james driver Posted 7 February , 2018 Share Posted 7 February , 2018 I have a photograph of Sapper Frank Driver, who seems to have joined up in 1916, wearing a signaller's armband, bandolier, RE brass epaulette badges, RE cap badge and also, which I can't find evidence of anywhere else, cloth shoulder titles that read 'Wireless Section'. Has anybody else come across these shoulder titles? Could they have been invented, and paid for, by his own unit? Any help gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 7 February , 2018 Share Posted 7 February , 2018 Hello I've never seen these or heard of these titles, is there Any way you could post the picture? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james driver Posted 7 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 7 February , 2018 Here's the photo. I've inquired about the shoulder titles at the RE Museum and they couldn't shed any light on them either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 7 February , 2018 Share Posted 7 February , 2018 Thank you for sharing the photo, what a great photograph it is. Never seen the titles before, a new one on me. Maybe as you said, a private purchase for that particular unit. Perhaps try the cap badge forum, maybe someone can help there. Thanks again Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james driver Posted 7 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 7 February , 2018 Thanks for your interest. Intriguingly Frank was one of three brothers who all survived the war. His brother Arthur, my grandfather, joined the 6th Bn. Duke of Wellington's Regt. as a Private in 1914 and ended it as acting Lt. Col. of the 9th with the DSO and MC! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 7 February , 2018 Share Posted 7 February , 2018 Three brothers that all survived,sadly you don't hear that often. Your Grandfather certainly did well, thanks for sharing the story. I'm a member of the badge forum, with your permission I could show them the photo? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james driver Posted 8 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 8 February , 2018 Please feel free to use the photos in any way as you wish. I enclose another showing all three brothers. Arthur is on the left in his officer's uniform. Annoyingly he has his hands behind his back so I can't see his sleeve insignia but my guess is this was taken in 1916 when he was a Lt. (I think those are two pips on his shoulder epaulettes?) His final confirmed rank at the end of the war was Major. Morris Driver is in the middle wearing his artilleryman's lanyard. He seems to have been based in Topsham Camp and then appears to have been taken out of the army and put into a reserved occupation - probably something to do with munitions. Frank is on the right - this time with no sign of any shoulder titles! - which makes me think they were a later addition, perhaps dreamt up by his unit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 8 February , 2018 Share Posted 8 February , 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, james driver said: this time with no sign of any shoulder titles! Don't you think the first photo is the earlier one ? When did Frank join up Edit - I see you think 1916? It seems more likely that the Wireless Section title was withdrawn, perhaps even a security measure? Charlie Edited 8 February , 2018 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james driver Posted 8 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 8 February , 2018 I never thought of that! Also, the photograph of the three brothers together could be later than the first simply because Frank seems to have grown more of his moustache! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 8 February , 2018 Share Posted 8 February , 2018 There’s a similar badge shown here: http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=435209#post435209 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 8 February , 2018 Share Posted 8 February , 2018 Post on Badge forum, I'll keep you updated Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 8 February , 2018 Share Posted 8 February , 2018 Hello A chap from the Badge Forum has got back to me. The Australian Wireless section wore a title very similar to Franks. White on purple. I'm unable to upload the picture, but if you go on the Australian War Memorial website, and type in 'wireless' in the search box scroll down and there is a picture of one. Perhaps Franks Unit adopted this title, who knows. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james driver Posted 8 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 8 February , 2018 Many thanks for that - it gets more intriguing every time someone discovers something new! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james driver Posted 8 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 8 February , 2018 Here's the photo from the Australian War Memorial site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 8 February , 2018 Share Posted 8 February , 2018 Glad you managed to upload the picture of the title. Oh, and great photo of the 3 brothers and family Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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