adrian 1008 Posted 10 November , 2020 Share Posted 10 November , 2020 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 10 November , 2020 Share Posted 10 November , 2020 (edited) This is from Wadham College: https://www.wadham.ox.ac.uk/news/2014/february/1914-2014-wartime-wadham-centenary TR Edited 10 November , 2020 by Terry_Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 10 November , 2020 Share Posted 10 November , 2020 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrian 1008 Posted 10 November , 2020 Author Share Posted 10 November , 2020 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 10 November , 2020 Share Posted 10 November , 2020 (edited) 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 10 November , 2020 by Matlock1418 typo/addits & PS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 10 November , 2020 Share Posted 10 November , 2020 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthington Posted 10 November , 2020 Share Posted 10 November , 2020 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 10 November , 2020 Share Posted 10 November , 2020 (edited) Nos 4 and 5 Officer Cadet Battalions were formed at Oxford. Dave Edited 10 November , 2020 by HERITAGE PLUS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrian 1008 Posted 10 November , 2020 Author Share Posted 10 November , 2020 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 ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now