Was this a Field Post Office?

[snavek]

This photo has intregued me ever since Fred's daughter sent it to me. Quite a few Units are represented and there is also a civilian and a small child. Does the shed give any clues. Anyone with any ideas?

Keith

[PhilB]

The sign certainly looks like "Post Office".

I`m intrigued by the 2 guys 4th from left, back row and on the ground front left. They look like coloured soldiers? Phil B

[ian turner]

Keith,

Indeed intriguing. Is that a New Zealander with a wide-awake hat in the middle. There is also a badgeless hat which, together with what appears to be a high collar, looks American. As does the chap at the front left. His hat badge sits higher than the usual British army style? He looks a bit American, but appears to have wound stripes?

Such a collection of odds and s*ds together would be for what - recuperation from hospital or on a training course? What of the chap in civvies and the ''boy'' at the far left seated. Not an army uniform?

Curious.

Ian

[snavek]

PhilB and Ian, thanks for the input, I've spent agood part of the morning trying to enlarge specific images, I'll get back to you when I've mastered it.

PhilB, I think the two you highlighted look to be weatherbeaten more than non-white. It reminded me of the story of Lord Curzon inspecting troops bathing in the cellars of a prison behind Ypres. Replying to the suggestion that the troops were happy, healthy and clear skinned he supposedly remarked 'Yes, once before I have seen the lower classes in their baths, I used to think they had dark skins all covered with hair, but I see they have not.'

Ian, I have enlarged the NZ image but can't identify the badge, at first sight I thought the lad bottom right was wearing a Russian tunic. You could be right about recuperation, I have another photo of Fred with a wound bar.

Keith

[PhilB]

It`s true that men`s complexions can be misleading on old photos. Another consideration is that I believe long standing infestation with lice can cause changes in skin colour. But I do suspect that a couple of the men are coloured. Pity we can`t see their capbadges! Phil B

[Rob B]

Field Post Offices were normally manned and run by the Royal Engineers so this picture could be of the Regimental postal clerks from the Divisional Units hence the vast aray of capbadges in front of the Field Post Office they worked back too.

Rob

[Terry_Reeves]

FPO's were normally at the Divisional Railhead and has been mentioned above, unit post orderlies would gather to collect the mail.

Terry Reeves

[Rob B]

Terry didn't notice the reference-will try not to be a know it all in future!

Cheers

Rob

[snavek]

Are we reaching a consensus here that this could be a FPO at the Divisional railhead? There appears to be a few R.E. cap badges amongst the group and I've always thought that's a railway line in the bottom left of the picture. The attached picture gives a better view of the lettering on the shed. Well spotted PhilB, I'm sure you are right about this man's colour, look at his hand.

Keith