Photo- Help Identifying WW1 British Army Uniform

[Guest]

This is my great-grandfather William Collis. He lived in Chesterfield, Derbyshire before the start of the war, and received medals for his service.  However, I am unsure what regiment he served in.  I would appreciate any assistance identifying his regiment by his uniform in the photo. 

[FROGSMILE]

He appears to be a mounted duty man from his dress, either in a regular cavalry regiment, or perhaps more likely in a local part-time unit known as yeomanry.

I imagine the local yeomanry Regiment to be the Derbyshire Yeomanry.

The clues are collar badges, that were frequently worn by cavalry/yeomanry and shoulder titles (a brass lettered abbreviation of his unit title) that can be seen on the end of his shoulder strap.

You mention that he has medals, if you have these then his regiment is inscribed on the edge of the circular medals and back (obverse) if a star shaped medal.

 

Another possibility is that he is a member of the Army Service Corps (ASC) who had mounted status and were responsible for getting all supplies forwards via horse drawn wagons and motorised lorries.

 

He could also be a member of the transport section in an infantry battalion, but this seems less likely (although not impossible) from the collar badges.  The local regiment was the Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment).

 

Unfortunately in WW1 the soldiers all wore a standard uniform and so it is only the small things like cap badges and shoulder titles that give us a positive ID and for that to work well the image needs to be very clear.

Derbyshire Yeomanry

1/1st

August 1914: headquarters and “A”, “C” and “D” Squadrons at 91 Siddall’s Road in Derby; “B” Squadron at Bakewell. Under command of the Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Mounted Brigade. Moved to Diss (Norfolk), brigade coming under orders of 1st Mounted Division. By the end of the month the brigade had moved to South Stoke and in November went on to Holt.
September 1914 : Brigade transferred to 2nd Mounted Division.
April 1915 : sailed from Avonmouth for service in Egypt.
August 1915 : dismounted and moved to Gallipoli. Withdrew back to Egypt in December 1915. Allotted to Western Frontier Force.
February 1916 : Brigade left Division and moved to Salonika, retitled as 7th Mounted Brigade. “D” Squadron joined 27th Division between March and June 1916. Regiment remained as GHQ Troops in Macedonia when Brigade returned to Egypt.

Edited 8 November , 2016 by FROGSMILE

[Greg]

You could also potentially include Royal Artillery although the badge and shoulder title don't look the right shape

Does the animal look like a mule? The ears seem rather large for a horse. If it is you might rule out cavalry or yeomanry.

[FROGSMILE]

3 hours ago, Greg said:

You could also potentially include Royal Artillery although the badge and shoulder title don't look the right shape

Does the animal look like a mule? The ears seem rather large for a horse. If it is you might rule out cavalry or yeomanry.

 

I excluded the Royal Artillery because I am confident that cap badge is not right.  Equally I am sure that the mount is not a mule, although it does appear to be a (small) hack, rather than a trooper, which makes more likely either, a transport section, or the ASC.

Edited 9 November , 2016 by FROGSMILE

[Guest]

 going by collar dogs and the outline of the  capbadge might just be 2ndg (queens bays) .  it is during ww1 i would say due to the fact no tail or mane , they cut these off due to the muck . 

[Guest]

might i suggest  this group on facebook for any further help needed 

 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1528355317412921&ref=br_tf&epa=SEARCH_BOX

[Dragoon]

Hello all, might be totally wrong..

I've zoomed in and the badge looks like a rearing horse on a ground, two possible Yeomanry Regiments, Northamptonshire, or Fife And Forfar, the collar badges look small, like F&F, what do you think chaps? ...

 

Chris 

 

Edited 8 July , 2019 by Dragoon

[FROGSMILE]

Yeomanry soldiers were invariably local men, unlike regulars, Chris, so given his Derbyshire provenance the Northamptonshire, or Scottish units are less likely.  Recovering wounded from the cavalry usually went to their affiliated Cavalry Training Reserve Regiment and then returned to one of the limited number of regiments that it fed.

Edited 9 July , 2019 by FROGSMILE

[Dragoon]

1 hour ago, FROGSMILE said:

Yeomanry soldiers were invariably local men, unlike regulars, Chris, so given his Derbyshire provenance the Northamptonshire, or Scottish units are less likely.  Recovering wounded from the cavalry usually went to their affiliated Cavalry Training Reserve Regiment and then returned to one of the limited number of regiments that it fed.

I agree FROGSMILE, with the local Yeomanry bit, but the badge to my eye is defiantly a rearing horse, and they are the only Yeomanry with horses.

Chis

[FROGSMILE]

57 minutes ago, Dragoon said:

I agree FROGSMILE, with the local Yeomanry bit, but the badge to my eye is defiantly a rearing horse, and they are the only Yeomanry with horses.

Chis

 

Yes, I did understand your rationale Chris.  I can neither support nor gainsay your identification of a horse style badge, as I don’t currently have access to a large screen.  The horse does seem a little on the small side to me to be a cavalry Trooper, in a home setting, but it’s not impossible:

Edited 9 July , 2019 by FROGSMILE

[Michelle Young]

The OP hasn't visited the forum for 13 months. A shame that everyone's excellent replies will go unnoticed.

 

Michelle 

[Steven Broomfield]

26 minutes ago, Michelle Young said:

The OP hasn't visited the forum for 13 months. A shame that everyone's excellent replies will go unnoticed.

 

Michelle 

 

Nice: post a question, don't say thank you and then disappear.

[Dragoon]

2 hours ago, Michelle Young said:

The OP hasn't visited the forum for 13 months. A shame that everyone's excellent replies will go unnoticed.

 

Michelle 

Bl**dy hell! Didn't notice the date!! 

[daggers]

Perhaps it could be arranged that recruits to the forum are automatically notified of replies to their first few posts, to remind them of their enquiry.

D

[Dragoon]

1 minute ago, daggers said:

Perhaps it could be arranged that recruits to the forum are automatically notified of replies to their first few posts, to remind them of their enquiry.

D

Good call D