C & M catering staff, 7th Cameron Highlanders, Park House Camp 1915

[Moonraker]

Interesting card and caption, as the men look VERY smart to be serving in a canteen and/or store. I'm assuming they are civilians working for C & M, one of the various contractors (including Harrods and Liptons) providing canteen services at army camps in the UK.

I would welcome suggestions as to who C & M were, please. Or perhaps the initials denote something like "catering and messing" staff and the six white-coated men are soldiers working under the supervision of three civilians?

The 7th Cameron Highlanders were at Park House from May 12 to July 8, 1915, though the LLT and other sources say they were at Tidworth, two miles to the north. The hut would be very new, one of those erected on a prewar camping site shortly after the war started.

Edited 21 January , 2023 by Moonraker

[TullochArd]

2 hours ago, Moonraker said:

I would welcome suggestions as to who C & M were, please. Or perhaps the initials denote something like "catering and messing" staff and the six white-coated men are soldiers working under the supervision of three civilians?

Great photo Moonraker.  I couldn't find anything obvious in Graces for C&M. 

I'd offer that these fellows are civilians dressed in the appropriate period garb for shop front staff. A period when standards meant something. 

If so, I confidently predict their current white coats would have soon morphed into khaki and they would have been replaced by female staff in the not too distant future!

Edited 21 January , 2023 by TullochArd