Photograph WW1 or earlier?

[lyndagibbs@bigfoot.com]

I would appreciate any help on identifying the date & regiment. I believe this is Frederick George Sparks from Middlesex, my great-grandfather. He was born in 1884, so I think he looks too young in this photo for it to be WW1...

[centurion]

I would appreciate any help on identifying the date & regiment. I believe this is Frederick George Sparks from Middlesex, my great-grandfather. He was born in 1884, so I think he looks too young in this photo for it to be WW1...

Turn of the century.

[John Milner]

Badge looks like Rifle Brigade from the angle of the image, which would mean a green uniform and black buttons.

John

[FROGSMILE]

I would appreciate any help on identifying the date & regiment. I believe this is Frederick George Sparks from Middlesex, my great-grandfather. He was born in 1884, so I think he looks too young in this photo for it to be WW1...

He is a part time soldier of the Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps circa 1899-1900 or therabouts, as indicated by the pointed peak to his helmet which replaced the earlier curved version. The Middx RVC were a significant part of the Volunteer Force (VF) and covered a large area of what later became London. Many of the Middx RVC units became battalions of the London Regiment (Territorial Force) from 1908 on. VF units were identified by the Austrian knots on their cuffs, which their Regular counterparts did not have. His helmet and uniform are a very dark green (almost black from a distance) and the lacing on collar and cuffs either red or black. As well as buttons the large badge on his helmet is also black and in the centre was the insignia and title of his unit.

If you can say where he lived it should be possible to identify the unit as they were very localised with each district (village and town in the country) having its own company sized sub-unit that, together with others, formed a battalion.

[lyndagibbs@bigfoot.com]

Thank you all. 1901 he lived in Clarendon Street, Paddington.

[FROGSMILE]

Thank you all. 1901 he lived in Clarendon Street, Paddington.

Before 1908 the title was: 18th Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps [after 1881 affiliated with the Regular Army as the "4th Vol Bn, The Rifle Brigade"] meaning that their cadre of permanent staff musketry instructors, CO, adjutant and quartermaster came from the Rifle Brigade on attachment.

From 1908 they were the 10th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Paddington Rifles), but were disbanded in 1912 due to low numbers and poor recruitment (many of the remaining men went to the 3rd London Regt (City of London - Royal Fusiliers), who took over the Drill Hall).

The battalion HQ and Drill Hall was at 208-209 Harrow Road (located at the eastern end of Harrow Road (close to Paddington) between Torquay Street and Portchester Road (next to Royal Oak Station). Today the Harrow Road health centre stands on the site).

N.B. A new battalion utilising the same number was reformed later in 1912 under the title of 10th (County of London) Battalion, LR (Hackney Regiment). The cap badge was a new design and there was no rifles style (black buttons etc) to their uniform. From 1916 they were again affiliated with the Rifle Brigade and this stayed the case until 1930, when for some strange reason they became affiliated instead with the Royal Berkshire Regiment and in 1937 this arrangement was formalised when they became the 5th battalion of the regiment. They were placed in suspended animation in 1946 and finally disbanded in 1955.

The battalion Headquarters was in Mare Street, Hackney.