Don't have ancestry at the mo' so can't check others but these might be a start. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27thBN Posted 31 March , 2010 Share Posted 31 March , 2010 Well with all of those to chose they are all seaforth highlanders narrows in down one would think .DCM ribbon best guess .I have not got my walkers DCM book at work so bit hard to check at the moment . MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high wood Posted 31 March , 2010 Share Posted 31 March , 2010 None of the Seaforth Highlander Thomas Fosters are mentioned in "the DCM book". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punkymonkey Posted 31 March , 2010 Author Share Posted 31 March , 2010 This is the other photograph of Thomas Foster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punkymonkey Posted 31 March , 2010 Author Share Posted 31 March , 2010 Here is a close up of the medal ribbon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punkymonkey Posted 31 March , 2010 Author Share Posted 31 March , 2010 Close up of the uniform Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 1 April , 2010 Share Posted 1 April , 2010 Sarah, There is the possibility that he borrowed the kilt, leggings and glengarry for the photograph. I know that sounds unusual but am currently reading through John Sheen's "Durham Pals" on the 18th,19th and 22nd Battalions of the DLI. On page 101 there are photos of of the Colwell brothers- one brother is wearing a kilt and cut away tunic, yet in the text the author states that there is no record of him serving in a highland regiment. I just mentioned it as you are looking at DLI. Often these old photos raise more questions than answers. Incidentally there is a Thomas Foster (214) listed on the nominal roll of the 19th DLI (Bantams), later served in the 11th Battalion. Thomas Foster is wearing a medics patch in the second photo. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27thBN Posted 1 April , 2010 Share Posted 1 April , 2010 Here is a close up of the medal ribbon The ribbon looks like a 1911 coronation 2 stripes in centre red on medium blue and as he is not in the DCM book as pointed out cant see want else the ribbon could be !! MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 2 April , 2010 Share Posted 2 April , 2010 I'm with MC - 1911 Coronation Medal, now.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high wood Posted 4 April , 2010 Share Posted 4 April , 2010 The uniform in post 18 seems to indicate a territorial unit of the RAMC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 4 April , 2010 Share Posted 4 April , 2010 The uniform in post 18 seems to indicate a territorial unit of the RAMC. Just out of ignorance - what indicates TF? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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