Postcards

[Stereoview Paul]

I thought you may all like to see this remarkable image of troops buying newspapers in Cologne during occupation - I can just feel the resentment and disgust from the old German on the left - perhaps he had lost family during the war. If the regiments could be identified that would be a bonus.

 

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, Stereoview Paul said:

I thought you may all like to see this remarkable image of troops buying newspapers in Cologne during occupation - I can just feel the resentment and disgust from the old German on the left - perhaps he had lost family during the war. If the regiments could be identified that would be a bonus.

 

They appear to be East and West Yorkshire Regiment soldiers Steve.  I agree that it’s a cracking photo.  They look as if they’ve literally just arrived (possibly by train) as they’re still carrying kitbags and are dressed in marching order.  Their youthfulness is typical of the new drafts arriving from ‘young soldier’ battalions in Britain to replace those men demobilised.

Afternote:  I can find no East Yorkshires in the ORBAT for the Rhine Occupation Force that existed until October 1919, before being reorganised and much reduced.  The only battalions whose star shaped cap badge was similar, and who were there, were the East Surreys, Cheshires and Worcestershires.  I cannot make out from the photo which of these it was, although the outswept title scrolls at the base of the badge suggest one of the latter two, with Cheshire perhaps being favourite?

Edited 23 March , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[aodhdubh]

2 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

They appear to be East and West Yorkshire Regiment soldiers Steve.  I agree that it’s a cracking photo.  They look as if they’ve literally just arrived (possibly by train) as they’re still carrying kitbags and are dressed in marching order.  Their youthfulness is typical of the new drafts arriving from ‘young soldier’ battalions in Britain to replace those men demobilised.

Afternote:  I can find no East Yorkshires in the ORBAT for the Rhine Occupation Force that existed until October 1919, before being reorganised and much reduced.  The only battalions whose star shaped cap badge was similar, and who were there, were the East Surreys, Cheshires and Worcestershires.  I cannot make out from the photo which of these it was, although the outswept title scrolls at the base of the badge suggest one of the latter two, with Cheshire perhaps being favourite?

The youthful, fresh faces was what caught my eye, also, along with what looks to be newly issued kit (non-1908 carrying equipment catches the eye, too), so probably not veterans

[ianjonesncl]

2 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

They appear to be East and West Yorkshire Regiment soldiers

These are some entries from Orbats of the British Army of the Rhine which may help date the postcard

1/5th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment joined Feb 1919 and left Oct 1919 
1/6th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment joined Mar 1919 and left Oct 1919

1st Bn West Yorkshire Regiment 1922 – 1926

 

[Stereoview Paul]

2 minutes ago, ianjonesncl said:

These are some entries from Orbats of the British Army of the Rhine which may help date the postcard

1/5th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment joined Feb 1919 and left Oct 1919 
1/6th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment joined Mar 1919 and left Oct 1919

1st Bn West Yorkshire Regiment 1922 – 1926

 

Great info, thank you

[FROGSMILE]

20 hours ago, ianjonesncl said:

These are some entries from Orbats of the British Army of the Rhine which may help date the postcard

1/5th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment joined Feb 1919 and left Oct 1919 
1/6th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment joined Mar 1919 and left Oct 1919

1st Bn West Yorkshire Regiment 1922 – 1926

 

Great stuff Ian, it seems almost certain to be the earlier period given the mens’ equipment and the almost tangible atmosphere of the backdrop.

For @Stereoview Paul - here is the ORBAT that I referred to earlier: http://www.orbat.info/history/volume5/518/Original BAOR.pdf

Edited 24 March , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[morrisc8]

British and French having a drink. no date. Photo from my collection 

[FROGSMILE]

43 minutes ago, morrisc8 said:

British and French having a drink. no date. Photo from my collection 

The small cups suggest they’re drinking coffee, I suspect not many of the Tommies will have had strong black French coffee before!  Another evocative photo, thank you for posting it.

Edited 23 March , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[battle of loos]

A small convivial moment between soldiers of the Entante Cordiale under the supervision of a "Gendarme" recognized by his helmet Adrian surmounted by a grenade (identical to that of the infantry) painted white.

michel

[FROGSMILE]

This was sent to Elsie from Ada in February 1918.  The implication is that the photo is of Ada wearing the uniform of a RWF warrant officer who was perhaps a male family member, or male acquaintance (possibly even her beau).  Whoever he was, he had had been wounded on three occasions as you can see.

