Help needed

[Steve Hartney]

Looking for help in identifying this mans unit, he is John Thomas Bailey and obviously from a mounted regiment any ideas?

Thanks for looking

[truthergw]

I'm afraid I cannot help with his regiment but he does not have to be from a mounted unit. Every regiment had drivers.

[roughdiamond]

The only Cpl John Bailey I could find in any branch of the Cavalry was this man http://www.nationala...&resultcount=50 but I don't think the cap badge is 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) although it's hard to tell, I don't know if the "Corps of Dragoons" had their own Cap Badge or what it looked like for comparison.

There's also this Pte John Bailey 4th Hussars http://www.nationala...1&resultcount=6 but he's only shown as Pte and again it's hard to ID the Badge to be sure.

Is the photo dated?

As Tom said above, he could simply be a Driver.

Sam

[Steve Hartney]

Thanks for the swift responses, much appreciated , I have spoken with Dragoons museum curator and he suggests from the general shape of cap badge he could be Bays, LG, 18 Hussarsor 5 Dragoons. I was also wondering about the rank badge is it 2 white stripes or one black one?

Have some mored detailsof him as below

Birth 19 Apr 1890 in Russell Square, London, St Giles

Death Dec 1970 in St Austell, Cornwall, England

.

[Steve Hartney]

Thanks Sam and indeed Tom, interesting comments on the driver aspect, never thought of that BUT would a driver have been kitted out with riding boots jodphurs and riding whip, he is also wearing spurs?

The only Cpl John Bailey I could find in any branch of the Cavalry was this man http://www.nationala...&resultcount=50 but I don't think the cap badge is 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) although it's hard to tell, I don't know if the "Corps of Dragoons" had their own Cap Badge or what it looked like for comparison.

There's also this Pte John Bailey 4th Hussars http://www.nationala...1&resultcount=6 but he's only shown as Pte and again it's hard to ID the Badge to be sure.

Is the photo dated?

As Tom said above, he could simply be a Driver.

Sam

[daggers]

Two stripes for sure.

D

[roughdiamond]

Thanks Sam and indeed Tom, interesting comments on the driver aspect, never thought of that BUT would a driver have been kitted out with riding boots jodphurs and riding whip, he is also wearing spurs?

Photo in this link is your answer http://www.plumstead-stories.com/story%20-%20The%20Blitz%20Kid%20that%20Stayed%20Behind.htm

Sam

[CGM]

............would a driver have been kitted out with riding boots jodphurs and riding whip, he is also wearing spurs?

Oh yes.

I have a photo of my Granddad, a driver with the Australian artillery, kitted out in all of these except for the riding whip.

(It was taken in a N. London photographer's studio when he was here in England and I imagine he'd left his whip behind.)

[CGM]

reme145,

While you try to identify John's unit you may be interested in this thread "The Duties of a Driver with the Artillery and life at the front" for some background to the role of a driver with the artillery.

See here

[FROGSMILE]

Here are the badges of the 2nd Dragoons (Bays) and 7th Q O Hussars for comparison with the photo. It does not seem to me to look like either.

and Bays.

[saberhagen427]

Army Veterinary Corps? There are a couple of possible MICs:

John T Bailey

John Bailey

[Steve Hartney]

Thank you so much people, your input has been fabulous! as an ex regular with 15 years service I can honestly say that the military never changes, I suspect many of you have served ,and I only wish they had had digital cameras in WW1

Arte et Marte

[FROGSMILE]

I think Gavin has it spot on with the AVC, the shape of the wreath and the standing crown are all there and fit the silhouette. My other thought was the remount service but the shape is crisp (circlet and not wreath) and ovoid, and thus does not fit.

[Steve Hartney]

Thanks to all of you who have contributed their time and knowledge, AVC looks to be favourite, I agree the cap badge matches and John was a Farmer all of his "normal" life so was used to working with livestock. I have pulled up his MIC ( SE 8656) and although it shows him as a PTE he could have been acting up or just not had his card updated. My own Grandfathers MIC shows him as a PTE but also on his card is A/ WO2 and his MM was gazetted as Serjeant. I guess promotion came thick and fast in those harrowing times

[Peter Doyle]

Looks a little like Worcs Yeomanry to me....though it is missing the lower branch endings (see pic)

Peter

[Steve Hartney]

Thanks Peter

thats the problem so many cap badges could fit the bill, but the AVC "solution" does seem to fit the bill and I am going to try and link the man and his MIC too my relative and see if I can get a definite link OR hit a brick wall and then continue the investigation The answer is out there somewhere!!