Bugler A Collins 2/1 Ox & Bucks L I

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Yesterday I purchased a handful of postcards one of which showed a British POW wearing tunic with the band on the left arm and striped trousers plus a British trench cap with a Machine Gun Corps badge. On the back however was written:

Bugler A Collins 2/1 Bucks Batt

Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry

In addition to an address:

Mr A Collins

29 Queen Street

Tottridge Road

North Town

High Wycombe

Buckinghamshire

I have not had time to check any MICs or medal rolls, but was just wondering whether this guy appears on the POW database.

In addition he is allowed to wear insignia of another unit or were people more relaxed about that when POWs.

Ian

[Jock Bruce]

Ian,

not in the bit I transcribed - which covers Collins.

Jock

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

JB,

Many thanks - I will sort him out at Kew (!!) but just thought it might ring a bell with someone.

Ian

[AndrewThornton]

Ian

I have a set pf photos taken of men who were Prisoners at Parchim taken in 1917/18. They are mostly of men of the 7th and 8th Londons (with names and numbers on the back), but a couple of men (one MGC man and another from the Royal Canadian Regiment) are wearing other regiment's cap badges. They have signed the cards with their name, regiment and address and also have crude cloth shoulder titles sewn onto their tunics with their regiment's initials on them. I have a feeling that when the men were sent by their German captors to have their photo taken, the few cap badges available may have done the rounds amongst the prisoners. This might be the case with your chap as well.

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Andrew,

So the lads were forced..........made to have their photos taken by the Germans, possibly to prove they were still alive?

I can understand that caps were shared between the men, which would fit this case.

Interesting - many thanks,

Ian