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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: REIVER CLAN on Sunday 17 March 13 21:31 GMT (UK)
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Hi all. i recently aquired this photo of my great grandfather and brother in law. my great grand father is standing at the back , he was in the Northumberland fusiliers and was called John Johnston and lived at the time in Blyth Northumberland. I was wondering if anybody could tell me what the star means on his sleeve. He died of the spanish flu in 1919 and is buried at cowpen in Blyth in the same grave as his mother in law.
I would be interested if anyone could id the regiment of the soldier sitting down.
We believe his name was Tom Symmington but changed his sir name to his partners name when he ran away with her.
thank you in anticipation
steve
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He's machine gun corps
There are two possible medal index cards.....did he have middle name?
Ady
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Would it not have been the Machine Gun Cavalry? ... I have a similar photo of my father complete with spurs which the seated chap seems to have.
Joe
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Thanks Ady and joboy. As to the question about middle names he doesnt seem to have one on my records.
thanks
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Yes joboy that's why I was enquiring about a middle name the Thomas H Symmington served in 10th hussars initially then became a Machine Gunner probably with the Cavalry Squadron Machine Gun Corps ....man in pic has 3 yrs overseas service and is definitely mounted.
The other Thomas Symmington was discharged to pension
Ady
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Stars look like Efficiency Stars from Volunteer/territorial uniforms.
Ady
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That is a unique photo. The 2 uniforms should not be in the same photo. The standiung man is a member of the Territorial Force and is a Northumberland Fusilier. However the uniform was not worn after 1914 but replaced by khaki.
Your machine gunner is a member of the Machine Gun Corps but as has been said a mounted soldier. The wearing of collar badges is a rarity as well and was not the norm. The MGC was a wartime creation and the fact that he has overseas service chevrons means that he had served in France or the Middle East for 3 years whent he photo was taken. So it must be post 1917. In which case the Fusilier should not be in an obselete pre-war uniform.
That is clealry a family photo and irreplacable but the photo would be worth a lot of money for those reasons. Have you looked up their medal cards?
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The MGC (Cavalry) chap looks as though he has a soft cap cover or are my old eyes deceiving me?
Joe
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I initially thought that some kind of 1919 photoshopping had occurred and brought two pics together?
Ady
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I initially thought that some kind of 1919 photoshopping had occurred and brought two pics together?
Ady
I don't think so - not unsophisticated enough for that ;) You would easily see the "joins" if this was a composite photo. This is definitely a picture of two men in the same room at the same time.
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Good morning, could I please ask a question regarding the gentleman in the MGC, would the style of spurs he is wearing be the same for all mounted units? ie MGC, Royal Artillary etc.
Frank.
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Thank you for all this info, the soldier standing was in the territorials for 8 years, before he was discharged . i was wondering if there is any next of kin on the sitting soldiers info,
steve
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I ahve been told that the service stripes were authorised Jan 18 not late 17 as I thought so that would date the photo to 1918 or 19. As there are no medal ribbons it is likely to be no later than that. If your man had served 3 years then he probably serving oversseas in 1916/17/18. If he had been overseas before 31 Dec 15 he would have been entitled to a 1914/15 Star which would have been worn as a ribbon on his tunic in 1918 even thought he actual medal was not issued until later.
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Good evening,
As a rule of thumb Frank, yes the spurs would all be the same. That style is for wear with laced boots hence the pad over the instep which is "supposed" to hide the laces. The only time you would see different would be officers or cavalry wearing riding boots.
John915
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Thank you all for this info, really interesting i am now passing it around the family.
Thank you