Mercian Volunteer Posted 23 December , 2004 Share Posted 23 December , 2004 Can anyone please advise on the attached image of an officer thought to be Harold West from Eccles Manchester. His Sam Brown is black in colour along with his riding boots!. Which regiment would this be with? I've tried enhancing the image on the badge but start to loose resolution and I am unable to identify his regiment. Another observation is that the collar on his shirt has round edges. Would he be flouting King's regulations in dress code? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 23 December , 2004 Share Posted 23 December , 2004 Is it a colour photo? If not, how do you know it`s black? Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercian Volunteer Posted 23 December , 2004 Author Share Posted 23 December , 2004 Its a Sepia photo. I've made a judgemental guess from other photos in the album it comes from. One show him with his daughter in what is unquestionably her black uniform. I've other photos showing officers in uniform with their belts. None show up as dark as this example. Footnote:- He was one of six brothers from Eccles/Macclesfield. The picture dates from about late 1917 as it was take in the grounds of an hospital he was visiting to see his brother Frank of the 1/7th Cheshires who was wounded in 1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 23 December , 2004 Share Posted 23 December , 2004 Rounded collars commonplace. Many officers' servants used black polish on boots and belts, and still do. It bulls up better. Come to that, I still use it on my [notionally brown] 35 year old veldtschoen. It might well be brown polish difficult to get hold of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 23 December , 2004 Share Posted 23 December , 2004 It`s just that I`ve never seen a black Sam Browne, so I assume they`re brown. Mind you, his badge looks like Rifle Brigade (or one of those similar London outfits) and they had black buttons, so you never know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 23 December , 2004 Share Posted 23 December , 2004 This piece refers to the Rifle Brigade:- In service dress, whistles were also sometimes worn on the officer's Sam Browne equipment, which was blackened rather than the normal brown leather worn by all other officers. I`ll get my coat! Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 23 December , 2004 Share Posted 23 December , 2004 The badge looks as if it the 17th County of London (Poplar and Stepney Rifles) Badge Fig No 1847. With a laurel wreath a Maltese Cross. In blackenewd brass, white metal and gilding metal. Officers in silver and in brass. I think that you will find Rifle Brigade Regts will have black Sam Brownes. See photo of Cap Badge John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflegreen Posted 23 December , 2004 Share Posted 23 December , 2004 The Rifle Briagde wore a black Sam Browne , usually with white metal fittings , any Regt. allied to them , 17th Londons etc. wore the same . The cap badge in the photo looks like RB , going by the other photos I have . Black Sam Brownes were common to most Rifle Regts. In the Boer War Rifle Brigade Officers commonly wore the belt with the two shoulder straps as worn by many officers in WW1 . Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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