Northumberland Hussars (1)

[Cuirassier]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me the rank of this soldier?
Also, any idea of the year? 

Thanks,

Richard

 

 

 

 

Edited 21 January by Cuirassier

[6RRF]

A trooper and sufficiently stiff and shiny to be an early one

[Cuirassier]

2 hours ago, 6RRF said:

A trooper and sufficiently stiff and shiny to be an early one

Thanks for your answer.

Ok. So, this soldier is from 1914?

Can you tell me if the cap with a stiff flat top (as this soldier wears) was worn until 1916?

[tullybrone]

Hi,

Can’t answer your query but I have a photo of a relative who served in 4th Tyneside Irish with the same background.

Presume it was taken in a Newcastle studio although nothing on my postcard to confirm that presumption. 

 

Steve

[Cuirassier]

13 minutes ago, tullybrone said:

Hi,

Can’t answer your query but I have a photo of a relative who served in 4th Tyneside Irish with the same background.

Presume it was taken in a Newcastle studio although nothing on my postcard to confirm that presumption. 

 

Steve

Hi Steve,

Interesting. Surely your great uncle was photographed in the same Newcastle studio (below is the back of my photo).

Great military family you have. Too bad your great uncle Richard Keogh died in the War.

Richard

 

Edited 21 January by Cuirassier

[tullybrone]

28 minutes ago, Cuirassier said:

Hi Steve,

Interesting. Surely your great uncle was photographed in the same Newcastle studio (below is the back of my photo).

Great military family you have. Too bad your great uncle Richard Keogh died in the War.

Richard

 

Hi,

Thanks for attaching the image of the back of your postcard.  Unlike yours mine doesn’t have details of the studio typed on the rear but I agree both cards were taken at the same studio. 
 

Mine was taken in 1915.

Steve

[FROGSMILE]

5 hours ago, Cuirassier said:

Hi,

Can anyone tell me the rank of this soldier?
Also, any idea of the year? 

Thanks,

Richard

 

 

 

 

He’s a private** wearing walking out dress (spurs, whip and bandolier) and I’d date it to around 1915, before his embarkation.  The style of photo is typical of men about, or likely, to go overseas (i.e. at the end of their training).  Had he been in France in 1915 he’d have been issued a winter cap, rather than the stiff 1905 type, and more likely to be photographed in a farmyard than an urban studio, and certainly looking a lot less pristine and more slept in.  He’s wearing the curved variant of shoulder title issued from 1908, and replacing the more simple NH.  There was originally a T on top, but these were often discarded (clipped off) after conscription was introduced in 1916.

**this was a transitional period and a Trooper was in war office parlance more commonly a horse issued to other ranks, whereas an officers horse was referred to as a charger.  Regular line cavalry basic rank was private whereas for Household Cavalry it had become Trooper.  Some Yeomanry, doing their own thing as auxiliaries, had followed that practice unofficially.  Private seems to have become generally unpopular as a term for rank and many different regiments, or arms wanted to change it.  There’s a thread about this somewhere and I recall that all cavalry eventually became known as Troopers. 

Edited 21 January by FROGSMILE

[Cuirassier]

18 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

He’s a private** wearing walking out dress (spurs, whip and bandolier) and I’d dare it to around 1915 before any embarkation.  The style of photo is typical of men about or likely to go overseas (i.e. at the end of their training).

**this was a transitional period and a Trooper was in war office parlance more commonly a horse issued to other ranks, whereas an officers horse was referred to as a charger.  Regular line cavalry basic rank was private whereas for Household Cavalry it had become Trooper.  Some Yeomanry, doing their own thing, had followed that example unofficially.  Private seems to have become unpopular and many different regiments or arms wanted to change it.  There’s a thread about this somewhere and I recall that all cavalry eventually became known as Troopers. 

Your knowledge about WW1 British uniforms, badges, etc... is incredible. Thanks!

Edited 21 January by Cuirassier

[FROGSMILE]

13 minutes ago, Cuirassier said:

Your knowledge about WW1 British uniforms, badges, etc... is incredible.

I don’t think so, but I do have a retentive memory and have been studying and observing such matters around me very closely since a boy (I’m now OAP like many here), so I suppose it’s rubbed off.  Coming from a military family of many generations helps.

I’m glad to be of any assistance, as I feel so much corporate memory is in danger of being lost. 

Edited 21 January by FROGSMILE

[Bob Davies]

29 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

There’s a thread about this somewhere and I recall that all cavalry eventually became known as Troopers. 

It is here FROGSMILE, memorable to me

 

[FROGSMILE]

8 minutes ago, Bob Davies said:

It is here FROGSMILE, memorable to me

 

Thanks Bob, that’s certainly one of them.  There’s another that goes into precise dates.  It’s all a bit dancing on the head of a pin.  

[Cuirassier]

22 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

I don’t think so, but I do have a retentive memory and have been studying and observing such matters around me very closely since a boy (I’m now OAP like many here), so I suppose it’s rubbed off.  Coming from a military family of many generations helps.

I’m glad to be of any assistance, as I feel so much corporate memory is in danger of being lost. 

Indeed, the fact of coming from a military family of many generations and being interested by the subject since a very young age explains many things.

Your knowledge is much appreciated not only because it's useful to me (I'm a new collector of pre-War/WW1 military photos and badges of the British army) but also because, as you say, it's a knowledge which is lost and which must be shared. It's important.