Postcards

[themonsstar]

Some from the RFC

[themonsstar]

Some from the Labour Corps all of these photos of the LC would have been taken after the formation of the Corps in early 1917.

Edited 18 June , 2020 by themonsstar

[themonsstar]

Not too sure about some of these photographs other then the obvious bits like the Crimean War medals on the old soldier.

[RNCVR]

The Crimea vet (saluting) also has a New Zealand campaign medal - it covered various years in the 19th C - & possibly also the Army LS medal.

 

Nice Photos!  Thanks for posting,

 

Best....Bryan

[FROGSMILE]

2 hours ago, themonsstar said:

Some from the Labour Corps all of these photos of the LC would have been taken after the formation of the Corps in early 1917.

 

 

 

While I understand why you say that it’s not actually true.  The badge adopted after the Labour Corps formation in 1917 was the general service pattern (coat of arms), and quite a lot of the infantry labour companies retained their regimental badges for as long as they could get away with it.  The purpose designed Labour Corps badge didn’t start its roll out until 1918, and many LC soldiers did not receive them before the war’s end.  With that in mind your photos seem more likely to me to date to some point in 1918. They are relatively rare to see.

 

The Officer with collar tabs (gorgets) is a subaltern staff officer with the appointment of DADL - Deputy Assistant Director of Labour.

 

I particularly like the second group photo which shows a typical Labour Corps section late in the war with a mixture of the new Labour Corps badge, the General Service badge, and a whole range of infantry regimental badges, and even a Royal Artillery badged man with two wound stripes.

Edited 18 June , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Muerrisch]

Very glad to see the RFC soldier with three Good Conduct badges = 12 years service minimum.

 

My interest is that I assume that he would have retained them when the RFC became Royal Air Force, but soon afterwards the RAF changed the regulations and qualification periods. I don't have the small print but believe veterans with three or so badges would not be required to take them down ....... somewhere there will be a mid 1920s group photo with men wearing the badges earned under both sets of rules.

 

Somewhere.

[Jerry B]

Royal engineers group at Amiens, most seem to be wearing signallers arm bands

[FROGSMILE]

4 hours ago, Jerry B said:

some more recent pick ups, first a fine pre war asc nco with twisted shoulder cords and cloth titles or flashes just visible, with his pipe

 

That’s a super picture Jerry.  On the shoulder cord jacket woven worsted shoulder titles were worn and just as you surmised that’s what can be seen on his upper arms just below the cords.

[FROGSMILE]

2 hours ago, themonsstar said:

Not too sure about some of these photographs other then the obvious bits like the Crimean War medals on the old soldier.

 

 

The junior officer with white collar tabs is reminiscent of a South African auxiliary unit uniform posted a couple of months ago.

 

The old soldier has his collar badges on the wrong way around and one could imagine that no one dared to tell him....

 

The group of officers looking at something out of sight seems quite intriguing, but I can’t quite make out what’s going on beyond it being on a shooting range somewhere.  There seems to be smoke discharging from something on the left.

[Jerry B]

lovely sharp pic of a TF with multi level metal shouldertitle but just taken at the wrong angle to read what it says. T over arty of some sort I assume, though there are other options but the lanyard might be a sign he was arty

[FROGSMILE]

The lanyard on the right shoulder was unusual (against regulation) during the war but the RA did issue specific order to wear it on that side in 1920, partly to avoid soiling from bandoliers worn alongside, but also from rifle oil when arms were sloped.  This was because lanyards were ordered to be whitened as a matter of course across the regiment.  Perhaps the photo is later than WW1.

Edited 18 June , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Dragoon]

4 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

 

 

I particularly like the second group photo which shows a typical Labour Corps section late in the war with a mixture of the new Labour Corps badge, the General Service badge, and a whole range of infantry regimental badges, and even a Royal Artillery badged man with two wound stripes.

I too like this photo, is that a 9th Lancer I see sitting far left?

 

Chris

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, Dragoon said:

I too like this photo, is that a 9th Lancer I see sitting far left?

 

Chris

Yes I think so Chris, good spot!  Above him, at far left, a Royal Welsh Fusilier.

[Dragoon]

45 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

Yes I think so Chris, good spot!  Above him, at far left, a Royal Welsh Fusilier.

An RW Fusilier, just for you FROGSMILE👍🏻

Chris

[FROGSMILE]

3 minutes ago, Dragoon said:

An RW Fusilier, just for you FROGSMILE👍🏻

Chris

Smartest man there! 😉👍

[Dragoon]

8 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

Smartest man there! 😉👍

Of course!

 

 

What is the curved shoulder title on badged Pioneer on the left, do you know?

[GWF1967]

8 hours ago, themonsstar said:

Not too sure about some of these photographs other then the obvious bits like the Crimean War medals on the old soldier.

 

 

 

This one looks like a concert party group.  Is the officer, third from right, Army Gymnastic Staff?

[FROGSMILE]

6 minutes ago, Dragoon said:

Of course!

 

 

What is the curved shoulder title on badged Pioneer on the left, do you know?

 

I think it’s probably the county title from a previous Infantry Labour Company that was converted into Labour Corps in 1917.  The correct shoulder titles were a simple LC in large letters akin to RFA/ASC etc.

 

5 minutes ago, GWF1967 said:

This one looks like a concert party group.  Is the officer, third from right, Army Gymnastic Staff?

Yes, good spot!  He most certainly is.  If we knew the unit we could almost certainly identify him as there were not that many AGS officers.

Edited 18 June , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[RNCVR]

2 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

No, he’s Machine Gun Corps I think.

 

Enlarged it somewhat, sure appears to be crossed swords to me.

[FROGSMILE]

2 minutes ago, RNCVR said:

 

Enlarged it somewhat, sure appears to be crossed swords to me.

I’d just realised my mistake and had already corrected my response.

Edited 18 June , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Dragoon]

2 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

I think it’s probably the county title from a previous Infantry Labour Company that was converted into Labour Corps in 1917.

No, he’s Machine Gun Corps I think.

Makes sense with the title.

 

The photo of the concert party, the "Officer" third from right, does have crossed swords and crown PTI badge on his cap, it doesn't look a good fit service dress either, made up for the concert party perhaps?

 

Chris

[GWF1967]

1 minute ago, RNCVR said:

 

Enlarged it somewhat, sure appears to be crossed swords to me.

Moi aussi!

[RNCVR]

with a crown above?

[GWF1967]

2 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

I’d just realised my mistake and had already corrected my response.

Sorry Sir; it won't happen again! 

[FROGSMILE]

8 minutes ago, Dragoon said:

Makes sense with the title.

 

The photo of the concert party, the "Officer" third from right, does have crossed swords and crown PTI badge on his cap, it doesn't look a good fit service dress either, made up for the concert party perhaps?

 

Chris

Yes, I’d already corrected my error and we must all have been typing simultaneously.

 

All the AGS badged officers were commissioned rankers, so they would be less likely to have well tailored uniforms.  He also wears the white shirt and black, ribbed silk tie that was originally authorised for service dress with the new, stepped rever, in 1913.

 

The main AGS school was in 3rd Army’s rear area so that’s a clue to the location of the photo.  The officer shown could almost certainly be named.

 

Edited 18 June , 2020 by FROGSMILE