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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Pre-War Cloth Shoulder Titles, Rank and Insignia photos.


Toby Brayley

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9 minutes ago, Muerrisch said:

That is a nice find: I suppose it has to be the cycle wheel badge, very circular. Also no ranking on left sleeve.

 

It is indeed. Here is a "better" view. 

 

 

Rifles Vol Cyclist 1.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

"Charlie" sent this postcard from the UK to 9578 L Cpl "Ernie" Taylor at the Quarter Masters Stores, 1st Kings Own Regiment, Lucknow, India on 3rd April 1911.

 

The postcards shows men of a TF RE unit showing off their handiwork..... some have more faith than others! It is interesting to see the use of the Victorian era greatcoats and method of wearing the rank on the cuff as late as this. Even if the image is not as late as 1911 it is still post 1906.

 

Note the flaming grenade above the Sgt chevrons.

 

 

RE Bridge.jpg

RE Bridge 2.jpg

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An interesting photo Toby. It appears to show a dark blue greatcoat, unless it is the traditional blue-grey rendered darker by the photographic process. The rank appears on the lower sleeve as is still the regulation today (a vestige from when a removable cape could be fitted). The grenade badge was not worn by RE SNCOs until 1881.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Budget cuts 1900s style. 

 

RHA wearing detachable shoulder straps with RHA brass titles rather than cloth titles.   

 

 

RHA Cannon.jpg

RHA Cannon 1.jpg

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Whilst on the subject of RA  Universal Forage Caps (aka Brodricks), I recently acquired  this. Although not immaculate it is still a nice issued, 1903 dated RA named example. 

24232557_1951445998429892_6843483945413156765_n.jpg

23916039_1951446095096549_1800055374596744759_n.jpg

24058810_1951446181763207_9162529738712139081_n.jpg

24232134_1951446251763200_2609892431537018516_n.jpg

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3 hours ago, Toby Brayley said:

Budget cuts 1900s style. 

 

RHA wearing detachable shoulder straps with RHA brass titles rather than cloth titles.   

 

 

RHA Cannon.jpg

RHA Cannon 1.jpg


The "Time Gun" at Gun Hill, Aldershot.
Nice photo.

Sepoy

Edited by Sepoy
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17 minutes ago, Sepoy said:


The "Time Gun" at Gun Hill, Aldershot.
Nice photo.

Sepoy

 

Sepoy, thank you. I have  now penciled it on the back! 

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With the way the ram rod and bung are placed  it could almost be the same image! 

2011_12_05_11_40_13 (1).jpg

Edited by Toby Brayley
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Tampion yes that's the word...or giant cork bungy thing. 

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Very rare shot of members of the Herefordshire's in camp.

The titles were to small to be made out with the naked eye but the scanner brought them out well. Note the omission of the Battalion number, being only a single Battalion of the VF and later TF, I suspect this is why. Nice crossed axes on the pioneer.

 

 

Hereford 2.jpg

Hereford.jpg

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On 10/17/2017 at 15:15, FROGSMILE said:

 

Yes, I suspect that the greatcoat might have been a part of the trials then going on into the development of SD in the round.

 

It's the first 1902 SD pattern of greatcoat, superceded in March 1904, although in use for some time after - at least until 1907.

 

The next type dispensed with the side slits, along with other minor modifications.

 

It was the same general pattern for Mounted Services too, except they had a larger skirt, larger armholes and a short, fixed cape.

 

Cheers,

 

GT.

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11 hours ago, Grovetown said:

 

It's the first 1902 SD pattern of greatcoat, superceded in March 1904, although in use for some time after - at least until 1907.

 

The next type dispensed with the side slits, along with other minor modifications.

 

It was the same general pattern for Mounted Services too, except they had a larger skirt, larger armholes and a short, fixed cape.

 

Cheers,

 

GT.

 

I think that I recall seeing a picture (water colour) of the greatcoat in the book, “Vanished Armies”, it is as you describe.

Edited by FROGSMILE
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1st Volunteer Battalion of the "Bucks" (Buckinghamshire Rifle Volunteers) c1904.  Once again that bizarre Norfolk cut Service Dress makes an appearance.

