identifying WW1 rank

[Steven Broomfield]

On 29/03/2019 at 16:21, wainfleet said:

Hello GB, the divisions of the Salonika force were distinguished by coloured strips on their shoulder straps. The 10th, 22nd, 26th, 27th and 28th Divisions wore strips of green, black, blue, buff or yellow and red material respectively. The 60th Division doesn't seem to have used this scheme despite being the other infantry division of this force.

 

 

Not sure when the shoulder strap scheme was introduced. The 60th Division weren't in Salonika all that long, and spent the final part of their war in Palestine, so it's possible they'd gone before the scheme was introduced.

[elliot#1]

On 29/03/2019 at 12:54, wainfleet said:

He looks to me like a Cameron Highlander. The band on his shoulder strap denotes a Salonika division. If he is CH then this would make him 2nd Battalion in the 27th Division (or just possibly a dismounted Lovat Scout up to June 1918).

 

It should be remembered however that many units on the Western Front also used coloured bands on the shoulder straps as distinguishing marks. These usually tended to identify a soldier's role, or most likely in this case, the Company he belonged to. I have come across many more pictures of these than I ever have of the bands being worn by the divisions in Salonika.

 

Best,

 

Elliot

[Muerrisch]

1 hour ago, elliot#1 said:

 

It should be remembered however that many units on the Western Front also used coloured bands on the shoulder straps as distinguishing marks. These usually tended to identify a soldier's role, or most likely in this case, the Company he belonged to. I have come across many more pictures of these than I ever have of the bands being worn by the divisions in Salonika.

 

Best,

 

Elliot

 

Including on officers' shoulder straps?

I would be glad to be shown an example ...... I have not noted one as far as I can remember.

[BullerTurner]

In the first photo he is clearly wearing a second lieutenant's rank.  In the lower one, it is an officer's uniform but the single stripe suggests he is an officer cadet?