Marty042 Posted 31 July , 2018 Share Posted 31 July , 2018 Can anyone confirm that the men in this photo (an unsigned carte postale, presumably taken in France) were in the Somerset Light Infantry? I have tried to find the uniforms and cap badges in online photos, but without much success. I recently came upon this photo card in my late father's effects and I believe it is his great-uncle standing on the right. There is no surviving attestation or other war record for him that I can find. I do know that he was born in Carlingcott, Somerset and was a colliery engine driver before the war. He survived the war. Thanks for any help. -- Marty WWI_postcard.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 31 July , 2018 Admin Share Posted 31 July , 2018 Welcome to the forum. Marty. I have moved your post to Uniforms and Cap Badges where it is likely to get more views. Also if you can give your Great Uncles name, then perople can help more. Unfortunately I can't open the attachment on my iPad. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon92 Posted 31 July , 2018 Share Posted 31 July , 2018 Marty.....I cannot seem to access your image. Clicking the link returns this error message: This attachment is not available. It may have been removed or the person who shared it may not have permission to share it to this location. Error code: 2C171/1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 1 August , 2018 Share Posted 1 August , 2018 18 hours ago, Marty042 said: Can anyone confirm that the men in this photo (an unsigned carte postale, presumably taken in France) were in the Somerset Light Infantry? I have tried to find the uniforms and cap badges in online photos, but without much success. I recently came upon this photo card in my late father's effects and I believe it is his great-uncle standing on the right. There is no surviving attestation or other war record for him that I can find. I do know that he was born in Carlingcott, Somerset and was a colliery engine driver before the war. He survived the war. Thanks for any help. -- Marty WWI_postcard.pdf Can't see it, as per Gordon92's post Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 1 August , 2018 Share Posted 1 August , 2018 (edited) This is the badge of the Somerset Light Infantry. I hope that the images help you with your ID. Edited 1 August , 2018 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty042 Posted 2 August , 2018 Author Share Posted 2 August , 2018 Thanks everyone. I changed the photo from .pdf to .jpg, so hopefully that works. Frogsmile, the cap badge may be correct. It and the cap itself certainly look very similar to what can be seen in the photo. His name was Albert Victor Langley. There are a few with this name, or a variation, Albert V., etc. I *think* his regimental number is 17189. He definitely is not 97846. Very little other information survives, unfortunately. --Marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 2 August , 2018 Share Posted 2 August , 2018 Albert V Langley with the number 17189 was a Royal Field Artillery Gunner. The pic is not of RFA or Somerset LI men - the badges and other accoutrements have the look of the Military Mounted Police. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty042 Posted 2 August , 2018 Author Share Posted 2 August , 2018 Thank you MaxD. Interesting! Although I'd thought perhaps something to do with horses due to the boots, etc., I had never considered Mounted Police, so will look into that further to see what pops up, if anything. --Marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 2 August , 2018 Share Posted 2 August , 2018 There are certainly 2 medal cards for Albert Langleys in the Mounted Military Police although I'd be happier if a real expert would comment on the MP suggestion. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 2 August , 2018 Share Posted 2 August , 2018 I agree Max, mounted Military Police, I'll try and dig a pic out for comparison, unless someone gets there before me. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 2 August , 2018 Share Posted 2 August , 2018 (edited) I shall sleep better. thanks Dragoon Marty042 - often happens that the picture hasn't got the man you thought at all but someone else so I wouldn't get too fixated on Albert V Langley. Max Edited 2 August , 2018 by MaxD Additional note Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 3 August , 2018 Share Posted 3 August , 2018 Sgt Mounted MP, note as per your photo the boots and shoulder strap belt. Hope this helps Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 3 August , 2018 Share Posted 3 August , 2018 To expand on my post about not getting fixated on Albert V Langley being one of the men in the photos. Only one of the A Langleys in the MMP would seem to fit but no service record to confirm/deny it. Why could he not be, for example, 17189 Albert Victor Langley of the Royal Field Artillery? I am not saying he is, there is no detailed service information to prove it. You began by looking for the Somerset Light Infantry, was this idea simply based on the fact that he came from Somerset? The only Langleys that show up in the SLI medal roll don't fit the name. All bedevilled of course by the loss of the majority of service records in the second war. Do you know whether he served through the whole war or was he invalided out? Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty042 Posted 3 August , 2018 Author Share Posted 3 August , 2018 Thanks Max, I did find an attestation record for A. Langley that fits with the MMP records. Unfortunately, this is for an Arthur Langley born in Yorkshire so most definitely not Albert V. I can find nothing that really fits, so I'm beginning to wonder, as you suggest, that this isn't Albert at all. It's true I surmised Somerset LI because of where he was born and lived all his life. As far as I know he served the whole war and wasn't wounded. However, I intend to do more searching, so perhaps will finally solve this mystery. Thanks also to Chris for the photo, it proves that at least the unit is correct, if perhaps not the man. -- Marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 3 August , 2018 Share Posted 3 August , 2018 5 hours ago, Marty042 said: Thanks Max, I did find an attestation record for A. Langley that fits with the MMP records. Unfortunately, this is for an Arthur Langley born in Yorkshire so most definitely not Albert V. I can find nothing that really fits, so I'm beginning to wonder, as you suggest, that this isn't Albert at all. It's true I surmised Somerset LI because of where he was born and lived all his life. As far as I know he served the whole war and wasn't wounded. However, I intend to do more searching, so perhaps will finally solve this mystery. Thanks also to Chris for the photo, it proves that at least the unit is correct, if perhaps not the man. -- Marty Just a suggestion Marty, but if you put a new thread on the Soldiers part of the forum, with every bit of information you have on Albert, maybe someone will come up trumps for you, Good luck Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty042 Posted 4 August , 2018 Author Share Posted 4 August , 2018 Thanks, Chris, I'll try that, you never know. -- Marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Provost Posted 15 August , 2018 Share Posted 15 August , 2018 Marty, They are indeed members of the MMP - the chap second from left clearly has an armband, and the whistle is usually a giveaway. Apart from P4608 http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org/soldier/8449/ , the only other A Langley in the MMP we have a record of is P17373 - Albert Edward http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org/soldier/16619/ He enlisted 28.10.1916 into RFA, transferred MMP on 8.6.1919 - discharged on 1.2.1922 He is a Warwickshire man, a Copper Cleaner on enlistment, whose father Albert's address is a farm in Bromsgrove. This leaves 1001 CSM Arthur Langley of the Military Foot Police. He was a Warwickshire chap, who transferred from the Royal Warwickshire Regt, and was a Billiard Marker on enlistment, - so this seems to rule him out as your man. Great photo though. Cheers, Richard 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