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Remembered Today:

Postcards


trenchtrotter

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Superb picture of the RE full dress for a QMS, showing the gold lace and shoulder knot of his ‘first class’ (of three levels of quality) uniform very well.  A very similar shoulder knot was worn as the only distinguishing mark (i.e. no badge of rank) by the Army Schoolmasters.

Edited by FROGSMILE
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20 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

 

Yes he was, it was unusual, but done because he had been selected for both a commission and the Army SM job simultaneously.  He was persuaded to take the latter job with a guaranteed commission at the end of his tour, backdated so that he would not be penalised by losing 2-years seniority to other WOs who took a commission on the same date.

Well I never! Many thanks for the info.

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I am reasonably sure that this is a Bandmaster RE. There is a signature on the back which I have not been able to decipher. Can anyone help please?

IMG_5949.jpg

IMG_5951.jpg

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Can’t quite read the surname, Terry.  What makes you think he is a Bandmaster, a Warrant Officers appointment?  The frock coat that he wears was a standard undress uniform for officers between 1902 and the outbreak of war in 1914. The RE had a staff band similar to that of the RA and they were led by Directors of Music, who were commissioned officers.  I can’t make out whether he has two rank stars on his shoulder straps, or a crown and star.  His maturity suggests the latter.

Edited by FROGSMILE
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Frogsmile

My mistake, I agree, he appears to be commissioned. I think he might be wearing two stars though. I am not aware of a Lt Col being  a Director of Music RE pre-war. Something to ponder on I guess.

 

TR

Edited by Terry_Reeves
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Do you have a date for this man Terry?

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2 hours ago, Terry_Reeves said:

Frogsmile

My mistake, I agree, he appears to be commissioned. I think he might be wearing two stars though. I am not aware of a Lt Col being  a Director of Music RE pre-war. Something to ponder on I guess.

 

TR

 

Assuming that the photo was taken between 1902 and 1914 there is nothing about the officer’s dress to suggest that he is a director of music, Terry.  Associating the frock coat with just musical appointments is a modern bias.  It was a standard item of in-barracks undress uniform for officers pre-War.

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My best guess for the name is G. H. Unwin. It is a slightly ‘sloppy’ way to finish the surname, but look how he writes “to”.

 

Chris

Edited by Drew-1918
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8 hours ago, Terry_Reeves said:

Mark, there is a postmark that looks like (19) 06 and posted to a Mr Mason in Ilkey, Yorks.

 

TR

Can you post this, as more handwriting may help deciphering the last name

 

6 hours ago, Drew-1918 said:

My best guess for the name is G. H. Unwin. It is a slightly ‘sloppy’ way to finish the surname, but look how he writes “to”.

 

Chris

I think it is E.H. (the first letter being different than the G in Greetings). Think you are correct that the first letter of the last name might be U, but, to me the very last letter looks similar to the end g in in Greetings, or the y in you! Or, as you say, a sloppy way to finish the name!

Edited by Keith Brannen
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 ... and I was after the date to check the Army List  :-)

 

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Thanks Mark. I have checked Hart's 1908 list, there is no Unwin that matches the criteria nor is there any Unwin in the RE in the November 1918 Army List that matches either.

 

TR

 

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25 minutes ago, MBrockway said:

 ... and I was after the date to check the Army List  :-)

 

I've eyeballed the 1906 Annual Army List looking for RE officers with initials "G.H." or forenames equating to same.

 

No outstanding candidate for a match to this signature in either Regulars or Militia.

 

The closest was a Captain G. H. WILLIS, stationed at Simla, commissioned 03 Aug 1895, Lt: 03 Aug 1898; Capt: 03 Aug 1904; but the signature is not a strong match IMHO.

 

It was a bit of a strain on the eyes and I can't be 100% confident I got them all, so other Pals might care to repeat the experiment.

 

To me, the surname appears to begin with U, V or W and end with G, Y or possibly R.

 

If there's any more of this hand you can show us, that might help work out his manuscript style.

Mark

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21 minutes ago, MBrockway said:

I've eyeballed the 1906 Annual Army List looking for RE officers with initials "G.H." or forenames equating to same.

 

No outstanding candidate for a match to this signature in either Regulars or Militia.

 

The closest was a Captain G. H. WILLIS, stationed at Simla, commissioned 03 Aug 1895, Lt: 03 Aug 1898; Capt: 03 Aug 1904; but the signature is not a strong match IMHO.

 

It was a bit of a strain on the eyes and I can't be 100% confident I got them all, so other Pals might care to repeat the experiment.

 

To me, the surname appears to begin with U, V or W and end with G, Y or possibly R.

 

If there's any more of this hand you can show us, that might help work out his manuscript style.

Mark

Mark, as requested:

 

 

IMG_5956.jpg

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Well for me that definitely confirms the initials as "G. H." - his standalone letter G without a letter immediately following is shown in "The Grove" and that's a strong match for the first iniitial.

 

The G in "Greetings" differs only because his hand has flowed on into forming the R.

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Agree with initials G.H.; looking at the signature, and then "Ilkley", I think the final letter could be a Y.

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G.H. Vray perhaps?

 

The r looks similar to that in "from" and the a from "seasons".

 

Derek.

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"The Red Cross Section, 134 Co. M.T. A.S.C."

Scan_20180520 (3).jpg

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2 hours ago, SueW said:

G.H.Wray? 

 

I thought that too, but no sign of a G.H. Wray in the Army LIsts 1906-1908 :(

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I picked up this postcard in a junk shop, but can't identify which regiment. Any ideas, please?

 

img147.jpg.3011d30ec936224d14d25421e389c86a.jpg

 

Zoomed in on cap badge:

 

1870794645_ScreenShot2018-06-02at10_27_03.png.a31fa018b9e70810647739ec9321dd13.png

 

Do I make out the word 'Boxing' on the plaque?

 

2069661830_ScreenShot2018-06-02at10_33_54.png.06d4b34801bf61f2417d90ece42e9055.png

 

All the best

Ben

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KOYLI post WW1.

 

I would hazard 1930s given the absence of Great War ribbons on the NCOs and soldiers.

 

Mark

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