Retlaw Posted 16 March , 2012 Share Posted 16 March , 2012 Could any one identify the uniform please. A young lady doing family reseach, has posted the picture on a local forum Many Thanks Retlaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 16 March , 2012 Share Posted 16 March , 2012 I think we need a bigger image please Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 16 March , 2012 Share Posted 16 March , 2012 My 'guess' is a gunner or sapper in pre-1914 full dress (9-button) tunic. A better photo will clarify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retlaw Posted 17 March , 2012 Author Share Posted 17 March , 2012 My 'guess' is a gunner or sapper in pre-1914 full dress (9-button) tunic. A better photo will clarify. I hope this is better. Retlaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 17 March , 2012 Share Posted 17 March , 2012 No collar badges, no titles, scarlet jacket with odd lace braiding, Austrian knots, snake clasp on brown leather belt!!! What an odd ball mixture, which has me scratching my head. Certainly would think not a regular, but probably a Volunteer. What has my attention is the fact that his cuff lace and collar lace appear to be pure white and yet it doesn't appear to be continued down the front of the jacket, or if it is then it's a different colour, which is very strange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 17 March , 2012 Share Posted 17 March , 2012 He is as I suspected a Royal Engineer with 9 button tunic and the standard lacing around collar and an Austrian knot on the cuff. The collar lace appears slightly obscure but if you look at the left side and under his chin you can see that the lace surrounds the collar as normal for RE. Collar badges were not always worn until the late 1870s. The snake belt clasp was quite common on the 1870 Valise Equipment that was issued to RE, as well as infantry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 17 March , 2012 Share Posted 17 March , 2012 See the lace under his chin now, but if a regular why no lace on the shoulder strap and no title? Can't be a R.E. Volunteer as both the Austrian knot lace and woven titles were in blue, so wonder if it's an R.E.(T.F.) unit adopting a regular pattern jacket between 1908-1914? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 17 March , 2012 Share Posted 17 March , 2012 See the lace under his chin now, but if a regular why no lace on the shoulder strap and no title? Can't be a R.E. Volunteer as both the Austrian knot lace and woven titles were in blue, so wonder if it's an R.E.(T.F.) unit adopting a regular pattern jacket between 1908-1914? Looking at the ladies dress and the general appearance of the sapper I would date the photo to around 1880. I am not sure about the shoulder straps, the one on the left (as you look) looks as if it might have lace so I am not sure if it is just a flaw in the photograph. Early shoulder titles seemed to have changed style quite a lot at that time. I seem to recall the RE were divided into areas like Chatham and such like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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