domwalsh Posted 4 May , 2006 Share Posted 4 May , 2006 Hello everyone. I am trying to identify this Portsmouth RMLI man, who is one of four sergeants sitting in a row. The photo was taken at Deal in 1918. According to the muster, two of the men are lance sergeants and two are full sergeants, but there is no apparent difference in the four men's stripes apart from this man's extra badge above his stripes. Someone suggested it could signify he's a colour sergeant but that doesn't tally with the muster. Does anyone have any thoughts? Any help much appreciated. Dom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon2 Posted 4 May , 2006 Share Posted 4 May , 2006 Dom, As he is a Royal Marine I would say possibly Colour Sergeant. Not 100 % sure but the badge is a bit suspect for a crown and it is only on one side. I am not sure of official rank insignia but I would of thought the crown would be placed on both arms. Any chance of seeing the full picture as I am also interested in the RMLI(see signature). Do you know any history of the picture? If it was taken at Deal he could be maybe a territorial being finally called up because as far as I am aware Deal was the main recruit training establishment. regards, Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 4 May , 2006 Share Posted 4 May , 2006 Instructor's badge of some sort? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benson Posted 4 May , 2006 Share Posted 4 May , 2006 Looks very much like the larger style 'Lewis Gunner' LG in a wreath ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 4 May , 2006 Share Posted 4 May , 2006 magnified it looks like a Royal Marine badge! is there any precedent for that? Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 5 May , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 May , 2006 Thanks for all the responses. He definitely can't be a colour sergeant so one of the other suggestions must be closer to the truth. The picture is of 5 Platoon of the 4th Battalion RMLI taken shortly before they went on the Zeebrugge Raid on St George's Day 1918. To see the full pic go to the following link: http://www.stock.org.uk/history/ww1/ramsde...aac-garland.htm. The officer is Lt TFV Cooke who won the DSO for his gallantry. The bugler in front of him is Bug Gutteridge who won the DSM. The only sgt I've positively identified is on Cooke's right hand, Sgt H Camfield. I've also identified the only corporal in the pic (with his stripes almost hidden sitting next to the mystery man with the badge): he is Cpl Masters. I was hoping the badge might help me identify our moustachioed friend. The private sitting on the ground extreme left of the photo is Pte JDL Press who won the CGM for rescuing Cooke from the Mole at Zeebrugge and was later badly wounded and taken POW in Crete in 1941. My fond hope is to identify everyone in the photo! Thanks to all. Dom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest John Rawlinson Posted 20 September , 2006 Share Posted 20 September , 2006 this man's extra badge above his stripes. Someone suggested it could signify he's a colour sergeant but that doesn't tally with the muster. Does anyone have any thoughts? Any help much appreciated. Dom Dom, Hi Its a light machine gunners badge. The Corps adopted LG, MG, R badges officailly in 1919, however there are lots of photos to show that they were worn earlier. For the earlier authorised badges - gunnery, signals, musketry, pti - instructors worn the badge on the right sleeve above their stripes, I wasn't aware that LG badges were worn in this way, but I'm certain that this is what it means. If you have the four sergeants service papers it might show tell you in the gnnery/musketry tests who has qualified. General Orders - ADM64 - I think also list the names of those who qualified on some courses - so you might find him in there. Regards John PS - Nice photo, may contact you seperately about an RMHS project I am involved in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric17w Posted 13 November , 2008 Share Posted 13 November , 2008 Hi, I wondered if you know the name of the sergeant on your group photograph 4th. row down sitting 3rd. from right hands clasped, he looks very much like my grandfather Thomas Eaton. Regards eric17w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 14 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 14 November , 2008 Hi Eric, I don't think it was your grandfather as I don't have any record of a Thomas Eaton being in the 4th Battalion. Do you know anyhting about his service? Best, Dom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric17w Posted 14 November , 2008 Share Posted 14 November , 2008 Hi, I have attached a picture of my grandfather who I think looks very similar to the cccchap on your photo. Thomas Eaton we believe was stationed at Deal at the end of the war but there are references from the family to the infantry, the Labour Corps and Galipoli but all these seem only guesses. maybe you might not see a resemblance. Regards eric17w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric17w Posted 14 November , 2008 Share Posted 14 November , 2008 Hi Dom, Since my previous reply I have managed to merge another photo of my grandad over the one in your photo with an amazing result, do you have an email address where I can send a higher resolution image. Regards eric17w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 14 November , 2008 Share Posted 14 November , 2008 Many years before the Great War there was formal agreement that RMLI would use Army badges and uniform items where there was no good reason not to. This, therefore, included many rank and appointment and skill at arms badges etc. Given the badge in question is LG in wreath, then it should signify an instructor qualification ...... this is reinforced by lack of equivalent on left sleeve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 14 November , 2008 Share Posted 14 November , 2008 Welcome to the forum eric17w, Royal Marines Records are not in with army records. At Kew their service registers are in ADM 159 (service number order), indexed in ADM 313, his medal roll will be in ADM 171/168. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 14 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 14 November , 2008 Hi Eric, Intriguing. Here's my email. But I think we need to see what his record of service says. Best Dom dominic.walsh@ireland.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric17w Posted 25 February , 2009 Share Posted 25 February , 2009 Hi Dom, I contacted you recently re. the photo of the RMLI taken at Deal and I was trying to identify one of the sergeants as possibly being my grandfather Thomas Eaton. I wondered if you have any more photos of RM's so that I might be able to find that sergeant and prove who he was one way or another, if you could help with this you do have my email address if not it is annwitheric@sky.com Many thanks for your help in the past Kind regards Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 1 March , 2009 Share Posted 1 March , 2009 Eric, Since my last post the Royal Marines Registers of Service have become available online. Here's the link to 2 Thomas Eatons: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...mp;mediaarray=* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric17w Posted 1 March , 2009 Share Posted 1 March , 2009 Hi. Thanks for your reply,unfortunately neither of the two Eatons were my grandfather. However I will use this link and have another try to find him I have hit so many brick walls I have been on the point of giveing up. The only concrete information I have is that he was in the Marines Labour Corps. He may have finished up as a sergeant. Regards Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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