Help identifying soldier uniform in photograph

[Laura1983]

Hi, I’m new to this forum and I’m hoping someone out there with a bit of knowledge can help me. I recently found this photo at my dad’s house and he had no idea who it is. We’ve since discovered my dad had a great uncle who died in ww1 and we wonder if it could be him, unfortunately we don't know much about uniforms or cap badges etc to know either way.

All I know of the great uncle is that he was called Edwin Percy, was born around 1886 in Essex and he married a lady, Meta Rose Barrett, from Weymouth (I think) in 1914.

Before the war the 1911 census had him as Acting Bombardier in No 54 Company RGA, possibly stationed in Gibralter.

During the war he was a Sergeant and part of X 20th Trench Mortar Bty., Royal Garrison Artillery.

Edwin died on 19 July 1916 and has a grave at Vlamertinghe Military cemetery.

Can anyone see anything in the photo that indicates it could be Edwin or on the other hand is there something to suggest it isn’t Edwin at all?

I would greatly appreciate any help anyone can offer.

 

 

 

 

[PhilB]

Gloucestershire Regt but I think Frogsmile will have lots to comment on here!

 

Later Correction - Lincolnshire!

Edited 22 May , 2021 by PhilB

[Robin Garrett]

I think his cap badge is that of the Gloucestershire Regiment and not Royal Artillery. He has no campaign medals, so either pre WW1 or he didn't deploy to France. He is wearing an infantry pattern sword in a metal scabbard, rather then the usual leather one.  To me, and I am no expert, that is odd for a sergeant. He might have been in the transport section. As PhilB said, I am sure Frogsmile will know better.

[EDWARD1]

Lincolnshire Regiment

[EDWARD1]

PS if the plinth is blank it will be the 4th or 5th Battalion TF 

[Michelle Young]

Definitely Lincolnshire, with marksmans insignia and I think the crown depicts CSM  

[tullybrone]

@FROGSMILE
 

Everyone is waiting with baited breath for your input but your ears may not be burning as mention of your name and expertise was done without a preceding @ to alert you.....

 

Steve

[Matlock1418]

Check out his belt buckle/clasp [as well as his cap badge]

:-) M

[FROGSMILE]

Lincolnshire Regiment as suggested and a “Colour Sergeant Instructor of Musketry”.  So a regular soldier and going by his age and rather idiosyncratic Stohwasser gaiters probably attached to a Territorial infantry battalion.  As one of the specialist SNCO staff attached to battalion HQ (ergo a staff sergeant) he is armed with the “sword and carriage” (two slings) stipulated for such men as a mark of their role and status.  There were two clasps for the belt, a pre war one with snake clasp and the 1902 pattern as shown here, which had a lion and crown centre and circlet inscribed DIEU ET MON DROIT (God and my honour).  It’s the combination of all these things together that tell us who he was, e.g. an ordinary colour sergeant was not equipped with a sword, and would not have the crossed rifle badge on both upper arms.

 

Under the battalion’s adjutant the Colour Sergeant Instructor of Musketry was responsible to the commanding officer for all the weapon handling and marksmanship training for the men in his own infantry battalion.

[Laura1983]

Wow thanks everyone for your help! Really interesting information there (especially from @FROGSMILE ). Very strange though, as far as I'm aware we don't have anyone from Lincolnshire in the family tree so the plot thickens...

Would it be fair to say that as Edwin was a Sergeant in RGA that he is unlikely to be the Colour Sergeant from Lincolnshire regiment in the photo? (Or are Colour Sergeants still referred to as Sergeant in memorials for example?)

And would it be out of the ordinary for someone from Essex to end up in RGA or a Lincolnshire regiment?

Sorry for my ignorance, I have shamefully very little knowledge in all this.

[FROGSMILE]

12 minutes ago, Laura1983 said:

Wow thanks everyone for your help! Really interesting information there (especially from @FROGSMILE ). Very strange though, as far as I'm aware we don't have anyone from Lincolnshire in the family tree so the plot thickens...

Would it be fair to say that as Edwin was a Sergeant in RGA that he is unlikely to be the Colour Sergeant from Lincolnshire regiment in the photo? (Or are Colour Sergeants still referred to as Sergeant in memorials for example?)

And would it be out of the ordinary for someone from Essex to end up in RGA or a Lincolnshire regiment?

Sorry for my ignorance, I have shamefully very little knowledge in all this.

Hello Laura,

 

1.  It was quite common for men to end up in regiments bearing no relationship to their home town.  Prewar the battalions of each regiment moved every few years and men would often go to the nearest barracks and join whoever was there.  During the war men were sent to whatever infantry battalion needed reinforcements the most at the particular time concerned.

 

2.  It is unlikely for the Colour Sergeant Instructor of Musketry to be the same man as the RGA Sergeant, both roles required a degree of expertise that took years of application to develop.

 

3.  Colour Sergeants and Sergeants are listed discretely on memorials.

 

4.  A man from Essex could end up in any part of the Army and any infantry regiment.

 

 

 

Edited 22 May , 2021 by FROGSMILE

[Laura1983]

Thanks again for your help, it's a shame it's not likely Edwin in the photograph but you've certainly given me a lot to go on in identifying who it is. Many thanks!