Australian Army

[jaydon100]

Hello all,

Can anyone tell me anything about the uniform in this picture. I believe it is Australian and it is of a relative who served in the Australian Army from 1925 to 1930. Can anyone add anything to this by looking at the uniform? Any detail would be really appreciated.

Many thanks.

[Blackblue]

Appears mounted given bandolier and leggings and looks around WW1 period. Probably Light Horse or maybe a Driver in the Artillery. There were militia Light Horse Regiments all over Australia between the wars.

Do you have a name and location?

Rgds

Tim D

[jaydon100]

Appears mounted given bandolier and leggings and looks around WW1 period. Probably Light Horse or maybe a Driver in the Artillery. There were militia Light Horse Regiments all over Australia between the wars.

Do you have a name and location?

Rgds

Tim D

[jaydon100]

Yes, his name is John William Hunt and he lived in the Newcastle area of NSW. I have emailed the Australian Archives as I can't find his records online. He was in the British Army during WW2 and I have his records which state he was in the Australian Army from 1925 to 1930. Thanks for your help.

Jayne

[Blackblue]

Hi Jayne,

In most cases Militia service papers do not survive, although there are some online at NAA. There is a man of the same name born 1918 who enlisted in 1936 into the 10th Light Horse, but that was in WA. There were a number of Light Horse units around the general Hunter River area, including I think the 16th in the Newcastle area. The 12/16 Hunter River Lancers is still in existence and maybe their historians at the museum could assist? They are based in Armidale.

12/16 HRL History Room, Gaza Training Depot, Mann St

Armidale

NSW 2350

Australia

Ph. 02 6772 3417

Was his brother Herbert James Hunt? I have them 1930 Census with Mrs. Butcher, Cowie Street, Mayfield. Occupation ironworkers.

Do you have a date and place of birth? What British Unit was he in? Do you know where he was in WW1?

Rgds

Tim D

[WhiteStarLine]

Jaydon, the bandolier, breeches and gaiters were standard issue and I'm not sure we can infer anything from it. I've just gone through photographs of my grandfather and his section, from recruits to signallers in France, and they appear in all kinds of dress with bandoliers, different types of gaiters, flared and straight legged breeches. So I agree it is a first AIF-era uniform and that is all we can determine.

[Blackblue]

If there is any way of making the photo clearer and looking at his collar badges they may give a clue?

If in the militia between the wars he would generally have been wearing badges unique to his Regiment if he was Light Horse. I think we can probably rule out Artillery as he probably would have been wearing bombs.

Rgds

Tim D

[WhiteStarLine]

If Jaydon scans the original at 600 dpi or more and zooms in on the collar badges, this is distinctly possible. The one he posted cannot easily be enhanced.

[jaydon100]

Hello both,

Thanks for your responses and help so far - much appreciated!

Unfortunately, I do not have the original photograph. It was sent to me by email.

I will try the address you have given me, Tim.

Thanks again!

[Leigh Mc]

This photograph depicts a soldier of the AIF during the First World War.

The soldier is not Militia as the Militia of the First World War period and the between the wars period, had their own specific uniform.

[Blackblue]

Certainly first World War era uniform, but I don't think you can out rule completely that he was the militia member as outlined in the original post . There were plenty of ex AIF uniforms still around post war. Whilst the collar dogs are blurred they don't look like Rising Suns to me.....obvious answer is to consider militia units.

Rgds

Tim D

[marmi01]

The uniform is 1st World War - the militia period uniforms were quite different. A good shot of the collar badges (if available) will be able to ID his unit.

Mick

[Crunchy]

The uniform is 1st World War - the militia period uniforms were quite different. A good shot of the collar badges (if available) will be able to ID his unit.

Mick

if it is 1st World War AIF the collar badges won't identify the unit - they all wore rising sun collar badges, with a few exceptions of unofficial collar badges. The colour patch on the upper sleeve will give an indication, but in B&W it is unlikely to identify the exact unit but I can't see any. I wouldn't rule out post World War One Militia, the photo looks to have been taken in a backyard (fence in the background).

Regards

Chris

[green_acorn]

Whoa the elephant on this man being WW1. As Crunchy said don't rule out post WW1 as they wore the Commonwealth Pattern (AIF) uniform until 1930 as the Army had hundreds of thousands of sets left over. In 1930 the Military Board authorised new uniforms for the Mitia see http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16627941. And don't forget the 2nd AIF went to war wearing the same blouse/jacket and bandoliers (for some) as their fathers did. Base on the darker colour of the pugaree I say he is as Jaydon has stated CMF from the 1925-30 period, photogrpahed in his family's backyard like Crunchy suggested. For period comparison http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/P02336.001, http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/P02307.026, http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/P00989.047 and http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/P02635.001.

The blue jacket wasn't common for a few years and can be seen in this 1938 image http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/P06987.002, I believe it wa sonly ever for barracks dress.

Noting that Jaydon has said that John William Hunt lived in the Newcastle, NSW area the predominant CMF/Militia units in that city at the time would have been artillery, as they were required to man the coastal artillery batteries at Fort Williams and Fort Scratchley which covered the North and South banks of the entrance to the Hunter River/Port of Newcastle repectively.

Cheers,

Hendo