Officer Uniform & Rank Required

[RFT]

I need to identify the uniform and rank of this officer in order to confirm his name.

Am I correct in assuming this is a WWI uniform/photo? 

 

Photographer - T Wills Jones, Magnet Studio, Rhyl.

 

 

Rob

[Dragoon]

Hi Rob,

I believe he's Officer Training Corps, not assigned to a regiment, no collar badges, and I believe the buttons are General service.

The tabs on his shoulder straps show different colours for different company's etc within the OTC's.

I maybe wrong with this info, but we'll wait and see.

Cheers

 

Chris

[RFT]

Thanks Chris. 

Does this detail provide any helpful clues?  Note (his LH) shoulder patch/badge?

 

 

Rob

Edited 11 June , 2020 by RFT
Additional information.

[Dragoon]

Picture is a lot better, thank you.

Defiantly GS buttons, you can see it clearly on his pocket button.

He's wearing a lanyard, again this could indicate a troop or company etc with different colours.

Forum member FROGSMILE I'm sure will be along in a mo, he'll have more information.

Good photo by the way.

 

Chris

 

 

[Ron Clifton]

He is not wearing a Sam Browne belt, so he is probably not a commitssioned officer.

 

Ron

[RFT]

Thanks Chris.  Have to say I didn't notice the lanyard and, as Ron has pointed out, absence of Sam Browne points to not being a commissioned officer.

 

Presumably this photo is still WWI era?

 

Rob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TullochArd]

The photo shows no evidence of the absence of a Sam Browne - it surely only shows the absence of the shoulder brace. There are several photos in circulation of only the belt being worn during the Great War. 

 

What about the tie pin .......... certainly not an item worn by non-commssoned ranks?

 

Also what about the possibility of rank on the unseen cuffs?

 

FROGSMILE will, true to form, appear shortly and enlighten us all !

[FROGSMILE]

I think that Chris is along the right lines with the suggestion of an officer aspirant, but although he might be OTC, he could also be an officer cadet from one of the OCBs (officer cadet battalions) that later in the war (after 1916 MSA) took over the role of producing officers.  A typical feature of their ‘cadet’ dress was to wear officer’s pattern service dress, but with a plain leather belt (often from 1903 equipment) rather than a Sam Browne.  Usually without collar badges, they often wore a simple coloured shoulder flash to indicate their company (or sometimes battalion), and as a general dress distinction invariably wore a white band around their cap.

 

Number 16 and number 17 Officer Cadet Battalions were both based at Rhyl.

 

The enclosed photo shows an officer cadet from No 16 OCB, who had previously earned an MM while serving in the ranks. He wears a shoulder flash and the common collar pin.

 

You can read more about the OCBs here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporary_gentlemen

Edited 11 June , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Dragoon]

I agree, OCB, not OTC.

Cheers FROGSMILE.

 

Chris

[TullochArd]

34 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

I think that Chris is along the right lines with the suggestion of an officer aspirant, but although he might be OTC, he could also be an officer cadet from one of the OCBs (officer cadet battalions) that later in the war (after 1916 MSA) took over the role of producing officers.  A typical feature of their ‘cadet’ dress was to wear officer’s pattern service dress, but with a plain leather belt (often from 1903 equipment) rather than a Sam Browne.  Usually without collar badges, they often wore a simple coloured shoulder flash to indicate their company, and as a general dress distinction invariably wore a white band around their cap.

 

Number 16 and number 17 Officer Cadet Battalions were both based at Rhyl.

 

The enclosed photo shows an officer cadet from No 16 OCB, who had previously earned an MM while serving in the ranks. He wears a shoulder flash and the common collar pin.

 

You can read more about the OCBs here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporary_gentlemen

 

I consider myself enlightened !  Many thanks.

[RFT]

42 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

I think that Chris is along the right lines with the suggestion of an officer aspirant, but although he might be OTC, he could also be an officer cadet from one of the OCBs (officer cadet battalions) that later in the war (after 1916 MSA) took over the role of producing officers.  A typical feature of their ‘cadet’ dress was to wear officer’s pattern service dress, but with a plain leather belt (often from 1903 equipment) rather than a Sam Browne.  Usually without collar badges, they often wore a simple coloured shoulder flash to indicate their company, and as a general dress distinction invariably wore a white band around their cap.

 

Number 16 and number 17 Officer Cadet Battalions were both based at Rhyl.

 

The enclosed photo shows an officer cadet from No 16 OCB, who had previously earned an MM while serving in the ranks. He wears a shoulder flash and the common collar pin.

 

You can read more about the OCBs here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporary_gentlemen

 

 

A comprehensive response and one which I am hoping will lead me toward this man's identity.  The wikipedia link was certainly interesting.

 

Many thanks,

 

Rob

[FROGSMILE]

1 minute ago, RFT said:

 

A comprehensive response and one which I am hoping will lead me toward this man's identity.  The wikipedia link was certainly interesting.

 

Many thanks,

 

Rob

Good luck.  Do please let us know if you find out, it will be interesting to know if he survived the war.

[RFT]

1 minute ago, FROGSMILE said:

Good luck.  Do please let us know if you find out, it will be interesting to know if he survived the war.

 

Will do.

 

Rob