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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: Sam Spade on Wednesday 02 July 08 15:07 BST (UK)

Title: more help with another photo please
Post by: Sam Spade on Wednesday 02 July 08 15:07 BST (UK)
This is going to be too tricky I think due to not much info on my great granddad's uniform in fact the only clue is his cap badge and I can't see what it is!
Title: Re: somer more help with another photo please
Post by: kyt on Wednesday 02 July 08 15:15 BST (UK)
That looks like a Royal Artillery badge

(http://www.highlandcathedral.org/images/military/royal_artillery.jpg)

K
Title: Re: somer more help with another photo please
Post by: Sam Spade on Wednesday 02 July 08 15:23 BST (UK)
Thank you :)
Title: Re: more help with another photo please
Post by: scrimnet on Wednesday 02 July 08 20:29 BST (UK)
And he has a mounted pattern greatcoat on and is carrying a crop...
Title: Re: more help with another photo please
Post by: Rochdalian on Thursday 03 July 08 00:47 BST (UK)
Sounds a bit stupid I know but it looks like two badges to me!!! ???

Bob
Title: Re: more help with another photo please
Post by: Sam Spade on Thursday 03 July 08 07:05 BST (UK)
Does a mounted pattern greatcoat and a crop mean he's in the artillery? This is so fustrating can't find anything on him and he has an unusual middle name I though it would have been easy!
Bob-he wouldn't have had two badges on his cap would he????I know nothing about WW1
Title: Re: more help with another photo please
Post by: mmm45 on Thursday 03 July 08 07:12 BST (UK)
His rank if he was mounted would possibly be Driver  in either Royal Field Artillery(RFA) or Royal Garrison Artillery(RGA)
Do you have a name to help you out?

Ady
Title: Re: more help with another photo please
Post by: old rowley on Thursday 03 July 08 07:19 BST (UK)
Morning Sam,

Riding crop and mounted pattern greatcoat would indicate that he was from a mounted regiment but it is his cap badge that confirms the regiment and as kyt has already said it is an R.A. cap badge. He is also wearing a "gor blimey" service cap which has ear flaps so it can be dated as having been taken after 1915 as that was the year that this type of headwear was introduced. What was his full name as some one may be able to help in searching for him.

old rowley
Title: Re: more help with another photo please
Post by: scrimnet on Thursday 03 July 08 07:27 BST (UK)
There is but one badge on his hat, and most deffo a RA one...The one that Kyt has posted is somewhat squashed to a "normal" one...

As for being mounted within the RA there is nothing wrong with that at all! ::) ;D
The British Army in WW1 relied most heavily on horses, and ammunition, food fodder, in fact everything!

It wasn't just the RHA that had horses, and somebody had to drive them!!!
Title: Re: more help with another photo please
Post by: Sam Spade on Thursday 03 July 08 08:05 BST (UK)
Thank you everyone :) his name was Alfred Silvanus/Sylvanus Hillier. All I know about his time in the war is that when he came out he was a completely different man guess they all were.....
Anyone else think the other man looks a bit dodgy?looks to me as if he's hiding something under that scarf ;D
Title: Re: more help with another photo please
Post by: ladybirdno1 on Sunday 12 April 09 23:54 BST (UK)
Where did your Hilliers originally come from please.
Title: Re: more help with another photo please
Post by: Sam Spade on Monday 13 April 09 09:14 BST (UK)
As far as I've found out they came from Lambeth,South London.Alfred's father was born there,I haven't managed to find any info on his parents as yet.
Title: Re: more help with another photo please
Post by: ladybirdno1 on Monday 13 April 09 13:57 BST (UK)
Thank you for a reply, i cannot see a connection.