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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Wadham College Officer Training Unit


adrian 1008

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Many years ago I found this picture in a second hand shop .

 

The frame stated Wadham College OTU, I bought it in the naïve hope of identifying those pictured and looking at their history !

 

Having then contacted Wadham College, they advised that Wadham did not have an OTU, ot was part of oxford University OTU, and that the picture was probably a fake, years later I have dusted it off and ask for members help in looking again at this piece of history 

WIN_20201110_09_28_33_Pro.jpg

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Hi, it sounds rather an unlikely thing to fake - also from what I can see of the architectural details in the photo, it looks very like this gateway at Wadham College in Oxford. It may not have been a specific college OTU, but the photo does seem to show a group of officers who were undergoing training at the college.

 

As you contacted them years ago I would suggest another approach - the centenary has generated a lot more awareness and the college has obviously researched its Great War record, as shown by the links provided by Terry. Hopefully you'll get hold of someone more knowledgeable and/or helpful this time!

 

John

image.png.6f1d9680953f0704a152bd5711fcee6d.png

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Thank you, that does look like the location. I am intrigued by all the different cap badges

 

I thought that the OTC would have its own badge, or were these Officer Trainees sponsored by individual regiments

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47 minutes ago, adrian 1008 said:

I am intrigued by all the different cap badges

 

I thought that the OTC would have its own badge, or were these Officer Trainees sponsored by individual regiments

I'm certainly not an expert on such things but ... The lack of a white cap band [as per Cadets - or was that just RFC/RAF?], and the fact that the front ground seated row [and other rows] rather look like some have 2nd Lt rank stars on their cuffs [or am I seeing things?], suggests to me this is not an OTC but may be a multi-arm course photo.

Perhaps the way today RMAS have their fledglings sent off to later do specific arm courses e.g. Infantry Platoon Commanders to Warminster, Signals to Blandford etc. - perhaps the same back then ???

Perhaps as multi cap badge it was for something relevant to many units - like Platoon Commanders or Regimental Signal Officers??? or ????? [now speculating way out of my comfort zone!]

:-) M

 

P.S.  I know moustaches do 'age' young officers [as I think was the idea!] but these do not look especially young or wet behind the ears - Perhaps they were Training DS officers???

Edited by Matlock1418
typo/addits & PS
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University OTC's had (and still have) their own cap badges, but I'm guessing this was an Officers' Training Unit which was different - there's a good explanation here:

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/training-to-be-a-soldier/officer-training-in-the-british-army-of-1914-1918/

 

If so these men would have been awaiting commissions into the regiments whose cap badges they wore.  There's a brief explanation on the college website (see link above)::

By September 2014, some 30 territorial recruits were billeted in the College, and by 1916 Wadham had become a major centre for the training of officer cadets under the supervision of the Dean and Aramaic scholar, Colonel Stenning. (As documented by Jane Garnett in Wadham College 1610-2010, edited by Cliff Davies and Jane Garnett). 

 

Actually I think the college should be really interested to see this photo and I hope you will contact them, even if they're weren't very forthcoming before.

 

All the best, John

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In 1916/17 No 4 Officer Training Battalion was in Oxford. It was about 550 strong and quartered by Companies in the various colleges - Keble, Wadham, Hertford, New, Magdalen, Trinity, Balliol, St John’s and Worcester Colleges.

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Nos 4 and 5 Officer Cadet Battalions were formed at Oxford.

 

Dave

Edited by HERITAGE PLUS
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I think this picture is pre 1916 as the frame  states Officer Training Corp, as opposed to Officer Cadet Unit, also an Officer Cadet, would wear a white band or white disk behind the badge..... or is that from much later...... I m learning so much !

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