Help with Regiment Identification

[GCL40]

If anyone could help with identifying the Regiment of the attached photo and give advice on a bit of a mystery I would be most grateful. From family sources, I believe the photo to be Pvt William Hopper of the Border Regiment 8th Battalion Regimental Number 12212. He enlisted at Middlesbrough or Darlington in 1914, but the actual enlistment records are not available. It seems like a number of serviceman with regimental numbers around his signed up in Darlington or the N.E and were either immediately attested into the Border Regiment, or soon after must have been moved. William died in March 1915 of natural causes at Boscombe Hospital in Bournemouth, and was buried in Great Ayton N Yorks. He is remembered on the War Memorial in Gt Ayton.

However, it is a mystery why he is wearing what is obviously not a cap badge of the Border Regiment. Does anyone have any idea of which regiment the cap badge is, or why he might have been wearing the uniform of another Regiment? I appreciate it isn't a great picture, so maybe a tough question.

Many thanks

Gavin

[FROGSMILE]

Gavin he is wearing a two-piece shoulder title and so is either, a fusilier, or a light infantryman.

Looking carefully at the photo I think he is probably King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, who had a very small cap badge.

[Tyneside Chinaman]

Hi,

If you look carefully he is wearing a Green Howards cap badge the bottom of the badge is very clearly green howards and the shoulder title is T/4/York.

It would suggest pre war service with the 4th Territorial Battalion and the bandolier would indicate a member of the battalion transport Section.

regards

John

[GCL40]

Thanks both that's very helpful and gives me more to do some further research.

[FROGSMILE]

Hi,

If you look carefully he is wearing a Green Howards cap badge the bottom of the badge is very clearly green howards and the shoulder title is T/4/York.

It would suggest pre war service with the 4th Territorial Battalion and the bandolier would indicate a member of the battalion transport Section.

regards

John

Looking again at his insignia John in light of what you have said, I think you are right, and that he is a Green Howard from a TF battalion. That also fits with his North Yorks connections. Well spotted.