Dragoon Posted 3 July , 2020 Share Posted 3 July , 2020 36 minutes ago, Muerrisch said: Has someone got a picture of the Special Service Section badge please? YES I WILL DIG ONE OUT AND POST Was this badge just for the Submarine miners RE or were there other units. NO, SSS UNDERTOOK XTRA OBLIGATION IN NATIONAL EMERGENCY, AVBL ALL VF Also, were there Regular Sub miners or were they all Volunteers or Militia? NO REGULARS AS FAR AS I KNOW Finally, the grenade badge was this the standard grenade badge that the Sgt's wore above the stripes? YES, IN SILVER Thank you in advance, fascinating photo and unit. Cheers Chris Thank you for answering my questions. Greatly appreciated. I look forward to seeing a picture of the SSS badge. I also look forward to the findings of the mystery badge!. Cheers Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 3 July , 2020 Share Posted 3 July , 2020 to be going on with ..... there was a tiny letter s in each curl of the big S. A version also existed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 3 July , 2020 Share Posted 3 July , 2020 In colour, although a reproduction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 3 July , 2020 Share Posted 3 July , 2020 thank you, saved me the trouble! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 3 July , 2020 Share Posted 3 July , 2020 (edited) Thank you chaps! Greatly appreciated. Was it just in bullion or was there a worsted version? I've been googling like mad with regard to the other badge. Nothing! Chris Edited 3 July , 2020 by Dragoon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 3 July , 2020 Share Posted 3 July , 2020 I believe a worsted version was issued otherwise we would have technicolour on SD. Will sniff around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 3 July , 2020 Share Posted 3 July , 2020 3 minutes ago, Muerrisch said: I believe a worsted version was issued otherwise we would have technicolour on SD. Will sniff around. True, Thank you for your help. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Brayley Posted 4 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 4 July , 2020 (edited) CDVS of Durham Light Infantry types including a pioneer, all taken in the same studio in Mhow "Central India". I have just noticed its the same chair in two of them! Edited 4 July , 2020 by Toby Brayley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Brayley Posted 4 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 4 July , 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 Jam pot cuff tunics in India. An example of getting some wear out of the last Home issue. These two may have been part of the most recent draft to arrive, getting their CDVs done to send home from the mysterious East. On the other hand these are experienced 6 years minimum soldiers, whereas drafts tended to be last year's recruits. As ever, there is a story here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWFID Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 15 hours ago, Dragoon said: Thank you chaps! Greatly appreciated. Was it just in bullion or was there a worsted version? I've been googling like mad with regard to the other badge. Nothing! Chris The badges were produced in different colours depending on uniform and facings colours - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 16 minutes ago, GWFID said: The badges were produced in different colours depending on uniform and facings colours - Thank you That's a lot of variations then! Your help is appreciated . Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, Toby Brayley said: CDVS of Durham Light Infantry types including a pioneer, all taken in the same studio in Mhow "Central India". I have just noticed its the same chair in two of them! They are all 2nd Battalion, who were at Mhow (and associated outstations) between 1892 and 1896. The battalion had previously been the HEIC’s 2nd Bombay Light Infantry and so had a long association with India, coming into the British Imperial service in September 1862 as the 106th Regiment of Foot (Bombay Light Infantry). They became 2nd Batt DLI in July 1881. Edited 4 July , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 2 hours ago, Dragoon said: Thank you That's a lot of variations then! Your help is appreciated . Chris In fact the SSS pre-dates the TF, being a VF section, with badge, at least as early as 1901 and, I believe, 1896. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 My candidate for the mystery badge has withdrawn ........ just does not cut the mustard. Not Brigade Supply Depot. Another possibility is a locally produced prize badge, but the shape is seriously odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 another SSS badge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 Some background on the SSS badge from Hansard:18 May 1900 vol 83 cc532-6 532 § [INTRODUCTION.] §* THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (The Marquess of LANSDOWNE) We propose to accept the services only of those who desire to offer their services, and in the rules which we shall make in order to give effect to this Bill we intend that it shall be made perfectly clear that any Volunteer who joins what I suppose will be called the Special Service Section of his battalion should be free to leave it and to divest himself of his obligation on giving a reasonable notice to the military authorities. The only other explanatory observation which I will add is this: that we have prepared this Bill in consultation with a number of representative Volunteer officers, and that we have every reason to believe that the measure is one acceptable to the force because it will give them an opportunity of rendering again the very signal service which they have recently rendered, and of rendering it under conditions more convenient to the War Department and to themselves. Para 648 VFR 1901, "Reprinted for provisional use with Corrections and Amendments up to the 31st July 1904."says that the badge was to be worn on the left cuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWFID Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 Photos show that it was also worn on the right sleeve, not that I'm saying it was supposed to be worn there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWFID Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 1 hour ago, FROGSMILE said: They are all 2nd Battalion, who were at Mhow (and associated outstations) between 1892 and 1896. The battalion had previously been the HEIC’s 2nd Bombay Light Infantry and so had a long association with India, coming into the British Imperial service in September 1862 as the 106th Regiment of Foot (Bombay Light Infantry). They became 2nd Batt DLI in July 1881. Is the badge shown on the helmet in the photo that white metal badge or the large, brass DLI badge with vertical brooch fitting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Muerrisch said: My candidate for the mystery badge has withdrawn ........ just does not cut the mustard. Not Brigade Supply Depot. Another possibility is a locally produced prize badge, but the shape is seriously odd. I have been very intrigued by what the badge might possibly be, as I’ve detected at least four of the men in the photo apparently wearing the badge on their left lower sleeve. On reflection I think that it probably relates to one of three things: 1. The emblem adopted as the symbol of RE Submarine Mining (this was an upright fist clutching two outspread wings from all of which emanated pointed rays upwards. 2. A searchlight emblem of unknown form. 3. An early adoption of the RN divers badge for men perhaps trained to dive in connection with their submarine mining duties (interestingly the RE adopted the RN divers badge pro tem when a diving role was formalised for them in the BAOR, circa 1960s). The first submarine mining company Royal Engineers, 4th Company, formed in 1871. Two years later a submarine mining school was established in the retired ship HMS Hood moored at Chatham. The Sappers concerned received five months’ general instruction and another 34 days of practical instruction on how to connect up, embark, sling, lay out and raise mines. They prepared multiple and group cables, buoys, moorings, and junction boxes, all in an effort to become fully initiated in the field of submarine mining. Later on high power searchlights became part of the defences and these too initially required RE operators (much later, before WW2, the role was transferred to the RA). Minefields, controlled by army personnel and confining ships to narrow channels in time of war, had never been popular with the Royal Navy, and eventually the Admiralty won control of minefields from the Army and the transfer began in 1904, with final transfer and disbandment of regular and auxiliary RE Submarine Mining units completed in 1906. I enclose images of the Submarine Mining Service and RN divers. No badge in the form of a searchlight has been found. Edited 4 July , 2020 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 2 minutes ago, GWFID said: Is the badge shown on the helmet in the photo that white metal badge or the large, brass DLI badge with vertical brooch fitting? I think it’s the larger badge that you describe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 1 hour ago, Muerrisch said: In fact the SSS pre-dates the TF, being a VF section, with badge, at least as early as 1901 and, I believe, 1896. Superb information, thank you very much for your help and time on this one, greatly appreciated. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 Another SSS arm badge being worn by a member of the Royal Sussex Regiment Volunteers. Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 Thank you, that is very clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 4 July , 2020 Share Posted 4 July , 2020 Nice RPPC sepoy. Appear to be a pair of signal flags he is holding in his left hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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