Guest Mike42 Posted 7 December , 2005 Share Posted 7 December , 2005 Hi, Can anyone tell me what the cap badge is and also if there is anything more that can be gleamed from this photo Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 7 December , 2005 Share Posted 7 December , 2005 Mike, Can you scan the badge at a higher resolution? Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnreed Posted 7 December , 2005 Share Posted 7 December , 2005 It is the General List Badge. This list originally included the names of Officers who had been gazetted for duty with the Service Battalions but who are awaiting allocation. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max7474 Posted 7 December , 2005 Share Posted 7 December , 2005 It is the cap badge of the General Service Corps and was worn for a variety of reasons by those without a parent unit cap badge of their own whether this be in training units, Volunteer Training Corps etc. Judging by this chap's age he was not undergoing basic training as he is in Officer's Service Dress with a rather natty gold tie pin so I would conjecture reserves or VTC is most likely. It is shame the picture is not bigger to show his rank and any campaign ribbons from previous service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 7 December , 2005 Share Posted 7 December , 2005 It certainly looks like the General Service badge but I`m not aware of a General Service Corps, max. Do you mean the GS List or was there actually a GS Corps? Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max7474 Posted 7 December , 2005 Share Posted 7 December , 2005 It certainly looks like the General Service badge but I`m not aware of a General Service Corps, max. Do you mean the GS List or was there actually a GS Corps? Phil B [/quote Correct General Service List cap badge would be a better description. There certainly was a General Service Corps who wore the same cap badge in WW2. But did not come into existance until 1943 which is why John Gaylor's book describes this badge as a WW2 creation where as it was worn in WW2 and it was the Corps itself, and not the badge, who were a WW2 unit. However I still reckon it is a VRC photo. In 1916 there was a reorganisation of the multitude of VRCs that had been set up and they were reformed into proper battalion organisation and were supposed to wear their regional infantry regt badge or the GS cap badge in the form of the Royal Arms shown here. In fact many kept on wearing their own badges anyway. Not all VRCs had their own badge but wore the Royal Arms from the start so it does not help in dating it without more info. Reginald Cox's book Badges of the British Empire in the Great War (I think that is the correct title) has a great chapter on the VRC badges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 7 December , 2005 Share Posted 7 December , 2005 Hello all, Having seen the photo, I do agree that it is a General Service or Royal Arms pattern cap badge, but would say he was General List as opposed to the Volunteer Force which adopted the same cap badge and collar badges in 1916 for officers. Having written articles on the subject of the VTC/Volunteer Force and having their regulations and photographs, you will find that Volunteer Force officers had to wear a small bronzed "V" below each collar badge to denote that they were officers of the Volunteer Force. Again in July 1918 when they were affiliated to county regiments and even adopted county regiment cap and collar badges officers were to wear the "V" below any collar badges. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 7 December , 2005 Share Posted 7 December , 2005 Isn't this an officer of the Labour Corps? See the scans below from a group shot of LC men in France 1918, showing an NCO and an officer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Stewart Posted 7 December , 2005 Share Posted 7 December , 2005 Paul, Quite agree, apparently prior to the introduction of the Labour Corps badge that we're familiar with, the LC also wore the G.S.cap & collar badges for a short time, while other ranks also wore the brass "LC" shoulder titles. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max7474 Posted 8 December , 2005 Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Mike, Do you know anything about the sitter which could help place him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 8 December , 2005 Share Posted 8 December , 2005 Isn't this an officer of the Labour Corps? Could be, Paul, if they used the same badge, but why do you thinks he`s Labour Corps and not General List? Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 9 December , 2005 Share Posted 9 December , 2005 Because of his age; many LC officers were older men, judging by the photos I have of them and have seen; many General List commissions were also men who were immediately attached to the RFC. He looks a little old in the tooth for a pilot to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike42 Posted 9 December , 2005 Share Posted 9 December , 2005 Hey what a vast number of replies..many thanks to all. I cropped the picture but the handwritten inscription says " from Somewhere in France 1918 " a play on words ?. Yep I aggree with the labour corps, as rumour has it he was in the Chinese labour corps ( He being my great grandfather) He was a little miffed as his son , my grandfather, reached a higher rank than he did !! Both saw action in the first war and my granfather (2nd London RE )went on to see action in WW2 also. Did the Chinese Labour Corps take volenteers / TF ? Once again thanks for the great response Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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