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Remembered Today:

RMLI at Multan


BabaAndrew

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I recently came across the attached photo of a gent from the RMLI on eBay.

 

What I find interesting is the fact that it was taken by a photographer in Multan.  As Multan is a significant distance inland, in the Punjab (in what is now Pakistan), I would be keen to know if anyone has information on the RMLI presence in Multan during the WW1 era?

 

Any insights welcome!
 

RMLI Multan 01.jpg

RMLI Multan 02.jpeg

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I do not believe the RMLI was in India

 

See the online history

Britain's Sea Soldiers. A Record of the Royal Marines during the War 1914-1919. Compiled by General Sir H. E. Blumberg, Royal Marines 1927. Hathi Trust Digital Library. May be unavailable in USA etc. Also available on the Ancestry owned pay website fold3 as an online version(located in World War II/Military Books/Britain, the first of two books with the same title) of a Naval & Military Press reprint

 

If the above man was a RMLI soldier from WW1 I think the most likely explanation is that he was transferred to India from somewhere else for medical treatment, perhaps from East Africa.

 

Note, the soldier may not have been in Multan when the photograph was taken, rather Multan may have been the photographer's main studio or base.  Photographers travelled around to different cantonments.  

 

If the soldier had been sick, he may have been recuperating in a hill station. I'm not sure which ones would have been connected with Multan, but you might be able to work out which hill stations would be closest using the geographic  information in the FIBIS Fibiwiki page Hill station cantonments and camps

https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Hill_station_cantonments_and_camps

 

Cheers

Maureen

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18 hours ago, Maureene said:

I do not believe the RMLI was in India

 

See the online history

Britain's Sea Soldiers. A Record of the Royal Marines during the War 1914-1919. Compiled by General Sir H. E. Blumberg, Royal Marines 1927. Hathi Trust Digital Library. May be unavailable in USA etc. Also available on the Ancestry owned pay website fold3 as an online version(located in World War II/Military Books/Britain, the first of two books with the same title) of a Naval & Military Press reprint

 

If the above man was a RMLI soldier from WW1 I think the most likely explanation is that he was transferred to India from somewhere else for medical treatment, perhaps from East Africa.

 

Note, the soldier may not have been in Multan when the photograph was taken, rather Multan may have been the photographer's main studio or base.  Photographers travelled around to different cantonments.  

 

If the soldier had been sick, he may have been recuperating in a hill station. I'm not sure which ones would have been connected with Multan, but you might be able to work out which hill stations would be closest using the geographic  information in the FIBIS Fibiwiki page Hill station cantonments and camps

https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Hill_station_cantonments_and_camps

 

Cheers

Maureen

Thank you Maureen!

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  • 1 month later...

I don’t think this man is RMLI. Collar ‘dogs’ are close but not right.

 

A uniform expert will help.

 

58 DM.

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Certainly looks like Hampshire regiment, some battalions they were in India 1914 on till 1919. Long Long Trail and Indian Army lists confirm this. Regards, Bob. https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Indian_Army_List_online#1910-1919

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There were a number of Territorial Force Hampshire battalions in India in WW1, but I wonder if the dress style of uniform in the photo would have been issued to them. 2/Hampshires was in Mhow in 1914, but returned to England that December. I suggest that the soldier might be a member of 1/Hampshires, which was in India from 1925 to 1939. In 1927 it was in Multan.

Acknown

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To quote Frogsmile in this post:

He is indeed a soldier of the Leicestershire Regiment and wearing what was referred to as ‘Blue Patrol’ uniform, although that term really related to the officer uniform of similar style on which the soldiers uniform was based.  Both of these were ‘undress’ uniforms (not full dress) and worn for duties in barracks when something smarter than khaki was required, but that did not justify full dress.

Thus, I think he is a member of 1/Hampshires in Multan in 1927 wearing the OR version of Blue Patrol uniform. Again, not an expert.

Acknown

Edited by Acknown
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We should as Frogsmile and see what he says, though I think you probably have it Acknown. @FROGSMILE , would you give us your opinion on this soldiers regiment and uniform please? Regards, Bob.

5 hours ago, Acknown said:

Thus, I think he is a member of 1/Hampshires in Multan in 1927 wearing the OR version of Blue Patrol uniform. Again, not an expert.

Acknown

 

Edited by Bob Davies
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1 hour ago, Bob Davies said:

We should as Frogsmile and see what he says, though I think you probably have it Acknown. @FROGSMILE , would you give us your opinion on this soldiers regiment and uniform please? Regards, Bob.

 


Yes, Bob, Acknown is correct, the photo shows a soldier of the Hampshire Regiment wearing a blue patrol uniform.

435EBFE6-6E0F-48D9-B57C-2C1E78E122C3.jpeg

Edited by FROGSMILE
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1 hour ago, FROGSMILE said:


Yes, Bob, Acknown is correct, the photo shows a soldier of the Hampshire Regiment wearing a blue patrol uniform.

Thank you Frogsmile, it is good of you to post a picture of a collar badge too, which illustrates it well. Regards, Bob.

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12 hours ago, Acknown said:

There were a number of Territorial Force Hampshire battalions in India in WW1, but I wonder if the dress style of uniform in the photo would have been issued to them. 2/Hampshires was in Mhow in 1914, but returned to England that December. I suggest that the soldier might be a member of 1/Hampshires, which was in India from 1925 to 1939. In 1927 it was in Multan.

Acknown


You’re instincts are on the mark, I have never seen Territorials of those times wear Blue Patrols either.

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8 hours ago, Acknown said:

To quote Frogsmile in this post:

A great memory you have for previous posts Acknown, it always comes in handy. I had not known about Blues 'till reading Frogsmiles' informational post about them. Thank you all in this post, every one adds to the whole understanding. Regards, Bob.

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