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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: lidgett on Tuesday 01 May 12 22:55 BST (UK)

Title: identify and date uniforms please
Post by: lidgett on Tuesday 01 May 12 22:55 BST (UK)

printed on a post card stamped with J F Holaway Grosvenor Road Chester.  I have this family group in a few photos in an old album but cannot identify them, of course no-one thought to put the names on the back! Hoping that any further info will narrow it down a bit.
Ta,
Lidgett

Title: Re: identify and date uniforms please
Post by: km1971 on Wednesday 02 May 12 06:28 BST (UK)

The most obvious thing is the plain breast pocket on the soldier’s tunic. This was used in the middle part of WW1, say 1915-16, when material was in short supply. The bandolier was issued to mounted troops. In addition to cavalry, this could be Royal Artillery or another corps,  such as the Army Service Corps. The ASC used horses as well as trucks to supply material to the front.

You may get some joy by researching the younger man. He looks to be wearing a GPO uniform – so you should following this link - http://postalheritage.org.uk/page/archive-guides. He conveniently has his number on the collar.

Ken

Title: Re: identify and date uniforms please
Post by: lidgett on Wednesday 02 May 12 21:55 BST (UK)

Thanks Ken for giving me a date to work from, I see now you mention it that the cap of the younger man does say GPO and I feel silly for not realising it sooner myself!  I will look into it further, but I have read about the records in the link you sent me and it appears to me that the records would have to be searched by  name not number or have I missed something there?  I will have to do some more digging to try to find a family with 2 lads of about the right age at least I can narrow it down a bit more now.
Thanks again
Lidgett.

Title: Re: identify and date uniforms please
Post by: trish18 on Wednesday 02 May 12 22:31 BST (UK)

Hi Lidgett,

I have two photograph's of my grandfather wearing exactly the same uniform.

He was residing at the time in Wrexham. I don't know the exact years he served in WW1 but I do know that he served in the Welsh Horse Artillery (only because his cap was in the photograph and I was able to see a WH badge, with a leek in the middle). My mother remembers him talking about serving in Messopotamia.

Regards

Trish

Title: Re: identify and date uniforms please
Post by: scrimnet on Friday 04 May 12 11:43 BST (UK)

This is indeed as Ken has pointed out the "economy" SD tunic worn from 1915...

I would say though, that as he has tided up his collar, with "hooks and eyes" that this is more likely 1917.

In Mespot, soldiers wore a KD uniform... ;)