A bit of a long shot.

[pudsey63]

This is the best I could manage from a fairly poor photocopy, but does anyone have any ideas about this soldier's badges? I'm hoping it may give me a clue about his identity as he is a mystery man among the family memorabilia.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This is the best I could manage from a fairly poor photocopy, but does anyone have any ideas about this soldier's badges? I'm hoping it may give me a clue about his identity as he is a mystery man among the family memorabilia.image.jpg

Looks like a Canadian Regiment, is there any connection with Canada ?

Regards,

LF

[Old Owl]

Possibly Canadian?

[pudsey63]

That's good! Yes there may well be a Canadian connection. A branch of the family were there so that narrows it down a bit for me. Thank you.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

That's good! Yes there may well be a Canadian connection. A branch of the family were there so that narrows it down a bit for me. Thank you.

The problem is, many of the Canadian regiments used the basic Canadian Maple Leaf design for their cap badges and it is only the details shown on the Maple Leaf badge which distinguished one Canadian regiment from another. From your photograph, and without any other details on this man, his cap and collar badges could be from any number of WW1 Canadian regiments.

Regards,

LF

[pudsey63]

Working on the basis that he is wearing a Canadian badge I think I may have found him on the family tree. I'm hoping he is one Archibald Hamilton born in 1892, and if so he is also on the 1921 Canadian census which means he made it back.

Now I just need to see what I can find out about Canadian service records.

Thanks LF, it is a shame the photo isn't better but at least I have a starting point now.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Working on the basis that he is wearing a Canadian badge I think I may have found him on the family tree. I'm hoping he is one Archibald Hamilton born in 1892, and if so he is also on the 1921 Canadian census which means he made it back.

Now I just need to see what I can find out about Canadian service records.

Thanks LF, it is a shame the photo isn't better but at least I have a starting point now.

Pleased to hear you were able to connect him to the Canadian link, and it should be possible for you to find his Canadian military service records.

Please keep us updated.

Regards,

LF

[Sepoy]

His attestation Papers (when he enlisted) can be found here
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/image.aspx?Image=375244a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fdata2.archives.ca%2fcef%2fgpc006%2f375244a.gif&Ecopy=375244a

and here
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/image.aspx?Image=375244b&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fdata2.archives.ca%2fcef%2fgpc006%2f375244b.gif&Ecopy=375244b

The Canadian Archives are in the process of digitising all World War One Service Records (Free download) but I think this project will take sometime to complete. Archibald's records are not available on-line yet.

Sepoy

[pudsey63]

Thank you so much Sepoy. I clicked on the links and although the next-of-kin details didn't seem to match I followed it back and found another Archibald Hamilton, born in Leeds, and I think this is my man. I was a year out with his date of birth!

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=441620

Now I will just have to be patient while the service records become available.