Help with a pre-war uniform

[stevew]

I believe I know a little about this man, but I don't want to influence any outcome, but any help or information on the uniform would be greatly appreciated

 

[FROGSMILE]

On 29/02/2024 at 12:49, stevew said:

I believe I know a little about this man, but I don't want to influence any outcome, but any help or information on the uniform would be greatly appreciated

 

He’s a Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) gunner circa 1900, around the time of the 2nd Anglo/Boer War.  He wears a 7-button undress ‘frock’ (there was also a 5-button), a working garment cut loosely enough to layer beneath in cold weather.  He has a gunnery prize (crossed gun barrels) on his left sleeve and the waistbelt is of Slade-Wallace pattern for dismounted duties men, which is how we can ID him as R.G.A. (there were also two mounted duty branches Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery).  The full dress ‘tunic’ used for more formal purposes had 9-buttons and red piping down the front.

The R.G.A. were the branch responsible for heavy howitzers and siege guns, as well as the ‘screw - [together] - guns’ of mountain artillery.  In India the heavy guns were either, towed by, or mounted upon (depending upon size), elephants!  The grenade badge upon his pillbox forage cap tells us that he is an auxiliary (part-time) soldier of the R.G.A. Volunteers, who were based at fortresses all around the Southern, South Western and Scottish Eastern coasts of Britain, and the Empire, in order to defend ports and estuaries.  The volunteers had a red band around their caps, whereas the band for regulars was yellow. 

During WW1 the coastal fortresses in Britain were often mobilisation stations for the men of the R.G.A. Territorial Force Batteries that replaced the old Volunteers from 1908.  It is possible that the gunner in your photo played some part in this if he was recalled to service, or volunteered as a veteran soldier to assist in some way.

NB.  After 1908 the plain grenade ceased use as cap insignia, but continued its long standing use as a collar badge, and the pillbox cap was replaced with peaked forage caps, as seen in the two lowermost photos of gunners wearing the 7-button undress frock, which was still in use. 

 

Edited 3 March by FROGSMILE

[stevew]

Thanks Frog,

OK, what I know about the 'soldier'.  When I first saw the photo I wasn't convinced it was the soldier who I was led to believe it was, then I saw he had some pre-war service.  After your fantastic info' and I am still not 100% convinced it's my man.  So, here goes I was given this photo of what is supposed to be an Australian gunner.  He is born and bred in Victoria, Australia.  He was born in !892.  He enlisted in 1915 and served with the 2nd Australian Field Artillery Brigade.  A quick search and I see Aussie artillery was mainly militia based before 1947 so I guess it could be him.  It's a case of whether this uniform would have been presented in Australia c.1910

[FROGSMILE]

37 minutes ago, stevew said:

Thanks Frog,

OK, what I know about the 'soldier'.  When I first saw the photo I wasn't convinced it was the soldier who I was led to believe it was, then I saw he had some pre-war service.  After your fantastic info' and I am still not 100% convinced it's my man.  So, here goes I was given this photo of what is supposed to be an Australian gunner.  He is born and bred in Victoria, Australia.  He was born in !892.  He enlisted in 1915 and served with the 2nd Australian Field Artillery Brigade.  A quick search and I see Aussie artillery was mainly militia based before 1947 so I guess it could be him.  It's a case of whether this uniform would have been presented in Australia c.1910

The Australian coastal artillery wore that dress yes, without question.  They were also aligned with the R.G.A. in terms of their function and technical and training support/advice, although less formally than before Dominion status.  The uniform and headdress would be very out of date in 1910 by R.G.A. standards, but funding priorities of the Dominion of Australia government would be the final arbiter so I cannot rule it out as a barracks dress (but unlikely to have been worn in the field).  See:

1.https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/2434

2.http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-army-today/colonial-arty.htm

Edited 29 February by FROGSMILE

[stevew]

Thanks again Frog,

That is fantastic

[FROGSMILE]

33 minutes ago, stevew said:

Thanks again Frog,

That is fantastic

Glad to help.