Boydo Posted 2 January , 2018 Share Posted 2 January , 2018 Hope someone can help me. Recently discovered a new picture on the web showing my Great Uncle in a group photo from the Connaught Rangers. Don't know when, where or why it was taken !!! He served with the Connaughts from 1897 through to 1918. He is seated second left on the bench, but can anyone enlighten me on the cap badge that is on his cap ? Another soldier appears to be sporting the same badge aswell. He had been serving with the 3rd Btn through out the war before being transferred to France with the 6th Btn. Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max7474 Posted 2 January , 2018 Share Posted 2 January , 2018 This is the Connaught Rangers' cap badge which was sealed in 1898 and replaced in 1901 by the version with the King's Crown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 3 January , 2018 Share Posted 3 January , 2018 Here is a King's Crown variant which was worn between 1902 and 1922. The cap badges shown in the photographed probably look differnet because they have been shaped (bent) to fit the caps Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydo Posted 3 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2018 Many thanks to your valued response Gents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydo Posted 6 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 6 January , 2018 The other badge in question I have been informed is the following Connaught badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 6 January , 2018 Share Posted 6 January , 2018 36 minutes ago, Boydo said: The other badge in question I have been informed is the following Connaught badge. That is a Victorian period Glengarry Badge. It may be worth your while to investigate the British & Commonwealth Badge Forum for details of Victorian Connaught Rangers insignia. See herehttp://www.britishbadgeforum.com/forums/ Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crunchy Posted 7 January , 2018 Share Posted 7 January , 2018 The Glengarry Badge in post #5 is possibly a fake. It is from the period 1881 to 1914 and based on the Helmet Plate Centre. The genuine helmet plate centre is pierced within the the circle, not filled in as the one shown. (Kipling &King No 416 - p155) Also it didn't have the crown attached, being part of a larger plate worn on the service helmet. When worn on the glengarry, a seperate crown was placed above it. As Sepoy advises, put it on the British and Commonwealth Badge Forum, as there are people with considerable knowledge about it who would be willing to assist. The Connaught Rangers were formed in 1881 by amalgamating the 88th Foot (Connaught Rangers) and the 94th Foot. Kipling and King Headdress Badges of the British Army Volume 1 has photos of their glengarry badges on p 176. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wexflyer Posted 7 January , 2018 Share Posted 7 January , 2018 (edited) As for the photo in the OP, my guess is that it is pretty certain to be a wartime photo, pre-1918 for sure, and maybe earlier. I believe it is a wartime photo due to the chap on the extreme right - he is armed and has accoutrements. Also putties on several chaps. Not a peacetime look. I am certain it predates 1918 as there are no medals, no wound badges, or foreign service badges. I think it predates 1917 due to general look, absence of tin hats, etc. All that said there two of the subjects are remarkable. The fellow seated on the extreme right looks like quite a character. But I am most struck by what I can only call the child sitting on the extreme right. Did the British really send children like this to war? Edited 7 January , 2018 by Wexflyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crunchy Posted 7 January , 2018 Share Posted 7 January , 2018 Wexflyer, I think you are correct as the jackets have the reinforcing over each shoulder almost down to the pockets which were pre and early war, and there appear to be no collar badges. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archangel9 Posted 7 January , 2018 Share Posted 7 January , 2018 I think the young boy in the photo possibly rules out this being taken in a theatre of war. The 3rd battalion were reserves and spent the war in Ireland and then England from November 1917. Do you have the date your Great Uncle was posted to the 6th? If so I think this photo predates that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydo Posted 7 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 7 January , 2018 Posted to the 6th Btn during February 1917. I believe his service with the 3rd Btn was based in the Cork area in Ireland, prior to be sent to Renmore Barracks in Galway before being transferred to the 6th Btn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 8 January , 2018 Share Posted 8 January , 2018 (edited) The 3rd Battalion were the (Reserve Battalion - before 1908 ‘Militia’) and used as a combined home defence and training and recruiting unit that would provide drafts of replacements for the two regular battalions, the 1st and 2nd. There was also a 4th (Special Reserve - also Militia before 1908) Battalion that carried out a similar function. I believe that your photo is very likely showing men at the regimental depot in Renmore Barracks, Galway, where the 3rd Battalion mobilised before marching off to its ‘war station’. The established ‘boy’ soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Battalion (aged 12 to 17), who were under training as shoemakers, tailors, drummers and bandsmen, were sent to the depot on mobilisation of their battalion for war. They remained at the depot until old enough for general service. There is a good explanation of this period for the Connaught Rangers depot and Reserve battalions at this thread: Edited 8 January , 2018 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydo Posted 8 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 8 January , 2018 Many thanks for the information and links Gents. Very appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boydo Posted 19 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 19 January , 2018 Think the pict is pre 1914. Reliably informed that one of the other soldiers in the group photo joined the Connaught Rangers in 1912 and saw action at Mons where he was wounded and subsequently discharged from the Army in 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 19 January , 2018 Share Posted 19 January , 2018 2 hours ago, Boydo said: Think the pict is pre 1914. Reliably informed that one of the other soldiers in the group photo joined the Connaught Rangers in 1912 and saw action at Mons where he was wounded and subsequently discharged from the Army in 1916. That seems commensurate with the photo, where there are no wound stripes, battle patches or overseas service chevrons to suggest later periods of the war. The appearance and varied age of the men and boys is typical of the motley bunch one would often see at a regimental depot pre-War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leck Posted 21 September , 2023 Share Posted 21 September , 2023 (edited) On 02/01/2018 at 18:45, Boydo said: ...Recently discovered a new picture on the web showing my Great Uncle in a group photo from the Connaught Rangers. Don't know when, where or why it was taken !!! He served with the Connaughts from 1897 through to 1918. He is seated second left on the bench, but can anyone enlighten me on the cap badge that is on his cap ? Another soldier appears to be sporting the same badge aswell. He had been serving with the 3rd Btn through out the war before being transferred to France with the 6th Btn. Hi Boydo, have you been able to find out any more about this photo since you posted here? Do you know the original source of the photo. How were you able to identify your granduncle ... was there is list of the men photographed or did you have a photo of your granduncle to compare to this? Edited 21 September , 2023 by leck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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