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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Alansw on Sunday 13 October 13 10:52 BST (UK)

Title: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: Alansw on Sunday 13 October 13 10:52 BST (UK)
We recently came across a photo on my wife's uncle, Frank Pearson, who died when my wife was still very young. Can anyone provide information about the WW1 uniform that he is wearing?

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Any help gratefully appreciated.

Alan
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: Buzancy18 on Sunday 13 October 13 11:58 BST (UK)
Probably RAMC by the Red Crosses

Buzancy18
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: stanmapstone on Sunday 13 October 13 13:32 BST (UK)
See http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=168620

Stan
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: Alansw on Sunday 13 October 13 16:31 BST (UK)
That's wonderful. Thank you very much indeed. This gives us the loose thread we were looking for. Now all we have to do is pull on it.

Thanks again.
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: Buzancy18 on Sunday 13 October 13 16:53 BST (UK)
There are two Frank Pearsons in the Medal Rolls for RAMC. One was in 7th CCS and was demoted from Sergeant in 1915 for drunkeness, the other was in West R CCS ? until May 1918 when he was discharged.
Buzancy 18
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: Alansw on Sunday 13 October 13 17:14 BST (UK)
Many thanks for the info. We'll do some more digging.
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: Buzancy18 on Sunday 13 October 13 17:40 BST (UK)
do you have a home town for him or an address?

Buzancy 18
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: Alansw on Sunday 13 October 13 20:08 BST (UK)
I think he was living at home in Leeds at that time, but I'm not sure. I'll check with my wife when she gets back from Paris (family reunion).
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: km1971 on Monday 21 October 13 10:59 BST (UK)
Hi Alan

Do you know when he was born? If it was about 1880 then he could very well be the man in WRCCS – which stands for West Riding Casualty Clearing Station by the way. – also known as No 58 CCS.

The badge above his right breast pocket is the Territorial Force Imperial Service Badge. This shows he had joined the Territorial Force before September 1914 and had agreed to serve overseas. After the start of WW1 in August 1914 a recruit had to sign the Imperial Service Obligation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_Force_Imperial_Service_Badge

There is more information available, but we need to establish if this is the right man first.

Ken
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: Alansw on Monday 21 October 13 23:57 BST (UK)
Hi, Ken.

I'm afraid I have been the purveyor of misinformation! My wife (now back from Paris) tells me that her uncle Frank was GREAT uncle Frank and from the other side of the family - Frank HARPER, not PEARSON. I apologise most humbly for wasting everyone's time - I should have waited for my wife to get back before making my original post!

We're not completely sure of Frank's birth year at the moment (my wife is still digging), but his younger sister was born in 1895, so we're guessing somewhere around 1890.

Apologies again, all, and we're extremely grateful for the info provided so far. It's certainly opened up new areas of exploration.

Alan
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: Alansw on Tuesday 22 October 13 00:17 BST (UK)
Aha! The 1901 census seems to show that Frank Harper was born in 1893 in Leeds, if that helps.
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: km1971 on Tuesday 22 October 13 22:30 BST (UK)
Hi Alan

Can you rescan the photograph at a much higher resolution - covering his upper arm He is wearing some kind of badge above the red cross on both sleeves.

Ken
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: DavidJP on Tuesday 22 October 13 22:55 BST (UK)
Hi Alan,

This looks to be Frank's birth index record on FreeBMD:

Harper, Frank; December Quarter 1892; Leeds; Vol 9b Page 521

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

David
Title: Re: Can Anyone Identify The WW1 Uniform In This Photo, Please?
Post by: Alansw on Wednesday 23 October 13 10:48 BST (UK)
Hi David.

That's wonderful! Thanks for taking the time to find this.

Regards,

Alan