scotttaylor Posted 26 October , 2012 Share Posted 26 October , 2012 Hello, This is my first post and I am hoping someone can help me!!! I have had this photo of my great grandad for many a year now and have been intrigued by it. Recently I have been given some information into my great grandads, half brother and it seems he was in the Northumberland Fusiliers and died on the 22nd May 1918 in Flanders (Bethune to be exact on the banks of the canal) so this set me about finding out if Frederick Whiting, my great grandad,who was B1880 Heacham, Norfolk, also served in The Great War, Now this photo was taken on the steps of a hotel in Heacham, where frederick was a hotel porter in 1911. But i am stumped by the uniform he is wearing and it looks like 3 medals, Is it Army or Navy? As I have found a F Whiting in the Medal (Army) Roll, where the soldier served in the Northumberland fusiliers and recieved the British War Medal, Victory and the 1914-15 Star. Regiment Number 56270 Or there is a potential Navy Seviceman, that received the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, British war medal and Victory Medal, Service number J65439. So many options my head is spinning!!! Any help or guidance would be really appriciated. Thank You Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 26 October , 2012 Share Posted 26 October , 2012 The RN rating you refer to was born in Southampton in 1901. That is not a naval officer's uniform, despite the passing resemblance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archangel9 Posted 26 October , 2012 Share Posted 26 October , 2012 The medals are the Star, BW and Victory medals but on the wrong side and in the reverse order. The photo looks like it has been developed the wrong way round. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotttaylor Posted 26 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2012 Thanks for that horatio2, I always thought that the uniform, was a hotel uniform, where he was a porter, but it seemed too posh and too military? and would he have worn his medals to work? At least you have eliminated one of the options....Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 26 October , 2012 Share Posted 26 October , 2012 If the photo hasn't been printed the wrong way around, he could be wearing a relative's medals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daggers Posted 26 October , 2012 Share Posted 26 October , 2012 If it was a naval uniform he would be a Lieutenant Commander, but the coat is too long, and there is a coloured back to the collar, as well as the other points made already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 26 October , 2012 Share Posted 26 October , 2012 The photo has been printed wrong way round - you can see his waistcoat is buttoned up the wrong way. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotttaylor Posted 26 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2012 Okay so this is the flipped version, if they developed it backwards this is what it should have looked like! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotttaylor Posted 26 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2012 ooh that came out a bit big sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotttaylor Posted 26 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2012 Okay so now i have found this medal index card for a Frederick whiting, can i ask is it probable that he would have entered the same regiment as his half brother if they signed up at the same time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 26 October , 2012 Share Posted 26 October , 2012 The man whose medal index card you have shown was killed in action, so not the man in the photograph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotttaylor Posted 26 October , 2012 Author Share Posted 26 October , 2012 right so back to the drawing board then....with the potential of these being relatives medals.... Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Grundy Posted 26 October , 2012 Share Posted 26 October , 2012 Looks like a Corps of Commissionaires uniform to me. Many ex-servicemen were members, providing hotel security services, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aengland Posted 12 May , 2013 Share Posted 12 May , 2013 Hi.... just came across your posting Scott. You say: 'Now this photo was taken on the steps of a hotel in Heacham, where frederick was a hotel porter in 1911'.... why do you say that? was there something written on the back of the photograph perhaps? I know Heacham (if it is the Norfolk 'Heacham', and as far as I am aware there is only the one.....) very well, indeed I am researching the Great War history of the place..... and I don't know of any hotel that was there is 1911. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinrowlinson Posted 13 May , 2013 Share Posted 13 May , 2013 More likely sunny Hunny as he was living at Seagate Rd in 1911. Carr stone building but doesn't appear to be one of the main surviving hotels; Le Strange Arms or Golden Lion. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbarchetta Posted 13 May , 2013 Share Posted 13 May , 2013 I'm sure hotel staff, waiters etc who rely on tips would ALL have tried, if possible, to wear their war medals to work in the post-war period, to hopefully boost tip income... sad, but undoubtedly true... James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pylon1357 Posted 13 May , 2013 Share Posted 13 May , 2013 Ok what did I miss now?? Clearly to me the three medals are 14-15 Star, War Medal and Victory medal. Now I read this photo was taken in 1911 on the steps of a hotel?? Not a chance if the medals are identified correctly. So is the date of the photo in error, or the medals? IMO the date of the photo could not be before late 1921 at the earliest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGM Posted 13 May , 2013 Share Posted 13 May , 2013 Scott, did Frederick return to his hotel job after the war? CGM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 13 May , 2013 Share Posted 13 May , 2013 Doesnt look like the Uniform of a Hotel Porter presumably post 1919 he had been promoted to Doorman which is more in keeping with said Uniform, or a Cinema Theatre Commissionaire???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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