Help with relatives regiment

[Robalong01]

Hi all,would any of you recognize this uniform? the lower part of the picture reads J short 2 Royal arcade Cowcadens which I assume is now Glasgow.

Rob

P.s just found out that the photographer that took the photo was in business between 1886 and 1903 at this address.

[FROGSMILE]

Hi all,would any of you recognize this uniform? the lower part of the picture reads J short 2 Royal arcade Cowcadens which I assume is now Glasgow.

Rob

P.s just found out that the photographer that took the photo was in business between 1886 and 1903 at this address.

It looks as if it might be a dark green tunic as worn by Rifle Volunteer units. These were part-time volunteer soldiers recruited throughout Britain. In 1908 the Territorial Force (TF) was formed and many of these Rifle units became volunteer battalions of regular Army regiments, as part of the TF, some retaining their green (or in a few cases grey) tunics, but most eventually changing to scarlet to match their regular counterparts.

One odd aspect is the collar badges, as these appear to be plain crowns and these were generally only used by regiments that did not have a 'special' insignia of their own.

[Robalong01]

It looks as if it might be a dark green tunic as worn by Rifle Volunteer units. These were part-time volunteer soldiers recruited throughout Britain. In 1908 the Territorial Force (TF) was formed and many of these Rifle units became volunteer battalions of regular Army regiments, as part of the TF, some retaining their green (or in a few cases grey) tunics, but most eventually changing to scarlet to match their regular counterparts.

One odd aspect is the collar badges, as these appear to be plain crowns and these were generally only used by regiments that did not have a 'special' insignia of their own.

Hi Frogsmle, I'm not sure but I think this is my Grt grandfather Alfred,I have his service records for the first war No se399 AVC but on the record it says he previously served with the West Riding regiment,could this be his best dress?

Thank you for your quick reply Rob

[FROGSMILE]

Hi Frogsmle, I'm not sure but I think this is my Grt grandfather Alfred,I have his service records for the first war No se399 AVC but on the record it says he previously served with the West Riding regiment,could this be his best dress?

Thank you for your quick reply Rob

You have answered the mystery with your mention of the AVC and all is now clear Rob.

Your GGF is wearing the full dress tunic of the AVC, which was dark blue with maroon welt and facings ( front edge, collar and cuffs) and 7-buttons, with a yellow 'trefoil' style knot decorating his cuff (unseen). Shoulder straps were of twisted yellow cord and can just about be seen. The trousers had maroon stripes down the outer seam, 1 3/4 inches wide but with two thin black welts 1/2 inch apart.

Between 1903 (when the AVC was first formed) and 1906 a plain gilding metal Imperial crown was worn on the collar (also for Army Pay Corps at that time) and then, until 1918, the AVC cypher within a laurel wreath surmounted by a crown.

In undress his head dress would have been a pillbox cap until around 1905, when it was replaced by a peaked forage cap. In full dress he would have worn a blue cloth universal helmet with a ball (as opposed to spiked) top. I enclose a photo of the closest uniform that I can find of the same period, that of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

He possibly worked at Garrioch Barracks (Maryhill), where there were cavalry (Royal Scots Greys) and horse drawn field artillery, as well as infantry (HLI). Alternatively he might have been at Hamilton Barracks, which was 11 miles south of Glasgow and also held cavalry, in addition to infantry (Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)).

[Robalong01]

Hi Frogsmile,

Wow, thanks so much for the information,just one other question please?I'm slightly confused? Although on his service papers from ww1 it says that he's a saddler and in the AVC,how does this collate with him previously being in the West ridings in 1904 as seen in the picture I posted?Also would there be any service records from this period as I'm at a loss to find any.

Thanks again Rob.

[gordon92]

He possibly worked at Garrioch Barracks (Maryhill), where there were cavalry (Royal Scots Greys) and horse drawn field artillery, as well as infantry (HLI). Alternatively he might have been at Hamilton Barracks, which was 11 miles south of Glasgow and also held cavalry, in addition to infantry (Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)).

As an aside, the HLI only moved their depot to Maryhill in the 1920s; I am without my reference books at the moment to give you the exact date. Prior to the Great War, the HLI Depot was in Hamilton where it had been located since the July 1881 Childers reforms.

[FROGSMILE]

Hi Frogsmile,

Wow, thanks so much for the information,just one other question please?I'm slightly confused? Although on his service papers from ww1 it says that he's a saddler and in the AVC,how does this collate with him previously being in the West ridings in 1904 as seen in the picture I posted?Also would there be any service records from this period as I'm at a loss to find any.

Thanks again Rob.

The photo you posted is not of a West Ridings soldier, whose tunic was scarlet and with wholly different facings and collar badges. The photo you posted is of a AVC soldier and from around 1903, which fits with the dates for your photographer's studio.

Perhaps he was in a Militia or Regular battalion of the West Riding Regiment before 1903. Men who were "employed on veterinary duties within units" were absorbed by the then new AVC in 1903.