1 V Bucks.jpg

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6 hours ago, Toby Brayley said:

1st Volunteer Battalion of the "Bucks" (Buckinghamshire Rifle Volunteers) c1904.  Once again that bizarre Norfolk cut Service Dress makes an appearance.

1 V Bucks.jpg

 

I especially like this picture Toby, with its contradictions of rifle green cap, but shiny GS buttons.  There are also the old GS laced leather leggings (gaiters).

Edited by FROGSMILE
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C.Q.M.S. A.C. Bright. 530003.  Essex Fortress Royal Engineers.  Awarded the "T.F.E.Medal" - 1/8/1917.

The chap sat on the trunk seems to be keeping his distance from the bottles of ale whilst the camera is pointed his way!

T. R.E. Essex. A.C. Bright..jpg

T. R.E. Essex. A.C. Bright. (2).jpg

Edited by GWF1967
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Great picture, notice how large the crown is on the CQMS rank badge at that time.

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32 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

Great picture, notice how large the crown is on the CQMS rank badge at that time.

Thanks;   he's taken care to show off all his badges, not that you could fail to see the crown!

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Hello all ... I do intend to go back through this thread and check out all the amazing photos but I was pointed in this direction by another forum member in the hopes of gleaning more information although I'm not sure there is more to be had and I've had some wonderful help via this forum and another.

 

the photo I have has graced the lounge rooms of the previous generation and I was given a copy by my uncle.  He told me it was my great grandfather Ted born Albert Edward Clark 1885 illegitimate son of Amelia Clark. The family always assumed it was Ted in his WW1 uniform only after I shared this on different forum I was told it's a Boer War uniform as are the medals he's wearing.

 

looking closer I can  this photo is not that of a 30 year old Ted but a much younger man despite the mustach.  Trouble is no one in the family knew anything about his being in the Boer War.  I took the photo to his last surving son my great uncle Fred and asked him who it was and he said oh that's dad.  But apart from family say so I've no way of telling.  

 

The records I've been given for his WW1 service only have his RGA service number and not his original Gloucestershire regiment number which I'm told by my uncle his records are sadly a part of the burnt records.  So there is probably no way of finding out any more. 

 

I was given this as a possibility but there is also nothing for regt number 2976.

 

The medal roll for the 2nd Batt Gloucestershire regt. has an A E Clarke, regt no 2976, entitled to a three clasp QSA medal (Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Trans.) together with the King's SA Medal with SA01 & 02 clasps, this could be your man. If you have access to Find my Past it might be worth checking, using the above details, to see if this man's record has survived and confirm/rule him out as your ancestor.
 
Anyway if nothing else I was told you might like the photo :-). I can't prove it's Ted I'm confident he's family as my grandson looks very much like him.
 
blessings
Deb 

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6 hours ago, Deb R said:

IMG_0720.JPG

Sorry first one was not full version 

 

Its great to see the full length image Deb, in addition to the marksman badge and good conduct badge (stripe) on left sleeve, he has a distance judging star on his right sleeve, which was a skill-at-arms qualification.  This was so that soldiers could learn to 'set' (position) their own rifle sights (in 100s of yards increments) when necessary (i.e. without an NCO's or officer's orders) to make allowance for the slightly curved trajectory of a rifle shot.

 

orig.jpg

4c4270a3c908883131a9e2a77c9a4ec3 (1).jpg

Edited by FROGSMILE
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Hello my friend I was hoping I would find you here ... seems I can upload full images on this site.  I've also ordered Ted and Daisy's son born sept 1916 just in case it mentions where Ted is or what regiment he is in at that time hopefully I will have it next week.

 

thank you for the added information ... will all help in my write up 

 

blessings

deb 

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The uniform shown is not Boer War period, but later, even if only a little later. There is nothing to suggest that could not be as late as August 1914 except the headdress.

 

I don't think the star on his right cuff is the 5 point distance judging star. It baffles me because it seems to have 4 points and  I don't know why it is there.

Edited by Muerrisch
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