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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

WW1 Tattoos


PBI

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I am having one done for christmas,

now shall i let you wonder as to what and where or should i tell you now?

No think i'll leave it for a day or too then tell you.......................

Mandy

Mandy

A day or two - it's been over 5 years!!! :lol: Please do tell.

Roger

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Love this thread! :D

I have some tattoos already, but the next two I have planned are my Grandad's regiment badges.

'Lest we forget' is lovely :)

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Did you know that "tattooee" is the only word in the English language with three consecutive pairs of letters?

Adrian

EDIT: Cross-post with Andy - exactly the same idea!

What about book-keeper?

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A lot of tattoos were done informally / unprofessionally with "a suitable colouring" which could range from coal dust to pen ink, frequently applied with a pin, needle, or razor blade, but some of those "professionally" done in the Far East were quite impressive, apparently.

I have five in all, which seemed like a good idea at the time during my Army days, but which may be frowned upon in my current role.

The best I heard of was a friend's brother who, as a Scottish bloke in the Merchant Navy, went to a tattooist in Singapore to drunkenly describe a thistle and have the same tattooed on his right bicep, woke up to find he had... a pineapple, with "Scotland" beneath.

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Love this thread! :D

I have some tattoos already, but the next two I have planned are my Grandad's regiment badges.

'Lest we forget' is lovely :)

thanks Liz been meaning to have it done for years , glad I did

Dave

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Me, portraits of my grandparents on each shoulder, a Royal Fusiliers cap badge surrounded by other personal designs

in remembrence of my father in law who passed away earlier this year and my own regimental tattoo on my right arm.

One of my GGF's had a green lizard on his forearm, a butterfly on his left hand and letters across his knuckles. Not sure what

it said !

Another one had an anchor on his right hand and skull and crossbones on his forearm.

Simon.

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I had this done on the outside of my left calf about three months ago. It's nine cm tall and took about an hour to complete.

Cheers Andy.

post-41030-0-71915700-1327624571.jpg

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My g/uncle, from his attestation paper,

right upper arm = hands across heart. shamrocks,

left upper arm = circus girl

left forearm = star

right forearm side = snake

left forearm side = anchor

abdomen left side = star

sundry scars (more by wars end)

khaki

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On my great uncles attestation papers it says tattoo on both forearms, I would love to know what they were of.

I'd also like to see some images of what the WWI era tattoos looked like..... so if anyone has some photos please share.

Wendy

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Searching through Burnt Records and Pension Records on Ancestry,I did come across one 'old sweat'who was recorded as having'A Merry Christmas'on one buttock and'A Happy New Year'on the other.

Michael

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My nan had one done when she met Grandad in 1912 it was the badge of the 8th Hussars ! not sure if he had one done at the same time ! any way rember seeing it in the 1960s she would cover it up with a sticking plaster , but otherwise for all to see on her right forearm ,and when my 16 year old daughter came home with a tattoo in 1997 Mrs said its down to you shes had this done ,i blame your nan ! any way says i my nan had 8th Hussars on her arm, not Angel on her boob !

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