My 2x great uncle in Royal Sussex Regiment uniform but covered in an animal pelt, any idea why?

[Fanatical Munky]

An old photo of my 2x great uncle who died in WWI. Have this picture of him in uniform but have never really known what the pelt was for. I'm guessing its just for style for a picture?

[JMB1943]

No, not just a studio prop to add some style!

My grand father was also in RSR (2nd Bn) and my father remembered him coming home on leave (winter 1915-6) wearing the goatskin jerkin.

It was issued by the Army in France to provide extra protection during the bitter cold.

In which battalion did your relative serve ?

That is a super photo in superb condition—-wish that I had one of granddad!

Regards,

JMB

[Fanatical Munky]

9 minutes ago, JMB1943 said:

No, not just a studio prop to add some style!

My grand father was also in RSR (2nd Bn) and my father remembered him coming home on leave (winter 1915-6) wearing the goatskin jerkin.

It was issued by the Army in France to provide extra protection during the bitter cold.

In which battalion did your relative serve ?

That is a super photo in superb condition—-wish that I had one of granddad!

Regards,

JMB

Very interesting, no idea they were given any type of animal pelts etc as clothing, thought maybe just coats like WW2. My 2x great uncle served in the 9th Battalion. Unfortunately he died in June 1916 just before the Battle of the Somme started. 

[MaureenE]

Further images and information in these topics

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/245826-ww1-cold-weather-kit/#comment-2610674

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/296534-1st-world-war-soldier/#comment-3101072

Maureen

 

 

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, Fanatical Munky said:

An old photo of my 2x great uncle who died in WWI. Have this picture of him in uniform but have never really known what the pelt was for. I'm guessing its just for style for a picture?

That’s a really excellent photo, thank you for posting it.  It’s especially significant because although such photos are not rare it’s the very first one that I’ve ever seen with a British photographic studio trademark, thereby verifying that some soldiers had the animal skin jerkins at home in the early years of the war.  In this case he has no ammunition in his pouches, unlike the other images in the threads Maureen attached, which again would be normal for such a studio portrait taken at home.

Edited 5 December , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[6RRF]

A really nice selection there. My all-time favourite [and of course I can't find it right now] is of a group of Highlanders in goatskin jerkins and kilts - looking very much like something out of the mists of time, and they themselves very aware of it.