caladonia Posted 4 November , 2022 Share Posted 4 November , 2022 Hello there I wonder if anyone can recognise the soldier's regiment and battalion. I've attached a link to the photo, I hope! https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/people-and-portraits/winterbourn-image-collection/winterbourne-collection-army-imagery/107618-army-imagery-6370jpg?q=soldier William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 4 November , 2022 Admin Share Posted 4 November , 2022 The man in the coat is wearing Somerset Light Infantry badges and appears to be an amputee. Looks like Ox and Bucks Light Infantry for the other man. Don’t know about the patches though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caladonia Posted 4 November , 2022 Author Share Posted 4 November , 2022 Hello Michelle Thanks for the reply, I was assuming the soldier was also in the Somerset LI. I think the star patch was worn by units seving in N. Russia, but have no idea what the other is, except that it looks like the patch worn by the 1st Batt, Hampshire Regt in France! So I'm a bit baffled. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 4 November , 2022 Admin Share Posted 4 November , 2022 SOMLI for the amputee but the other soldiers shoulder badge to me looks like the OBLI bugle and cord. @FROGSMILEshould be able to assist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 4 November , 2022 Share Posted 4 November , 2022 (edited) 54 minutes ago, Michelle Young said: SOMLI for the amputee but the other soldiers shoulder badge to me looks like the OBLI bugle and cord. @FROGSMILEshould be able to assist. Totally agree with you concerning the amputee as Prince Albert’s (Somerset Light Infantry). Their badge with Jellalabad castellation is unmistakable. I also understand why you thought the other fellow was OBLI, but just as there was a universal grenade for fusiliers (and various other corps), there was similarly a universal bugle horn of stringed German type (French was looped) used for all light infantry shoulder titles from 1905. It was effectively a smaller version of the OBLI cap badge and indeed had been used briefly as a cap badge for the field service cap (aka side cap) between 1894 and 1898, when purpose designed badges were belatedly brought into use. I suspect then that both men are Somersets. See also: https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/132738-somerset-light-infantry-shoulder-titles/ Edited 4 November , 2022 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 4 November , 2022 Share Posted 4 November , 2022 The man on the left is wearing medal ribbons though can’t say which (trio ?). I suspect the man on the right is wearing hospital blues under his top coat. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caladonia Posted 4 November , 2022 Author Share Posted 4 November , 2022 Hello Again Thank you all for your replies. I've done a bit of goggling, and found that the 1st batt, Ox&Bucks served in Russia for a time in 1919, so thats probally his battalion. Still can't find any explination of the tiger like patch below the star. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caladonia Posted 4 November , 2022 Author Share Posted 4 November , 2022 Hello again Sorry Frogsmile, I should have read your post correctly before posting, If the soldier is Sommerset LI, then I can't find any mention of batts of the Regiment that served in Ruusia, so his patches are very confusing! William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorporalPunishment Posted 4 November , 2022 Share Posted 4 November , 2022 1 hour ago, mancpal said: The man on the left is wearing medal ribbons though can’t say which (trio ?). I suspect the man on the right is wearing hospital blues under his top coat. Simon British War Medal and Victory Medal. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 5 November , 2022 Share Posted 5 November , 2022 (edited) 8 hours ago, caladonia said: Hello again Sorry Frogsmile, I should have read your post correctly before posting, If the soldier is Sommerset LI, then I can't find any mention of batts of the Regiment that served in Ruusia, so his patches are very confusing! William I wasn’t saying he was definitely OBLI, just that his shoulder title could not be used as evidence on the basis of the style of bugle horn, because at that time the same pattern of bugle was used for all LI shoulder titles. On the basis of his shoulder title alone he could’ve been any of the light infantry units except HLI, but the North Russia formation sign should, as you’ve suggested, narrow things down. My suggestion of Somersets for both men was just conjecture that they might have been comrades and chums from the same unit. Hope that’s understood now. Edited 5 November , 2022 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 5 November , 2022 Share Posted 5 November , 2022 (edited) The "tiger" patch is a battalion patch for the 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment, Yellow Edited 5 November , 2022 by EDWARD1 remove white.