Is the rank and/or regiment recognisable from this photo, please?

[rachman]

Good day.

A little information first.

The attached photo is of my Grand Uncle, Frank Stewart Dawson, believed to have been taken in France and in 1917.

Frank was born in 1886, so would have been around 31 years of age in 1917.

Although born in Lancashire, he had lived most of his life in Stanley, Co. Durham, until around 1912, when he married and moved to Cardiff. At the outbreak of war, he was establishing his own shipping line in Cardiff. Frank survived the war and returned to civilian life in Cardiff where he continued to build his little shipping empire until his untimely death in 1945.

This is the one and only photograph that remains and there is no other surviving family member to ask questions of.

My question to the forum is this::

Is it possible to tell his rank and/or regiment from his uniform in this photo? I appreciate it is not the clearest of pictures, but any help would be most appreciated and help tie up a few loose ends for my family tree.

I have tried a military records search on the 'Forces War Records' site and this returns a few Frank S Dawsons and a dozen or so Frank Dawson's - none of which are conclusively pertaining to this gentleman. I was hoping that with a rank and regiment, I might be able to narrow the search down.

Thank you very much in anticipation of any replies.

Regards

PD

[Old Owl]

Hi PD,

He looks like a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers.

Robert

[Old Owl]

There is an MIC for him on Ancestry: Frank Stewart Dawson, R.E., (IWT) Inland Waterways Transport.

He is shown with an address at Llandaff, Cardiff--so must be him.

Robert

[rachman]

Wow! That was quick! Thanks wise Old Owl...yes, the Llandaff address fits exactly - 'Rastrick' on Pencisely Road, Llandaff - at least, this was his eventual home in Llandaff, guess he could have had a smaller property here whilst his business was in its infancy.

Many thanks for great response!

Cheers

PD

[Old Owl]

That was the exact address on the MIC.

Glad to be of assistance. I hope that you can now fill a few gaps! You should be able to obtain copies of his service papers from the N.A.

Robert

[Stebie9173]

The Index of Officers Records (WO338) shows Frank Stewart Dawson (2nd Lt. in the Royal Engineers Inland Waterways and Docks) in the alphabetic series of WO374. It shows his reference as DA/1325.

This refers to:

DAWSON, 2/Lieut F S

Reference: WO 374/18737

Former references: in its original department: 1325

The WO 374/18737 reference is for the boxes of physical officers records held at the National Archives.

Steve.

[FROGSMILE]

Well done gentlemen, it's great that you can help put this history together from a sole surviving photograph.

I enclose images of his badge of rank and the identifying collar badge.

[rachman]

Thank you all so much for the fantastic detail you have supplied - from relative (no pun intended!) obscurity to somebody, all in the space of an hour or so. Brilliant.

I may post again in a few days with reference to Frank's brother, Albert Edward, my grandfather, about whom i know a lot, but still some unanswered questions you may be able to help with. This will test the Royal Naval WW1 scholars amongst you!

Thanks again, and for now, cheerio!

PD

[bill24chev]

Although I know there were many 2nd Lts aged over Thirty my first thouhts when I looked at the photo was a Major in the RE. Im glad I did not answer first I would have been a bit of an idiot. I hadnt noiced only one ring on the cuff insignia and saw a crown instead of a pip/star.