Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 26 June , 2003 Share Posted 26 June , 2003 Whenever I do look ups in WO 363 or 364 I always find it interesting the comments under distinguishing marks psarticularly the tattoos! Recently I found an entry in one of my great-uncles diary about a whole bunch of his mates who got tattooed by this man who seemed to travel round army camps and perform the service. He is recorded as being at several camps my great-uncle was based at in the UK in 1914/1915 and he appears again in 1919! I have to say, as someone who has been under the needle a few times, the process of spreading ink on the skin and then puncturing it as many times as possible sent a shiver down my back! Has anyone else come across references to this in their searches? Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broznitsky Posted 26 June , 2003 Share Posted 26 June , 2003 My English grandfather's attestation mentions "indistinct tattooing both forearms." Now that you mention it, having viewed online quite a few CEF attestations, I don't recall mention of tattoos under distinguishing marks. I will keep it in mind. Yesterday read an interesting modern day news article about young men in South Korea obtaining very large body tattoos to avoid military service. Didn't quite follow the logic of why this disqualifies them, perhaps I'll have to re-read it. Peter, tattooless in Vancouver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordac Posted 26 June , 2003 Share Posted 26 June , 2003 Hi Ian & Peter: I've come across a couple of of CEF attestation papers that list tattoos under the 'Distinctive marks, and marks indicating congenital peculiarities or pervious disease' box on the back of the form. The one I remember was a man who had an image of a horse tattooed on his arm. The article was in Wednesday's Vancouver Sun, page A9, under the headline: "S. Korea cracks down on using tattoos to dodge draft." Here's the key paragraph in the story: "Although there is no law against tattoos, South Koreans consider them symbols of disgrace, often associated with gangsters. The country's conscription law rules men with large tattoos unfit for the military because they cause "abomination among fellow soldiers."" According to the article, getting a large tattoo to avoid the draft, can land a person in jail for at least eight months. Garth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 26 June , 2003 Share Posted 26 June , 2003 Will venture a guess this does not happen in North Korea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 28 June , 2003 Share Posted 28 June , 2003 Nelson Victor Carter VC of the 12th Royal Sussex (died 30.6.16) had "tattoos of Buffalo Bill on both his forearms..." He was also over six foot tall; I will be thinking of him and his comrades in the early hours of 30th June... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph J. Whitehead Posted 29 June , 2003 Share Posted 29 June , 2003 My grandfather, Frank James Whitehead, was in the 15th U.S. Infantry in China from 1914 to 1916 before returning to the U.S. (Also known as the "Forgotten 15th"). He became ill on the trip and had to stop in the Phillippines for treatment where he obtained a tattoo of an eagle on his arm, much to the displeasure of his future wife, a local employee of Doubleday Book Publishers. Ralph P.S. My cousin Marguerite Haufler is currently a tattoo artist and apparently quite good as her client waiting list is 6 months old if you want an appointment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garde Grenadier Posted 29 June , 2003 Share Posted 29 June , 2003 My granddad had an anchor tattoed onto his arm - he was a member of the German Navy 1916-1918. He probably got it at Hamburg. It was supposed to be fashionable among sailors - but considered "exotic" (to put it mildly) in his normal surrounding. Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 29 June , 2003 Share Posted 29 June , 2003 Paul, I will be thinking of my relative Pte Albert Grenyer KiA on that day with the Royal Sussex Regt. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 29 June , 2003 Share Posted 29 June , 2003 Now that you mention it, having viewed online quite a few CEF attestations, I don't recall mention of tattoos under distinguishing marks. My great grandfather's CEF attestation papers show, in the 'Distinctive Marks' section, that he had scars to the centre of his back and a large scar on his right calf. I have the 1915 Star Trio & Plaque to 6356 Pte George Henry Lowe and his CEF attestation papers. In the same section he is recorded as having: 'tattoos r. fore-arm - bird, tiger's head, flowers. l. fore-arm - ship, snake, cross, heart mole on l. shoulder'. I only have 4 CEF attestation papers but he is the only one mentioned as having tattoos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 29 June , 2003 Share Posted 29 June , 2003 I have at least one CEF members papers showing a tattoo. Wilfred George Chapman, 72032, 27th Batt'n CEF. He had an anchor on left fore-arm. Since another thread is discussing wound stripes he was also awarded on wound stripe for having an "Abscess to the Groin" Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 29 June , 2003 Share Posted 29 June , 2003 Since another thread is discussing wound stripes he was also awarded on wound stripe for having an "Abscess to the Groin" I have medals to a man from the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles who lost a testical I haven't gone through all his papers yet, but it doesn't seem he was given a WS as he was discharged soon after. He did suffer other injuries besides the rather painful loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 29 June , 2003 Share Posted 29 June , 2003 Since another thread is discussing wound stripes he was also awarded on wound stripe for having an "Abscess to the Groin" Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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