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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: oleonepace on Sunday 13 October 13 16:36 BST (UK)
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Hi all,
I have this photo dating from [probably] the Great War of 'Alfred' a sergeant. Although the photo is from a family source, I'm struggling to identify if he is a relative. The background is intriguing. Does anyone have any idea what's going on in the photograph or have any other observations please?
many thanks
Tony
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Webbing doesn't look British could there be a Canadian angle?
Ady
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Good afternoon,
I think he could be British, he appears to be wearing one of the cotton bandoliers out of an ammunition box.
John915
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On second thoughts it could be British 1914 pattern leather webbing,Canadians also had early leather webbing both didn't go down well in Flanders.
That could be side of a canal or lock also.
Ady
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Thanks John and Ady, your comments are much appreciated.
If indeed he is a relly he's certain to be a British soldier. Interesting what you say about ammunition boxes and unloading by a canal ....my initial thoughts on seeing the photo were that those were ammunition boxes stacked and that there was a boat with derricks behind them.
Tony
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Definitely a set of lock gates there, and a whole load of derricks behind, suggesting a port. There's a bollard for tying boats up in the foreground of the picture, too - perhaps as they wait to go through the lock gates.
Mike
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The hat looks like it is astrakhan- a black lambskin from unborn lambs.
I think Balkan countries armies wore something very like this.
Could this be a possibility?
Can you enlarge the photo to see if there is a star on the front near the top?
Viktoria.
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Sadly, I only have this low res scan. The original came from a source which included one or two other photos of what were certainly British troops [and relatives of the source] so I've no reason to suspect that this chap 'Alfred' is not also British. It does look like an astrakhan doesn't it? Could it be a photo taken in Gallipoli? Did the Turks wear such headgear? Mike's observations on it being a small port are convincing.
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Can we see the back of the photo please?
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I don't have access to the original and only have this as a scan.
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The Turks wore something rather like this shape but in an ordinary material.
I`ve looked at Montenegran and Serbian troops but nothing exactly like .
Turkish was my first thought--- unless officers wore something different.
I hope you solve the mystery. Viktoria.
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I shall throw the cat amongst the pigeons here...The hat COULD be part of Ernest Shackletons cold weather gear for the British Army...This COULD be be Russia, and part of the White army fighting the Bolshviks in 1919.
I cant make out the webbing.
Yes that is a cotton 50 round bandolier
I am away with work, and have no access to my books pro tem, so unable to give a fuller answer...
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Cat well thrown, scrimnet!
I know that, with family research, it is very dangerous to make assumptions. I assume that 'my Alf' is a British [territorial] soldier and that the theatre of war was most probably northern Europe or possibly Turkey based largely on circumstantial evidence suggested by the source of the photo. if he comes from or is related to the family I suspect - the Cheshers of Hertfordshire - they have a family history of enlisting in 'local' regiments.
Thanks to all for your suggestions and interest.
Tony