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Remembered Today:

7th London Rgt.- badge query


Drew-1918

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Hello,

 

I would be very grateful if anyone has any ideas about what is going on in the attached photograph. I do not have any biographical details except to say that on the back of the card it says, “Yours Sincerely, Frank, 23/6/19”.

I believe he is a 7th London man. However, I have never seen such a design in cloth on the epaulette, for the London Regiment (I have seen it on slip-ons with other units). It is similar to the more familiar ‘T/(№)/LONDON’ metal shoulder titles. At one point I wondered if it was ‘C/7/LONDON’ for cadet, but in conversation with a friend, decided it looked more like a serif ‘T’.

Perhaps even more of interest is the incongruous badge above his left breast pocket. What does that signify?

 

Many thanks for any help you may be able to give,

 

Chris

 

53D2AA94-3A29-446C-B40B-37A7CE7A8C74.jpeg.bb990e6a1c5dbcda58c2ed790bc0e98d.jpeg81122A70-1D51-4401-AB89-8695597A5829.png.e515c0c76f178fec02ebef1c893588a7.png418A7E8B-132A-4F49-BF1D-1989E44AE26B.jpeg.47fe197b7d41adaa506b0b52e6b7cac1.jpeg9D8270C9-3FBB-4809-9ABA-F3E173AD925A.jpeg.1ef1e84110e9aefe2534c0fc76fc68fd.jpeg

Edited by Drew-1918
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For a start - that's a Canadian pattern 7-button SD tunic he's wearing, not one of the standard 5-button British jackets...

 

http://www.kaisersbunker.com/cef/tunics/ceft01.htm

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That’s interesting, Andrew, thanks very much. I am not sure what to make of that. 

 

Regards,

Chris

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Hello Chris,

Definitely 7th London's, Grenade cap badge, T/7/London title.

The badge above his pocket looks like a RFC propeller??

 

Chris

img_25.jpg

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Thanks for that, Chris. 

 

The propeller certainly is confusing.

 

Cheers,

Chris

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This one has me stumped! 

A 7th London's private, with a, what I can only say is a propeller, or a O for observer with propeller blades either side?? 

Can't find the badge anywhere online or reference books on the Royal Flying Corps!!

This certainly is a good one Chris, hopefully someone will answer it, probably with ease, I'd love to know.

 

Chris

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Thanks very much for going to the trouble of looking into it for me, much appreciated. 

 

Chris

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Very interesting, thanks a lot. This photo continues to baffle me. 

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Well, I just found this listing online:

 

"A Victorian 7th Battalion (Fusiliers) Pre-1885 Canadian Militia Cap Badge "

Image result for ww1 canadian fusiliers badge

 

That would fit a lot better with the Canadian tunic than the London Regiment. I am really not convinced the last word on the embroidered title is London either. Still can't help on the breast badge.

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Thank you so much for all your help everyone. This is all very interesting indeed. Please excuse the short response as just off out the door to France for a couple of days. 

 

Regards,

Chris

Edited by Drew-1918
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The shoulder title is definitely T/7/LONDON.

I don't think Canadian units wore T on their titles?

 

 

Chris

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8 minutes ago, Dragoon said:

The shoulder title is definitely T/7/LONDON.

I don't think Canadian units wore T on their titles?

 

 

Chris

 

I agree.

 

It's a really odd pic.

 

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Just a further bit of information:

 

51C0B656-88F7-4ADE-A0E7-762E3B3984DB.jpeg.80313f7f04688243ed44cd3b6e59015d.jpeg

 

From Canada in Flanders, by Lord Max Aitken Beaverbrook, Sir Charles G. D. Roberts

 

I think they left the 2nd and were moved to the 3rd Canadian Division, but I am not sure on this point and have only briefly looked at this. 

 

There is clear evidence of conscious copying and borrowing from British tradition, perhaps this was simply another thing they copied from the metal London titles they had seen. Were the “7th London Fusiliers” ‘territorial’ soldiers? I am finding it hard to confirm this.

In additon, we can only see the last half of “London”. Perhaps there was another few letters in front.

 

Regards,

Chris

Edited by Drew-1918
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Could the T in fact be a C, as in ‘Canadian 7th London’?  The curvature of the top letter looks as if that might be a possibility.

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I really don't think it's a C, the straight bit on it is too long, and the bottom bit would be more curled.

The 3rd and 4th letter of London are in line with the 7, so nothing would be written before that, if that makes sense.

I do still believe this chap is British, 7th London's.

 

Chris

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You could be right.

 

i considered that, all weighed-up, there can’t be much in front of the London, but I thought there was an outside chance of, perhaps, an abbreviated “O.”, for Ontario etc. 

 

Just a possibility though. 

 

Chris

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Did this Canadian unit even wear the same badge as the 7th London's? The badge shown is Victorian.

 

 

Chris

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