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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: fortmap on Thursday 16 September 10 08:56 BST (UK)
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Hello,
I found this photograph in my mum's collection, passed down from her mum, in a box that contains photos mostly from the 1940s, but also a few extending back to the 1910s and forwards to the 1960s.
Unfortunately, there is no writing on the back of the picture, so I don't know who it is.
But he does look rather grand, and with those military bits and pieces that he's wearing, I'm sure somebody here can reveal *something* about him!
So, what do you think?
Thank you!
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Was he Lord Louis Mountbatten perhaps ?
Cheers, JM
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Was he Lord Louis Mountbatten perhaps ?
Judging by the pictures spat out by google, I would say definitely not. :)
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Perhaps then Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery ;)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Montgomery,_1st_Viscount_Montgomery_of_Alamein
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Perhaps then Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery ;)
Closer, but no. :)
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Can you enlarge the ribbons ... particularly the lower row, especially his far left ... it has interesting "fern" within it
Edit to add ... three "pips" on his shoulder ;)
Commissioned
•Crown, Pip, Crossed Sabre and Scroll Case, - General •Crown, Crossed Sabre and Scroll Case, - Lt. General
•Pip, Crossed Sabre and Scroll Case, - Maj. General •Crown, 3 Pips - Brigadier
•Crown, 2 Pips - Colonel •Crown, 1 Pip - Lieutenant Colonel •Crown, - Major[/size] •3 Pips, - Captain •2 Pips, - Lieutenant •1 Pip, - 2nd Lieutenant[/size]
JM
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Sorry, I will be able to make it bigger, but not for a few hours.
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Edit to add ... three "pips" on his shoulder ;)
OK, I'm not very clever at military things. But this wikipedia page...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Army_officer_rank_insignia
...seems to say Captain or Colonel, and though it's hard to see it doesn't look a crown, so going by the pips, I'd say Captain.
But I'd have thought that the breast bar things make him look much higher than a Captain. Like I said, though, I don't have much clue, so please help me out here!
Edit: Hang on, I can see a crown in it... I can see the curve and cross.
So Colonel?
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Could be a younger Monty then ;)
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Must be!
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No, not Monty!
Just by medal ribbons alone, Monty had the 1914 Star and bar (rosette on a distinctive ribbon). He also had a WW1 MID oakleaf, which this chap doesn't have on his VM ribbon.
Sorry
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Yes, I knew that majm was having a laugh. :)
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Looks like a Colonel on the Staff. The top row has two gallantry/order ribbons with the BWM and VM from WW1. The bottom row has an (inter-war) India General Service 1908-35, 1939-45 Star, unknown star (possibly a Burma Star) and the last one must be a War Medal 1939-45 with a mentioned in dispatches oak-leaf. Although it looks very washed out.
http://www.awardmedals.com/ww2-medals-c-282_257_112.html
Probably his retirement photograph from the late 40s/early 50s.
Ken
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Brilliant!
I'm sure I should be able to figure out who it is in my tree now.
I have two or three candidates. :)
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Agree with rank of full colonel - crown above two pips. Headgear seems to be a beret, so probably WW2 or later. Cap badge not clear, but full colonels usually wore staff insignia, not regimental.
A
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OK, one possibility is that it is this man...
I don't have a better copy of this picture, but I know exactly who it is.
What do you think?
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Here's the original, so you can see them side by side:
(http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=483186.0;id=196535;image)
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Here's as close as I can go on the medal ribbon thing...
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;)
I'm no expert but there's similarities ..... nose, shape of ear (although these finish at different lengths to facial features), dimple in chin and of course the pips on the uniform. Different shapes of eyes though .... The Photographics board may be able to help confirm if photos are of same person :P Here's the link:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,298.0.html
:D
well at least my earlier posts kept the thread fairly prominent ::) ::) ::)
Cheers, JM
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If they are of the same man, the 'new' photo may be from an earlier period, given lack of medal ribbons, and also fact that he seems to have 3 Bath stars on his epaulettes (Captain), as opposed to Colonel's insignia in first pic.
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Right then, You have a Full Colonel with Staff Gorgets on his collars...
The "new" pic may well be his father if anything....A captain on the General List, and of a much earlier date.
The General List is for officers not regimenatly employed.
Interesting array of medals...
From left to right...top row...
??? Possibly OBE/BEM ?
Kings Police Medal
WW1 War Medal
WW1 Victory Medal
Bottom Row
General Service Medal 1918-1962
1939-45 Star
Burma Star
The Oak Leaf is for Mentioned In Despatches, and would be worn on the Defence Medal
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If they are of the same man, the 'new' photo may be from an earlier period, given lack of medal ribbons, and also fact that he seems to have 3 Bath stars on his epaulettes (Captain), as opposed to Colonel's insignia in first pic.
Stars...Nice... ;D
Officers have stars, oranges have pips!
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Stars...Nice... ;D
Officers have stars, oranges have pips!
'Twas drummed into my head on a number of occasions, Scrimnet. ;)
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Thanks for the extra help at the end there, chaps!
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Hi Fortmap,
Was looking through some old posts and was mondering if you worked out who the missing military man was. My great grandmother was a Montgomery and I am still trying to work out her roots. I wondered if it was General Montgomery?
Thanks :)