phsvm Posted 16 July , 2018 Share Posted 16 July , 2018 This is a photo of William Roberts who served in the Berkshire Militia then did 4 years in Bermuda then went to France in 1914 with the RGA. I can't make out if he's wearing a uniform but it does look as if he's got a two-tone dead sheep wrapped around him! He's obviously wearing a tin hat and appears to be carrying a gas mask but are his boots correct for military dress? Anyone have any ideas what this is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 16 July , 2018 Share Posted 16 July , 2018 Goatskin jacket for winter wear and the small box respirator. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phsvm Posted 16 July , 2018 Author Share Posted 16 July , 2018 I knew there'd be some one who could tell me! Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 16 July , 2018 Share Posted 16 July , 2018 I doubt that's the sort of kit he'd take home and wear for a photograph, so presumably "somewhere in France" studio by the back cloth. Anything on the reverse? After 4 years in Bermuda, he'd probably have worn that goat skin all year round! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 16 July , 2018 Share Posted 16 July , 2018 If you do a Google image search, it says it's Ed Sheeran. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 17 July , 2018 Share Posted 17 July , 2018 He wears brown ‘trenchboots’ of a type with built in gaiter at the upper part that were sometimes issued in inclement conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 17 July , 2018 Share Posted 17 July , 2018 This topic from the Military Horse Forum, "Off topic British Uniform Question" gives some information about winter wear, although it is referring to photos which appear to be no longer/not generally available. https://www.militaryhorse.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1697 Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRANVILLE Posted 17 July , 2018 Share Posted 17 July , 2018 What might be a bit confusing to someone not familiar, is the way he has his respirator on his chest with the face mask hanging down by its tube - not a common sight like this, and I imagine this has been done for the purpose of having the photo taken. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac101 Posted 17 July , 2018 Share Posted 17 July , 2018 I read some letters from a Canadian doctor who arrived in Belgium in early 1915 and he describes being passed by open trucks of men wearing these jerkins looking like herds of some new type of animal. They weren't always that healthy though he later diagnoses a man with an anthrax lesion on his cheek as a result of using his jerkin as a pillow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phsvm Posted 22 July , 2018 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2018 Unfortunatley I don't have the original and the person who sent it to me scanned it some years ago so doesn't now have the original to look and see if it has a photographer listed on the back. Thank you all so much for all the information. Fascinating stuff and much, much more than I ever expected to learn from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 Can one date the photo to a particular winter ? Tin helmet - 1915 onward Type of gasmask - SBR issued from Aug 1916 Type of Jerkin - ?? So Winter 16/17 or 17/18 ? Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 (edited) I see he is 27976 William Roberts from Chilton and he served both winter 16/17 and 17/18 with 71 Heavy Battery RGA in France Edited 22 July , 2018 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phsvm Posted 22 July , 2018 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2018 Correct. That's him. Unfortunately as he was in France for the duration that doesn't narrow down the time period. The only other piece of information that might have helped was when he was promoted but the dead goat obscures that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 9 minutes ago, phsvm said: Unfortunately as he was in France for the duration His MIC says he first entred a Theatre of War (France) on 10/3/1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phsvm Posted 22 July , 2018 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2018 I stand corrected - he was serving in the military for the duration but as you say didn't arrive in France until 1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 7 minutes ago, phsvm said: I stand corrected - he was serving in the military for the duration but as you say didn't arrive in France until 1915. March could still be freezing cold, so it is still possible that the pic was taken then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 Just now, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said: so it is still possible that the pic was taken then. not 1915 if he carries the SBR ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 1 hour ago, charlie962 said: not 1915 if he carries the SBR ? I wasn't thinking about that. You're quite right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 Just now, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said: You're quite right. I feel better already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 (edited) I didn’t think that the animal skin jerkins were used after the Winter of 1916. Didn’t they fall out of favour after that? I seem to recall reading something along those lines and that instead the leather jerkin with woollen lining mentioned above became general issue instead. Edited 22 July , 2018 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 29 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: Didn’t they fall out of favour after that? Someone has posted a photo here of a Sgt, RGA in Italy 1918 wearing an animal skin jerkin, without the sleeves. Looks like it is made from cats. Or is it the wool lined jerkin inside-out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 2 hours ago, charlie962 said: Someone has posted a photo here of a Sgt, RGA in Italy 1918 wearing an animal skin jerkin, without the sleeves. Looks like it is made from cats. Or is it the wool lined jerkin inside-out? Thanks Charlie, I can’t comment much about the Italian Front, not knowing much about it, but more about France & Flanders. Thanks though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skipman Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 The 1/6th Black Watch were issued with these about the beginning of November 1915. Not sure when they fell out of favour but remember reading that they stank when wet. Just found the reference: 15/2/1915 Featherstonehaugh's History of the 13th (Canadian) Battalion. " Before the disembarkation of the Battalion proper, which took place the next afternoon, all ranks had issued to them the British sheep skin trench coat. At first the men were proud of these and wandered about with all the conscious importance of peacocks on parade, but eventually the fact that the coats were possessed of a diabolical smell could no longer be ignored. From the moment that this unfortunate attribute was discovered the popularity of the coats waned. What became of them is not clear. " Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phsvm Posted 22 July , 2018 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2018 The reports of the smell brings back very fond memories of a beautiful Afghan coat I had in the late 1970's. It looked fairly simlar as the one William's wearing as well although we wore them with the hair side in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 22 July , 2018 Share Posted 22 July , 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, phsvm said: The reports of the smell brings back very fond memories of a beautiful Afghan coat I had in the late 1970's. It looked fairly simlar as the one William's wearing as well although we wore them with the hair side in. They too had a military connection as a North West Frontier tribal garment for cold weather known as a Poshteen. They were adopted by the British-Indian Army and are frequently seen in old photographs of the Raj period. Edited 22 July , 2018 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now