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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: pm8178 on Wednesday 22 December 10 11:42 GMT (UK)

Title: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: pm8178 on Wednesday 22 December 10 11:42 GMT (UK)
Hi, Can anyone identify the uniform shown in the photograph, is it army or airforce?
Any info. would be appreciated.
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: Pete Keane on Wednesday 22 December 10 12:57 GMT (UK)
Army.

Cant help with Regt though.

Pete
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: maidmarianoops on Wednesday 22 December 10 13:49 GMT (UK)
this is the nearest i could find

sylvia

search google images for

home guard

Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: pm8178 on Wednesday 22 December 10 13:55 GMT (UK)
Thank you both, all bits of info help. Happy Christmas!
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: maidmarianoops on Wednesday 22 December 10 13:57 GMT (UK)
have a safe one

sylvia
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: Pete Keane on Wednesday 22 December 10 14:20 GMT (UK)
My feeling is that it is pre-war.....look at his breast pockets, they are a different shape to the home guard battledress pockets, his is a tunic I reckon.

I believe it is referred to as Service Dress.

His cap suggests 1930's, his tunic pre-1937? when Battle Dress was introduced.

Territorial units got all the disused kit, so a possibility if its a later photo.

Not home guard though.

Someone will be along shortly to give us the exact answer......

what do you know about him?

Pete
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: Hackstaple on Wednesday 22 December 10 14:33 GMT (UK)
Looks like an airforce uniform but if so not the RAF. No one-stripers there nor in the RAF regiment until this very year when the rank of lance-corporal was instituted.

The shoulder title looks like a number, something like 286 but airforce squadrons did not have numbered shoulder titles. The features look vaguely slavonic.

Nothing to do with the Home Guard - just a forage cap.

Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: lowanslow on Wednesday 22 December 10 21:02 GMT (UK)
Could this not be the uniform of the Kings Rifle Regiment, it looks the right shade, I cant make out the collar badge though but there is one there.  :)
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: ScouseBoy on Wednesday 22 December 10 21:17 GMT (UK)
Could it be The Royal Observer Corps?
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: maidmarianoops on Wednesday 22 December 10 23:26 GMT (UK)
if at first

sylvia
cap has a v shape at front
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: pm8178 on Thursday 23 December 10 09:13 GMT (UK)
Again, thank you all for your contributions.
You've given me some ideas to follow up, it's great how someone's suggestion can kick-off new train of thought. Thanks.
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: ScouseBoy on Thursday 23 December 10 16:00 GMT (UK)
Are there any clues or captions on the back of the photo?

Could it be a University Squadron?
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: ainslie on Thursday 23 December 10 16:03 GMT (UK)
Or perhaps a cadet in a school's officers training corps ?
A
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: scrimnet on Friday 24 December 10 01:35 GMT (UK)
Not HG....

The uniform is as suggested SD.

The Field Service Cap has been in use by the Army since the late 19th century, and when worn in conjunction with SD would date it from 1937-1941/2. Many of the units sent to France with the BEF in 1940 wore SD, until they were issued Battle Dress, some even returned on the ships in SD! I have even seen examples of SD dated to the 1960s!! :o

There is the hint of colour on the peak of the FSC, but the "V Shape" is not a defining feature, I'm afraid.

As for Regt...Ummmm No badge really to be seen...

Have you a date of birth/death fro him? If so why not ask for his records from the MOD?
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: Jean McGurn on Friday 24 December 10 08:06 GMT (UK)
There appear to be 2 badges on the lower right arm. Could one be for a Bandsman? Perhaps TA in the late 50's early 60's. The photo looks as if it's that era.

Jean
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: Bilge on Friday 24 December 10 08:46 GMT (UK)
I think the person in the picture is a police officer in one of the Ministry of Defence Police units prior to their amalgamation.

http://www.paintedships.com/modpolice.asp

They officers were issued with caps to wear when travelling to and from work so they did not have to wear helmets or flat caps.

If you contact the Ministry of Defence Police museum at Wethersfield, Essex I am sure the curator will be able to look up the collar (warrant) number  for you.
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: ScouseBoy on Friday 24 December 10 09:08 GMT (UK)
They werre called MOD PLOD        ;D
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: Bilge on Friday 24 December 10 10:23 GMT (UK)
Yes I believe they were called that after 1971 ;D.....however the picture in question is long before that! ;)
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: scrimnet on Friday 24 December 10 11:47 GMT (UK)
They werre called MOD PLOD        ;D

They still are!
Title: Re: Can you identify this uniform?
Post by: scrimnet on Friday 24 December 10 11:55 GMT (UK)
I think the person in the picture is a police officer in one of the Ministry of Defence Police units prior to their amalgamation.

http://www.paintedships.com/modpolice.asp

They officers were issued with caps to wear when travelling to and from work so they did not have to wear helmets or flat caps.

If you contact the Ministry of Defence Police museum at Wethersfield, Essex I am sure the curator will be able to look up the collar (warrant) number  for you.

Not convinced at the mo...

I was in a previous existance, the Practice Nurse for the MDPGA based at Whetherfield, and was privy to the museum there, and the collection of hats in the main building. I have never seen such a uniform there, and as they were "special constables" in thier early life, I would expect to see some form of black and white band or some such on the uniform.

There is a greater chance of course that this chap is one of the various cadet organisations that wore uniform  at that time such as the CLB!