Regiment / uniform identification

[PB BUSH]

Good afternoon

a bit of a long shot, can anyone identify the Unit / uniform the soldier in the photo is wearing 

[max7474]

There is no visible regtl insignia.  to tell you.  the belt is an old pattern so it may be old stock for one of the newly raised battalions.

Edited 19 November , 2023 by max7474

[Michelle Young]

See also here

 

[PB BUSH]

Good evening,

I have put this photo on before but this is as good as it gets I am afraid. Was hoping that someone might see something about the uniform that has been missed

 

[FROGSMILE]

4 hours ago, PB BUSH said:

Good evening,

I have put this photo on before but this is as good as it gets I am afraid. Was hoping that someone might see something about the uniform that has been missed

 

There is nothing clear to identify his regiment as has been pointed out.  If I were forced to guess then given the hint of a tall shoulder title in its totality then I’d pitch in with the Highland Light Infantry purely because their shoulder title was in two-tiers.  Although Scottish regiments eventually all ended up with curved cutaway fronts to their jackets it was often not the case for newly raised units at the very beginning of the war.

Edited 19 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[PB BUSH]

Good morning "FROGSMILE

 

Thank you for your reply and interest and offering me your best guess.

I have raised this subject on a few occasions before this time. I am trying again because I now have a picture of John Fraser McFarlane which I never had before.

I also now know that three of his brothers, William, James and David were in the 8th Royal Scots Territorial Battalion and I understand also that they were one of the Regiments that were deployed in the early days of the war as they were considered ready for action.  

William although starting out with the Royal Scots, finished up with the Royal Highlanders.

James looks like he stayed with the Royal Scots during his time in service.

David started with the Royal Scots then transferred to the Highland light infantry and ended up being transferred to the Cameron's

Not wanting to put words in your mouth, could it also be possible that John also started in the 8th Royal Scots Territorials too.

I have attached the photo of William and James once again.

There doesn't appear to be any shoulder title or any belt.

I too found out that Scottish Regiments had a cutaway tunic but neither of these photos show that, which would probably mean that they joined the Territorial's before hostilities in 1914. I also understand that the Scottish regiments changed from Glengarries to Bonnets, although again there is no sign of headwear in either photo.

Finally I have written to the Royal Scots museum but they only have one researcher at present, they said that they would reply in due course, about six months.

 

[FROGSMILE]

34 minutes ago, PB BUSH said:

Good morning "FROGSMILE

 

Thank you for your reply and interest and offering me your best guess.

I have raised this subject on a few occasions before this time. I am trying again because I now have a picture of John Fraser McFarlane which I never had before.

I also now know that three of his brothers, William, James and David were in the 8th Royal Scots Territorial Battalion and I understand also that they were one of the Regiments that were deployed in the early days of the war as they were considered ready for action.  

William although starting out with the Royal Scots, finished up with the Royal Highlanders.

James looks like he stayed with the Royal Scots during his time in service.

David started with the Royal Scots then transferred to the Highland light infantry and ended up being transferred to the Cameron's

Not wanting to put words in your mouth, could it also be possible that John also started in the 8th Royal Scots Territorials too.

I have attached the photo of William and James once again.

There doesn't appear to be any shoulder title or any belt.

I too found out that Scottish Regiments had a cutaway tunic but neither of these photos show that, which would probably mean that they joined the Territorial's before hostilities in 1914. I also understand that the Scottish regiments changed from Glengarries to Bonnets, although again there is no sign of headwear in either photo.

Finally I have written to the Royal Scots museum but they only have one researcher at present, they said that they would reply in due course, about six months.

 

First I have to strongly emphasise that there’s nothing visible in the photo to give a clear identity.  Usually one needs one or other of a variety of insignia to make an identification.  These insignia are a cap badge, a shoulder title, and very occasionally (only rarely in the infantry) a collar badge.  Most of those are missing in this case.  The only thing I can see is the shiny hint of a shoulder title and because that hint extends further along the shoulder strap than would be usual for a regular army unit, it suggests that the unit might be one from the auxiliary Territorial Force of pre-war part-time citizen soldiers, because such units featured multi-tier titles as a distinction.  With that in mind, it is possible that the title does relate to the 8th Royal Scots and it would’ve been quite common for three brothers to join the same unit early in the war.

Edited 20 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[PB BUSH]

6 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

First I have to strongly emphasise that there’s nothing visible in the photo to give a clear identity.  Usually one needs one or other of a variety of insignia to make an identification.  These insignia are a cap badge, a shoulder title, and very occasionally (only rarely in the infantry) a collar badge.  Most of those are missing in this case.  The only thing I can see is the shiny hint of a shoulder title and because that hint extends further along the shoulder strap than would be usual for a regular army unit, it suggests that the unit might be one from the auxiliary Territorial Force of pre-war part-time citizen soldiers, because such units featured multi-tier titles as a distinction.  With that in mind, it is possible that the title does relate to the 8th Royal Scots and it would’ve been quite common for three brothers to join the same unit early in the war.

I fully accept that what you have suggested is a best guess and in no way conclusive, Thank you!