ww1 uniform clues

[Guest blightyone]

I would be very grateful for comment on what can be gleaned from the uniform of my grandfather, John Gibson Brown (or John Brown), pictured on the RHS of the photo (link below). I know scarcely anything of him and only found out recently that he served in ww1. He lived in the Glasgow/Paisley area. I can find no official record of his service (likely destroyed?) and all I have is part of a puzzling, to me a contradictory statement, given by him to a poor inspector in 1923 as follows:"in the army from 25/1/1918 to 25/3/1921 regimental number 122832, Motor fitter, RAF."

I think he may have a wound stripe on his left sleeve.

Thank you.

http://www.safetynew.../ww1uniform.jpg

[WilliamRev]

The tam o shanter badge and collar badges look as though they are Scottish Rifles (aka Cameronians) to me, which would be a likely regiment for a Glasgow lad to be in, and the wound stripe makes the photo 1916 or later. No reason why he might not have transfered to the RFC/RAF later on in the war.

William

Later edit: I have looked on Ancestry for J. Browns in the Scottish Rifles, and there are dozens; there are a few J. G. Browns, but I can't see one that is obviously your grandfather. However, there are people on the forum who are far better at finding medal cards than me, and anyway my identification of the badges as Scottish Rifles may not be correct in the first place.

[Tyneside Chinaman]

Hi,

looking at that badge and the collar badges along with the shoulder titles I think it may be Canadian uniform.

The Badge looks too circular for Scottish Rifles/Cameronians, I cant see St andrew in the middle so not Cameron Highlanders, no pointy top so not Argylls, No Stag so not Gordons or Seaforth, dfinitely not Black Watch, RSF, HLI or R Scots.

Indeed a closer look makes me think he is 15th Battalion CEF 48th Highlanders.

I will scan a copy of the cap and collars

regards

John

[Tyneside Chinaman]

badge & collars

[FROGSMILE]

There are no black buttons as would be likely for a Cameronian and the collar badges are large for a British unit. I too, think it could be a Canadian unit.

[Stebie9173]

The number 122832 does indeed link to a John Brown in the RAF:

Name: John Brown.

Air Ministry: Air Member for Personnel and predecessors: Airmen's Records.#

Name: John Brown.

Collection:Records created or inherited by the Air Ministry, the Royal Air Force, and related bodies

Date range: 01 January 1918 - 31 December 1928

Reference:AIR 79/1099/122832

Subjects:Armed Forces (General), Air Force

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C12045106

The dates quoted are the dates for the collection not for an individuals service. These are paper records (A2 sheets, I believe) at the National Archives at Kew. They are not directly available online, but a scan can be requested.

Steve.

Steve.

[gordon92]

I also think the Scot in the photograph is dressed in a Canadian uniform. The badge does not appear to be a smooth circle and also may have a Crown on the top. Two regiments who had badges of such characteristices were the Nova Scotia Highlanders (17th Bn CEF) and the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada (43rd, 179th Bns). The New Brunswick Kilties (236th Bn) is also a possibility.

[Guest blightyone]

William, John, frogsmile, Steve, and Gordon92, I am delighted with your information which opens up new lines of research for

me.

Firstly, I now understand the brief statement my grandfather gave to the official after the war and how it indicates his service

was split between the two branches of the forces. I had thought for a while that he perhaps had been in a Service Corps with

the acronym RAF. I was also aware of the changes in the status of the RFC/RAF just after he joined up and thought this may

have had something to do with his transfer.

My grandfather was born in 1889 and I know that before the war he worked for Beardmore in Glasgow who manufactured engines

for tanks, ships, aircraft and vehicles. He married my grandmother in 1916 but became estranged just before he joined up and

she received separation pay. I had assumed he was in a reserved occupation until then and that perhaps he had been induced

into joining by the very high rates of pay on offer to those with his mechanical skills.

I am surprised and intrigued by the possible Canadian connection. He did move as a young man to Yorkshire for 4 years around

1911 and its possible that he could have gone over to Canada and enlisted there.

I have requested a scan of his RAF record Steve, thanks for that, and I hope this may disclose who his army service was with

before I start looking closely at that. Thanks for taking the trouble to scan the badges John, I can see the similarities.

thanks to all,

Alistair