Albert Mitchell 7th Wiltshire Regiment?

[EHW]

Good morning all, 

The attached picture is of my great-great grandfather. As you can see on the picture, my family believe he was in the Wiltshire Regiment, but looking at the blurred picture of the capbadge on the stool next to him, I’m fairly certain it’s not the Wiltshire Regiment’s capbadge. I can appreciate it’s a low quality picture, but can anyone identify which unit he might’ve  belonged to from the shape? 
 

Thanks, 

EHW 

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum. It certainly doesn’t look like Wiltshire Regiment to me either. Possibly Green Howards or Anson Battalion RND? Any biographical details that you can add to help the sleuths? 

[mancpal]

He appears to me to be wearing jodhpurs (admittedly no spurs) so I wonder if he hails from either a yeomanry or hussars regiment ? 
As a carter he would be experienced around horses. 

Simon
 

[FROGSMILE]

I think that the cap badge is Queen’s Own Royal West Kent, but the poor image and light and shade has distorted it.  He appears dressed as an infantryman to me albeit without waistbelt and he carries the typical swagger stick/cane of a dismounted soldier.  The soldier in the photo might well have served with more than one regiment so don’t let seemingly odd badges put you off.

Edited 24 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Michelle Young]

As I posted squinting at my phone without my glasses, and now on a bigger screen wearing my specs, I agree with Frogsmile. I have a family member born and bred in Wiltshire who was in the RWK. 

[EHW]

Many thanks all, appreciate your help! 

[Tawhiri]

Presumably this Albert E Mitchell serving with the Wiltshire Regiment as service number 17095, if the caption on the back of the photograph is to be believed. At least one of the medal rolls identifies this man as Albert Ernest Mitchell. No mention of any previous regiments that he'd served with on his medal index card, but the date of his first entry into a theatre of war on 21 September 1915 matches the arrival month of the 7th (Service) Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment in France, which according to the Long Long Trail was September 1915. According to Paul Nixon's army service numbers website, service number 9282 of the Wiltshire Regiment enlisted on 13 August 1914, and the numbering scheme used for the 1st and 2nd Battalions was then shared with the 5th, 6th, and 7th (Service) Battalions, and the 8th (Reserve) Battalion as they were formed. If you were to look for men in the Wiltshire Regiment with nearby service numbers and surviving service records, you might be able to nail down a more precise date for his arrival in the Wiltshire Regiment.

Just to muddy the waters even further there is also an Albert E Mitchell serving with the Royal West Kent Regiment as service number G/39784, given the identification of the cap badge. He seems to be Albert Edward Mitchell, however, if the medal roll is correct.

Image sourced from Ancestry:

 

Edited 25 October , 2023 by Tawhiri

[Pat Atkins]

Re 17095, neither of his entries in the medal rolls (14-15 Star, BWVM) shows overseas service with anyone but 7th Wilts (I appreciate this isn't conclusive). Both say he was discharged to Z Reserve 25/7/1919.

[FROGSMILE]

I’m fairly confident about the cap badge.  The swagger stick implies a photo taken at home.  If it is the Wilts man then I suppose that it is possible he was transferred over from the RWK before embarkation.

Edited 25 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE