Collar Badge - 'C'

[Mayridge]

Wonder if somebody could help on this.  I believe this is a picture of my great uncle Henry Stuart Wallis. He was born in 1900, and there are records showing that he  joined the RAF in September 1918 before being demobilised in 1919. However this looks like a form of officer's uniform with a grenade badge and a 'C' on the collar. I have not managed to find what this uniform might be.

Thanks.

[Allan1892]

'C' for Cadet perhaps

[Allan1892]

Service record courtesy of Find My Past -- doesn't really show anything in relation to the 'C'

[Mayridge]

My initial guess also but haven't found anything to confirm this or identity of unit

[Michelle Young]

Flaming grenade collar badges, maybe Artillery or Royal Engineers? @FROGSMILE

[Allan1892]

Find My Past have a second record for him which gives a brief physical description of him as well. The reverse of the record shows 'Cadet Flying 18.9.18' (images courtesy of Find My Past)

[FROGSMILE]

27 minutes ago, Allan1892 said:

'C' for Cadet perhaps

Yes that is definitely correct.  It is likely that he has a cadet commission with one of the many cadet battalion’s affiliated to the Territorial Force units, in this case probably of fusiliers, as the badge is a universal grenade.  The cadets had their own special commissions, just as Territorials did marked out by the letter T.  This young fellows youthfulness is palpable.

Edited 12 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[FROGSMILE]

10 minutes ago, Michelle Young said:

Flaming grenade collar badges, maybe Artillery or Royal Engineers? @FROGSMILE

Could have been Michelle but they had their own special grenades for officers with an etched design on ball and flames, rather than smooth as with the universal grenade.

Edited 12 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[FROGSMILE]

17 minutes ago, Mayridge said:

My initial guess also but haven't found anything to confirm this or identity of unit

Cadet service wouldn’t usually appear on a service record.  Although attached to the TF and sponsored by the War Office they were categorised as civilians.

[Mayridge]

Thanks all that has been helpful (and very swift).  Uncle Harry lived to his late 80's and was fortunate to be relatively young at the outbreak of war, unlike his older brother who was killed fighting with the Royal Naval Division.  His career was in engineering, mainly motor, but including a spell at Hawker Aircraft.

[FROGSMILE]

4 hours ago, Mayridge said:

Thanks all that has been helpful (and very swift).  Uncle Harry lived to his late 80's and was fortunate to be relatively young at the outbreak of war, unlike his older brother who was killed fighting with the Royal Naval Division.  His career was in engineering, mainly motor, but including a spell at Hawker Aircraft.

It should be possible to identify or at the very least narrow down the local unit by identifying where he lived at the time.  At the beginning of the war all TF units and their affiliated cadets had “drill halls” (mini barracks) that were near the homes of their soldiers/boys.  The intent was to make it easy to commute for training (within walking distance or a bus/tram ride).

Edited 12 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Jerry B]

two Cadet titles

[Mayridge]

Thanks both. He was living in Balham at the time, so my guess is that it would have been one of the London Regiment battalions. I haven't found a drill hall in Balham from the time (the current Balham High Street building is 1930's) but there were certainly a couple of drill halls within easy reach in Clapham at the time and may have been others not far away.

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, Mayridge said:

Thanks both. He was living in Balham at the time, so my guess is that it would have been one of the London Regiment battalions. I haven't found a drill hall in Balham from the time (the current Balham High Street building is 1930's) but there were certainly a couple of drill halls within easy reach in Clapham at the time and may have been others not far away.

The 1st to 4th London Regiment (TF) were all Royal Fusiliers units.  I’ll check their drill hall locations and post them tomorrow if no one beats me to it.

Edited 13 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE