Is this man RND ?

[michaeldr]

This photograph if from a French web-site which was first mentioned here by out Pal, Skipman.

What is your opinion; is the man second from the left 'RND'?

(and, for good measure, can someone provide a translation of the photograph's French caption)

Thanks in advance

Michael

[michaeldr]

Looking more closely at this photograph

And in particular now, looking at the gaiters (not puttees) of the khaki clad soldier third from the left, I wonder if he to is too is RND (though RM rather than RNVR this time)?

[ss002d6252]

As a (very very) rough translation it starts off along the lines of - A British Soldiers offers a Belgian chasseur a cigarette. The soldier who earns 1fr 25 per day is popular at the front for his generosity. - and the rest is going on about the friendship with the belgian and french soldiers.

[willy]

The guy 2nd from left i am not even sure is British, as for the Khaki clad guy, lack of shoulder title makes id pretty difficult, but not sure about the apparent lack of puttees, will have a closer look later for you.

[willy]

Khaki soldier is wearing gaiters almost certainly over puttee's.

[centurion]

As a (very very) rough translation it starts off along the lines of - A British Soldiers offers a Belgian chasseur a cigarette. The soldier who earns 1fr 25 per day is popular at the front for his generosity. - and the rest is going on about the friendship with the belgian and french soldiers.

Is it not a small cigar (cheroot) ?

[SiegeGunner]

Certainly cigars rather than cigarettes, but, from the box and the example being held out, probably short stumpy cigars rather than cheroots.

The caption reads:

"British soldiers offering cigars to Belgian chasseurs at Furnes [Veurne]. The British soldiers, who earn 1.25 Fr a day, are well-liked at the front for their generosity. Every day they give their Belgian and French comrades small gifts that help to cement their friendship."

[michaeldr]

Many thanks to all for the help and comments so far

The guy 2nd from left i am not even sure is British

Willy,

He seems to be wearing pouches and I thought that they looked like the older sort of kit that was hurriedly issued to some in the Naval Brigades before they left the UK

regards

Michael

[willy]

Many thanks to all for the help and comments so far

The guy 2nd from left i am not even sure is British

Willy,

He seems to be wearing pouches and I thought that they looked like the older sort of kit that was hurriedly issued to some in the Naval Brigades before they left the UK

regards

Michael

you could be right, his tally seems to suggest "hms" but not sure.

[tony paley]

A Royal Naval Brigade was deployed in Antwerp in October 1914. I am going at on a limb but I am fairly sure that the photograph is of a Naval Rating and two Royal marines of the Naval Brigade. The 303 ammo bandoliers appear to be British and the gaiters were worn by Navy and 'Royals'.

Tony P

[horatio2]

I fancy that the rating's cap tally is ROYAL NAVAL DIVISION and the location, Furnes, between Dunkerque and Oostende, is in the RND area of operations in October 1914. So, a good chance the men are RND and I think the Army were not too thick on the ground.

[willy]

I fancy that the rating's cap tally is ROYAL NAVAL DIVISION and the location, Furnes, between Dunkerque and Oostende, is in the RND area of operations in October 1914. So, a good chance the men are RND and I think the Army were not too thick on the ground.

Fair comment, however i enlarged the shot,by 500% and it appears the first word on the tally is only 3 letters, i will check again though, as there are three words on it! so could be RND.

[cdr]

The location is wrong. This is not Furnes (Veurne) but (Gand) Gent in Flanders. It dates probably from 07/10/1914 and shows the Belfortstraat (the buildings left and right still exist. The foto was taken neat the town hall). Its shows Belgian units retreating from Antwerp. Other fotos in the series show one of Commander C.R. Samson's early armoured Rolls Royce cars. So these are probably crew members (navy and Royal marine ? )

Carl

[horatio2]

Thank you - always helpful to have the location correctly identified. Sampson and his men were certainly at Gent around that date (the RND were not). Perhaps the cap tally is ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE?

[michaeldr]

Again, my thanks to all the Pals who have contributed their ideas above

Carl, it is great to the have the benefit of your local knowledge here

You mention "Other fotos in the series show one of Commander C.R. Samson's early armoured Rolls Royce cars"

is it possible to access these other photographs on-line?

Michael

[willy]

The location is wrong. This is not Furnes (Veurne) but (Gand) Gent in Flanders. It dates probably from 07/10/1914 and shows the Belfortstraat (the buildings left and right still exist. The foto was taken neat the town hall). Its shows Belgian units retreating from Antwerp. Other fotos in the series show one of Commander C.R. Samson's early armoured Rolls Royce cars. So these are probably crew members (navy and Royal marine ? )

Carl

why should it say Furnes then? is the collection readily available to veiw and where or how is the picture identified as Gent?

[michaeldr]

Just to clarify from which web-site it was that the photograph in post #1 came

It can be seen here on page 41 here - http://www.1914-1918.fr/zen/1ere-guerre-mondiale-annee-1914-miroir/page/41/

There are also close-ups of the seaman - http://www.1914-1918.fr/zen/1ere-guerre-mondiale-annee-1914-miroir/MIRn52-22_11_14-1-c.jpg.php

And of the soldier (or marine) in khaki - http://www.1914-1918.fr/zen/1ere-guerre-mondiale-annee-1914-miroir/MIRn52-22_11_14-1-a.jpg.php

Michael

[willy]

Just to clarify from which web-site it was that the photograph in post #1 came

It can be seen here on page 41 here - http://www.1914-1918.fr/zen/1ere-guerre-mondiale-annee-1914-miroir/page/41/

There are also close-ups of the seaman - http://www.1914-1918.fr/zen/1ere-guerre-mondiale-annee-1914-miroir/MIRn52-22_11_14-1-c.jpg.php

And of the soldier in khaki - http://www.1914-1918.fr/zen/1ere-guerre-mondiale-annee-1914-miroir/MIRn52-22_11_14-1-a.jpg.php

Michael

Thankyou michael, for your info i have enlarged much more than these images are, but i am still puzzled why the picture says Furnes but it is said it's Gent?

[horatio2]

The close up seems to show a ROYAL FLYING CORPS (= RNAS in this case) cap tally.

[cdr]

I have never seen the fotos on the net. I still prefer books I know of 4 fotos in that series

1: a view of a british armoured car in front of Gent town hall

2: British naval personnel (the sailor of the foto in this thread is clearly present)and marines saluting the officers of the belgian cavalry unit (probably 2nd Chasseurs à Cheval)

3. distribution of cigarettes

4. a Belgian cyclist unit

Why Furnes instead of Ghent ? Did the (probably French) captionwriter know the location ? When was this foto published ? Gent was occupied on october 12 by von Beseler III reservecorps. If you publish the foto afterwards with the location Ghent/Gand you might give the impression that Ghent was already recaptured. (People in Gent had to wait until 1918)

Carl