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 5 November , 2022 Share Posted 5 November , 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, EDWARD1 said: The "tiger" patch is a battalion patch for the 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment, Yellow Is it definitely a Tiger, because he’s wearing a 2-piece light infantry shoulder title? Edited 5 November , 2022 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 5 November , 2022 Share Posted 5 November , 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 5 November , 2022 Share Posted 5 November , 2022 (edited) 7 minutes ago, EDWARD1 said: Well it certainly seems to match Edward1. Can you do the same thing with the shoulder title? Both Michelle and I see a 2-piece light infantry shoulder title, but perhaps we’re misled by a less than perfect view. Edited 5 November , 2022 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 5 November , 2022 Share Posted 5 November , 2022 Confused as this quoted as 10th Scottish Rifles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 5 November , 2022 Share Posted 5 November , 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovetown Posted 5 November , 2022 Share Posted 5 November , 2022 12 minutes ago, EDWARD1 said: Confused as this quoted as 10th Scottish Rifles Also the sign of the 1919 North Russian Relief Force. Cheers, GT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 5 November , 2022 Share Posted 5 November , 2022 9 minutes ago, EDWARD1 said: Perfect! Unquestionably a light infantry shoulder title. It still looks to me like Somerset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caladonia Posted 5 November , 2022 Author Share Posted 5 November , 2022 Hello Thank you all for the replies to my querry. The only connection between the Somersets and the Hampshires I can see is that the 1st Battalions of each were in 11th Brig of 4th Div, although none of these units went on to serve in Russia? I think I shall remain baffled! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWF1967 Posted 5 November , 2022 Share Posted 5 November , 2022 Could it be a flaming grenade above a curved title? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 5 November , 2022 Share Posted 5 November , 2022 3 minutes ago, GWF1967 said: Could it be a flaming grenade above a curved title? Definitely not, the trefoil loop at the top of the universal bugle horn is absolutely clear to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caladonia Posted 7 November , 2022 Author Share Posted 7 November , 2022 Hello there Ive been doing some digging to try and identify this chap and try to find out why he's wearing odd patches, and I think I may have cracked it! I found this excellant thread on the forum from several years ago, and on page 3 is a table that mentions several officers and men of the Somerst Light Inf were attached to the 2nd Batt Hampshire Regt while in Russia. I also found on an old harddrive of mine several saved photos from an unknown web site that shows a group of 2nd Hampshire men in Russia showing the Tiger patch. So this chap is a member of the Somerset Light Infantry, attached to the 2nd Hampshires, home from Russia c1919-1920. Unfortunatly I still havent found his battalion? William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 7 November , 2022 Share Posted 7 November , 2022 (edited) 4 minutes ago, caladonia said: Hello there Ive been doing some digging to try and identify this chap and try to find out why he's wearing odd patches, and I think I may have cracked it! I found this excellant thread on the forum from several years ago, and on page 3 is a table that mentions several officers and men of the Somerst Light Inf were attached to the 2nd Batt Hampshire Regt while in Russia. I also found on an old harddrive of mine several saved photos from an unknown web site that shows a group of 2nd Hampshire men in Russia showing the Tiger patch. So this chap is a member of the Somerset Light Infantry, attached to the 2nd Hampshires, home from Russia c1919-1920. Unfortunatly I still havent found his battalion? William That is brilliant research, caladonia! Amazing really that after over a hundred years you’ve been able to pin that bit of crucial information down that clarifies what would otherwise have been difficult to explain away. Edited 7 November , 2022 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrightdw Posted 7 November , 2022 Share Posted 7 November , 2022 (edited) The white star on navy blue backing is indeed the insignia of the 'North Russia Relief Force' of 1919. 1st (Grogan's) Brigade of the North Russia Relief Force consisted of 1st Oxs and Bucks and 2nd Hampshires although both battalions were 'composite' and the bulk of their number made up of drafts of soldiers attached from other units. These men were serving regular soldiers ordered for service in North Russia in 1919 and unlike 2nd (Sadleir-Jackson's) Brigade, NRRF, were not volunteers re-enlisted specifically for service in North Russia. 5 officers and 70 other ranks of Somerset Light Infantry formed the bulk of 'W' (SLI) Company, 2nd Hampshires. It is a very interesting yet little known aspect of modern history, the British Army fought a war against the Red Army in Russia! Edited 7 November , 2022 by wrightdw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caladonia Posted 7 November , 2022 Author Share Posted 7 November , 2022 Hello wrightdw, and thanks for your interesting post, I don't suppose you know which battalion the SLI "volunteers" came from? Another thing I've just noticed from the oringinal photo- is it not odd, given the date and circumstances of his servece that he has no overseas service stripes? William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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