Brett Posted 12 June , 2008 Share Posted 12 June , 2008 I wonder if anyone can tell me anything about the colours of the uniform(s) that the personnel of the Tank Corps wore, please? I have a postcard photograph of my great-uncle Harold Victor Payne (1898-1921) and friends, dated 22 November 1919, and sent from Cologne, where he was awaiting demobilisation. The photo is being digitally colourised for me, and I would like to have some ideas of what the colours of the uniforms should be. If anyone can direct me to some colour photographs of the relevant uniforms, I would be most grateful. Regards and best wishes, Brett Payne Tauranga, New Zealand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSMMo Posted 12 June , 2008 Share Posted 12 June , 2008 Brett, Those look like hospital blues to me. Surely someone more knowledgable than me will come along to add to it and perhaps give you the color. Or I may be totally wrong, but that's what it looks like to me. Mike Morrison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted 12 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 12 June , 2008 Thank you, Mike. That makes good sense to me. There are some other photos, one of which shows him and others in the same or similar clothing, and one of them has a bandage around his head. That photo has the following inscription, in Harold's presumed handwriting Wounded soldiers - "I've met 'em" "Yes sir" Any idea what the actual "hospital blues" actually looked like, colourwise? Any modern photos of old British uniforms similar to those of German and CEF ones I've seen on www.kaisersbunker.com, I wonder? Regards and best wishes, Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantsmil Posted 12 June , 2008 Share Posted 12 June , 2008 The colour does vary greatly, but the coat and the trousers are a blue, often with a white or light blue lining. The tie is red. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 12 June , 2008 Share Posted 12 June , 2008 Hi Brett, you can just makeout the colour on this fantasic colourized photo (by forum member Chris CPGW). The colour is a few tones lighter than the French blue uniforms, Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted 12 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 12 June , 2008 Oh that is just what I was after, thank you grantsmil. I wonder if you can be a little more specific about the type of red, please? Was it a light or dark red, an orange-red, post office red, brick red, magenta, purple-red? Oh and by the way, I assume the cap was a standard issue one - is that correct? I'll be happy to post the coloured photo once it's done. Regards and best wishes, Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 12 June , 2008 Share Posted 12 June , 2008 ...more like a claret cum burgundy and the soldiers wore their own caps, Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted 12 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 12 June , 2008 That's a great photo, Jon, which shows the clothing colours very well indeed. Thank you. (Your post came through while I was writing my last one) Regards and best wishes, Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 12 June , 2008 Share Posted 12 June , 2008 I wonder if anyone can tell me anything about the colours of the uniform(s) that the personnel of the Tank Corps wore, please? I have a postcard photograph of my great-uncle Harold Victor Payne (1898-1921) and friends, dated 22 November 1919, and sent from Cologne, where he was awaiting demobilisation. The photo is being digitally colourised for me, and I would like to have some ideas of what the colours of the uniforms should be. If anyone can direct me to some colour photographs of the relevant uniforms, I would be most grateful. Regards and best wishes, Brett Payne Tauranga, New Zealand I agree Hospital Blues. Here are some post cards that apparently show the actual shade of blue use very well. And another evocative image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted 12 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 12 June , 2008 Thank you Frogsmile, those images are great! Regards and best wishes, Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 12 June , 2008 Share Posted 12 June , 2008 Thank you Frogsmile, those images are great! Regards and best wishes, Brett This is an accurate, museum quality reproduction of the uniform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted 12 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 12 June , 2008 And that one has the large, deep, light-coloured lapels which are so evident in my photo, thank you. regards and best wishes, Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantsmil Posted 12 June , 2008 Share Posted 12 June , 2008 This appears to be like the one in your original photo. The only ties I have seen have been a 'post office' red(?) I would describe the colour of the tie as being the same as a nurse's cape. The ties were made of cotton and not wool. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Doyle Posted 12 June , 2008 Share Posted 12 June , 2008 Interesting to see such variation. Hospital blues in the Second World War are bright royal blue, with a longer jacket than illustrated, and no lining (like that illustrated). All pictures I've seen of Great war versions seem to vary from the washed-out examples through to the royal blue ones, with again the simple single-breasted design. Most accounts indicate that the uniforms were ill fitting. Cheers Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted 12 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 12 June , 2008 Thank you, everybody for your speedy, informative, and very useful responses to my questions about uniform colours. Here is the colourised photograph as promised. Regards and best wishes, Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 13 June , 2008 Share Posted 13 June , 2008 Thank you, everybody for your speedy, informative, and very useful responses to my questions about uniform colours. Here is the colourised photograph as promised. Regards and best wishes, Brett Well done Brett, the blue you have used is very good. The ties however must be a bright pillar box red. All colour illustrations of the period make that point and it was a very distinctive part of the dress. In very hot climates just the white shirts and red tie were worn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted 13 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 13 June , 2008 Thank you again Frogsmile. I will ask the person who did the colourisation to make the necessary changes. Regards and best wishes, Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted 13 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 13 June , 2008 How's this? The talented, and very speedy, colourist is Andre Hallam of Canada, to whom I am very grateful. Regards and best wishes, Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Doyle Posted 13 June , 2008 Share Posted 13 June , 2008 Nice - though perhaps the Service Dress caps are a little browner than would be expected Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 13 June , 2008 Share Posted 13 June , 2008 How's this? The talented, and very speedy, colourist is Andre Hallam of Canada, to whom I am very grateful. Regards and best wishes, Brett Much better Bert but the ties are still a bit dark. They were more a 'bright' red. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted 13 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 13 June , 2008 Thanks for your continued help with this little project. Here is Andre's latest edit, with some comments: Here's a revised version. I saw the last couple of comments, so tried adjusting it again. I believe I have more closely depicted the museum colours. I also coloured the bands on the hats, as they needed to stand out. I adjusted the skin tones just slightly as well to be a little more accurate. Each time I adjust the colours, I see some editing mistakes, and fix them, so the picture is getting more accurate. Regards and best wishes, Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Doyle Posted 13 June , 2008 Share Posted 13 June , 2008 Cap colours look much better.... Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted 16 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 16 June , 2008 Thanks everybody for your contributions. The results are posted here: Photo-Sleuth Regards and best wishes, Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Doyle Posted 16 June , 2008 Share Posted 16 June , 2008 Looks good, mate, and thanks for the thanks! Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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