Jump to content
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Identity Disc Personalisation (Charms, replacement cord etc.)


Recommended Posts

Posted

I'm very interested if any forum members have British/Empire Identity Discs in their collection which have been personalised in disregard of regulations, be it the cord being replaced with leather lace or a chain for example to the addition of charms/crucifixes etc. If so I would be fascinated to see photographs if you'd be willing to share, just a point of interest really.

Posted

Leather boot lace appears to have been quite a common replacement for the cord judging by the number that I seem to have that have this type of suspension ... 

British.jpg

British (3).jpg

Posted
On ‎10‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 15:36, SimonMoore said:

 the addition of charms/crucifixes etc. 

 

I've seen more additions of charms and religious medallions to French discs, but they did also appear on British ones too such as the below example of a crucifix attached to an identity disc cord. Incidentally, the markings of that actual tag itself goes slightly against regulation too in that it is a TF disc illustrating religion (dropped in TF regs in, I think, 1909) and doesn't follow the 'prescribed' marking pattern ...

British2.jpg

Posted
On ‎10‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 15:36, SimonMoore said:

I'm very interested if any forum members have British/Empire Identity Discs in their collection which have been personalised in disregard of regulations

 

This one might just about be the best (and , today, rarest) form of disc personalisation - a form of personalisation that caused so many problems that the matter was raised in Army Order 206 published on 20th May 1915 referring commanding officers to Appendix VIII of the Clothing Regulations and to paragraph 506F of the Territorial Force Regulations.... a hand-written (in ink) identity disc (shown here with its 'standard issue' counterpart) ...

 

Dave

British 1914 (emergency) & 1906 combo.jpg

Posted

Ink written tags. 

8.jpg

9.jpg

1020jpg.jpg

101r.jpg

Posted

wooden and metal charms, non standard cordage and leather, three sets of tags, same man; all different regiments, chains, football/sports medals.

11r.jpg

110.jpg

22r.jpg

444.jpg

333jpg.jpg

555.jpg

666.jpg

777.jpg

Posted

Here are a few of mine.

 

The identity discs and Catholic Religious medal on what I think is German (Wurttemberg???) string of Lt Col AD Murphy DSO MC CO 2nd Leinster Regiment KiA 6 Nov 1917.

 

Gunner Lissamer RHA with a sweetheart's finger ring

 

Rfn F S Martin 16th (QWR) London Regt with Catholic Religous Medal 

IMG_7995.JPG

IMG_7996.JPG

IMG_7997.JPG

Posted
8 minutes ago, mark holden said:

Here are a few of mine.

 

The identity discs and Catholic Religious medal on what I think is German (Wurttemberg???) string of Lt Col AD Murphy DSO MC CO 2nd Leinster Regiment KiA 6 Nov 1917.

 

Gunner Lissamer RHA with a sweetheart's finger ring

 

Rfn F S Martin 16th (QWR) London Regt with Catholic Religous Medal 

IMG_7995.JPG

IMG_7996.JPG

IMG_7997.JPG

Some fine examples.

To me, few items "feel" more personal than the tags that they wore, day in day out; The little additions can add so much.

Posted

GWF 1967, I could not agree more! You have some lovely examples yourself.

 

Mark

Posted
2 hours ago, mark holden said:

 

 

The identity discs and Catholic Religious medal on what I think is German (Wurttemberg???) string of Lt Col AD Murphy DSO MC CO 2nd Leinster Regiment KiA 6 Nov 1917.

 

 

That is very interesting indeed...and it looks certainly of the correct thickness to be a German ID cord.  Is the string black/red/yellow or black/red/white? (if the former then its from Waldeck or Reuss... if the latter then it's from Alsace, Lorraine or from 'national' troops such as colonial or naval troops). Wurttemberg cords were red/black.

 

Dave

Posted

GWF 1967, I feel exactly the same way regarding these conveying a real personal feel which is one reason I started the topic. Thank you so much for sharing these photos, absolutely fascinating. Great to see examples of the ink marked discs which I'd read about elsewhere on the forum as well as all the personal touches.

Posted (edited)
5 hours ago, SimonMoore said:

GWF 1967, I feel exactly the same way regarding these conveying a real personal feel which is one reason I started the topic. Thank you so much for sharing these photos, absolutely fascinating. Great to see examples of the ink marked discs which I'd read about elsewhere on the forum as well as all the personal touches.

Another ink marked disc cropped up on ebay;  pre stamped with No. and regiment,  then Hawkins. C. C.E.  Pte. added.

 He went overseas as R.Fus. 23546. - Midx. G/40122 - Commissioned 2Lt Worcestershire Reg. 14/5/18

s-l500.jpg

Edited by GWF1967
  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

A set which I have and was suggested that the keys relate to war department furniture (from the numbering)?

IMG_0539.JPG

IMG_0540.JPG

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...