Help identifying a uniform

[Guest DevonMeg]

I am trying to find out which Regiment Gerald Edward Heslop (date of birth 05 Jul 1885 in Bristol) was in during WWI. We have a photo of him from 1916 showing him with a group of other officers in what looks like the Middle East. He would have been 29. In 1911 he was with his parents and was a Coal Salesman (his father was a produce broker so think clerical post rather than a coal delivery man) and by 1939 he was a Coal exporter in Penarth, Glamorganshire. I therefore assume that when he joined up he would have advanced quite quickly through the ranks. I have found one G E Heslop in the Medal Rolls in the Royal Army Service Corps (M2/022092) but on the medal card this has been amended to read George E Heslop so I don’t think this is him. The medal card also says he served in France and this does not look like France to me. Can anyone identify his uniform please? I have attached a photo of the group and a close-up of my man. Unfortunately it's not possible to see much of his uniform and the cap badge is a bit blurry even on the original so not much to go on. Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Ron Abbott]

There was a 2nd Lt Gerald Edward Heslop in the Royal Irish Regiment but that doesn't look similar to their cap badge, however it does look like the cap badge of the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

There is birth notice in the 8th August 1918 edition of the Western Mail which mentions a son born to the wife of Lt. Gerald Heslop, Royal Irish Fusiliers at Penarth House, Porthcawl. Does that mean anything to you?

His number is mentioned as 762896 and that he had one time served in Artist's Rifles prior to being commissioned and serving in the RIF. His name was Gerald Edward Heslop according to 'Artists Rifles 1914-1919 - Roll of Honour'.

If that's your man.

http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/s-stagoll-highman/the-regimental-roll-of-honour-and-war-record-of-the-artists-rifles-128th-22-ala/page-35-the-regimental-roll-of-honour-and-war-record-of-the-artists-rifles-128th-22-ala.shtml

[Gareth Davies]

He is a fusilier of sorts. He is not a Grenadier, their grenade has a wider flame.

[Sepoy]

He is wearing the cap badge of the Royal Irish Fusiliers. I suspect your man is the Artist Rifles chap, mentioned above by Ron, who was later commissioned and served in a Garrison Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers.

I have had a quick look for a Medal card for him, but cannot see one. Officers had to apply for their medals so it is quite possible that he did not apply.

Sepoy

[munce]

Sorry to go off topic, but what are those two chevrons on the sleeve of the 2/lt on Heslop's right? Clearly not overseas service chevrons as they don't look quite right and the photo was taken 1-2 years before they were introduced.

[Muerrisch]

Date on photo may be wrong of course. The wound badge [at extreme right] means "after July 1916", and the chevrons [at left] imply after January 1918 ........... and the lad is doing a "look at my arm badges" pose. I am guessing spring 1918, and the general issue of overseas chevrons has not arrived yet. The show-off has probably just arrived from a theatre where the chevrons had been issued.

[Grovetown]

Chap sat on the floor on the left also wearing OS chevrons.

Cheers,

GT.

[MBrockway]

Nobody's mentioned his black buttons

[clk]

Hi,

It would appear that he was made a temporary 2nd Lieutenant with a garrison battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, effective 1st November 1917.Ref: London Gazette

Regards

Chris

[max7474]

I would agree he is 100% RIF.

[MBrockway]

I'm not disagreeing with the cap badge identification, but are we saying then that the Royal Irish Fusiliers wore blackened buttons?

[clk]

Hi,

His officer long number appears to have been 165445. No 'P' number is shown, so it would appear that he didn't serve after the early 1920's when new numbers were allotted.

"3/87 = (using "out dated" terminology) 3rd battalion, 87th Regiment of Foot??

Regards

Chris

[Sepoy]

I'm not disagreeing with the cap badge identification, but are we saying then that the Royal Irish Fusiliers wore blackened buttons?

I think they are brown leather buttons, bearing a woven style (non-Regimental) design

Sepoy

[Grovetown]

I think they are brown leather buttons, bearing a woven style (non-Regimental) design

Sepoy

Not sure about whether football-style, yet my first thought was leather buttons too.

Cheers,

GT.

[Muerrisch]

Evidence points to 1918 or later does it not?

[clk]

The Supplement to the London Gazette of 7th October 1918 records his transfer from the Reserve Garrison Battalion RIF to the RIR.

Regards

Chris

Edit: link to service file reference.

[MBrockway]

I'm not disagreeing with the cap badge identification, but are we saying then that the Royal Irish Fusiliers wore blackened buttons?

I think they are brown leather buttons, bearing a woven style (non-Regimental) design

Sepoy

Not sure about whether football-style, yet my first thought was leather buttons too.

Cheers,

GT.

Certainly a possibility, though the football buttons usually seem a bit over-sized and these here do not. The chap on his left also has dark buttons, but his do seem closer to the size I would expect for the leather version. See my post on football vs GS stamped vs blackened buttons in our rifles buttons topic.

The photo is not clear enough to be certain either way.

[Sepoy]

Certainly a possibility, though the football buttons usually seem a bit over-sized and these here do not. The chap on his left also has dark buttons, but his do seem closer to the size I would expect for the leather version. See my post on football vs GS stamped vs blackened buttons in our rifles buttons topic.

The photo is not clear enough to be certain either way.

Using the magnifier facility on my laptop, you can see that the top button is a leather "Football" type button, as shown in your link.

Unfortunately, I am unable to download the photo to "Blow it up" and show what I mean.

May be the OP can re-scan that portion of the photo at a higher resolution.

Sepoy

[KGB]

Looks like Egypt.