Edited 25 March , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[GWF1967]

31 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

This was sent to Elsie from Ada in February 1918.  The implication is that the photo is of Ada wearing the uniform of a RWF warrant officer who was a male family member, or male acquaintance (possibly even her beau).  Whoever he was he had had been wounded on three occasions as you can see.

🤗 Ada is on my ebay watch list!  

[FROGSMILE]

7 minutes ago, GWF1967 said:

🤗 Ada is on my ebay watch list!  

Doesn’t she look insouciant!

It appears to be the family allotment and it’s vegetable plot behind her.

Edited 25 March , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[GWF1967]

8 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

Doesn’t she look insouciant!

It appears to be the family allotment and it’s vegetable plot behind her.

She certainly looks comfortable. Not really gardening attire though. 😂

[FROGSMILE]

4 minutes ago, GWF1967 said:

She certainly looks comfortable. Not really gardening attire though. 😂

I wonder if she polished her own boots…

Good luck with your bidding - it’s a cracking image - very evocative of its time.

Edited 25 March , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[GWF1967]

Just now, FROGSMILE said:

I wonder if she polished her own boots…

They seem a better fit than the jacket. 

[FROGSMILE]

4 minutes ago, GWF1967 said:

They seem a better fit than the jacket. 

She has a wristwatch too…a very on trend young lady.

[GWF1967]

Gnr. George William Ayling.  120339. - Anti-Aircraft Reserve Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery. 

"Taken February 1918, at the Dairy, Little Heath Farm, Oxshott, Surrey"

[FROGSMILE]

4 minutes ago, GWF1967 said:

Gnr. George William Ayling.  120339. - Anti-Aircraft Reserve Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery. 

"Taken February 1918, at the Dairy, Little Heath Farm, Oxshott, Surrey"

I wonder if he was wounded, as a soldier below the rank of sergeant he wouldn’t otherwise get away with carrying that long stick, either in barracks, or in sight of military policemen.

Edited 27 March , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[GWF1967]

Royal Artillery with G.S. Wagon.

Photograph by A.G. Price, High Street, Ilfracombe.

2 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

I wonder if he was wounded, as a soldier below the rank of sergeant he wouldn’t otherwise get away with carrying that long stick, either in barracks, or in sight of military policemen.

He has surviving service papers which show home service only.

[GWF1967]

Family group.

Royal Artillery, with good conduct stripe, General Service and Anson Battalion, Royal Naval Division, with Military Medal.

[FROGSMILE]

3 minutes ago, GWF1967 said:

Royal Artillery with G.S. Wagon.

Photograph by A.G. Price, High Street, Ilfracombe.

He has surviving service papers which show home service only.

Well he seems to have been photographed at his billet (presumably the Farm) and so would have been out-of-sight.  I imagine that his medical grading must have precluded overseas service.

[FROGSMILE]

On 27/03/2023 at 23:21, GWF1967 said:

Family group.

Royal Artillery, with good conduct stripe, General Service and Anson Battalion, Royal Naval Division, with Military Medal.

Photo must be after Summer 1917 and the older man seated centrally is either, Labour Corps, or from a Volunteer unit (ex VTC) after they were taken on and equipped by the War Office.  A super image, thank you for sharing it.  It looks to me like a father and two sons.

Edited 29 March , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[GWF1967]

Two young Territorials, with efficiency lozenge/diamond badge.

Identification of the cap badge would be most welcome. 

[GWF1967]

3 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

Photo must be after Summer 1917 and the older man seated centrally is either, Labour Corps, or from a Volunteer unit (ex VTC) after they were taken on and equipped by the War Department.  A super image, thank you for sharing it.  It looks to me like a father and two sons.

Thank you.

 The two lads standing are almost certainly brothers, so I took the seated man to be their father, although he could be the eldest of three siblings.

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, GWF1967 said:

Two young Territorials, with efficiency lozenge/diamond badge.

Identification of the cap badge would be most welcome. 

They are Junior Division Officer Training Corps, or possibly sponsored army cadet corps depending upon the status of their school.  Their badge appears to be based on a shield and if we know the photographers location it ought to be possible to identify it.  Most significantly their black buttons and snake clasp belts indicate a specific rifle’s association with a parent unit.

1 hour ago, GWF1967 said:

Thank you.

 The two lads standing are almost certainly brothers, so I took the seated man to be their father, although he could be the eldest of three siblings.

Yes I wondered if he might be an older brother, but being seated was usually a subtle sign of the most senior member(s) of a family in British and other European culture of that time, so I opted for father.

 

 

 

Edited 27 March , 2023 by FROGSMILE