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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: Jmama on Saturday 05 July 14 19:21 BST (UK)
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My uncle was a Trooper and was killed as his ship was torpedoed arriving in Singapore. My father was in the Air Force but while not in uniform that I recognize all the time I cannot tell who is who in this picture. Can you identify what type of dress they are wearing in this pic as my uncle and my father look so much alike.
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The top pic shows the cap badge for the Kings own, as this shows
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My husband says it is army, infantry and right at the beginning of WW2 hence the reason it looks like WW1 :)
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So with this badge would you say he is with the army? If so then it would be my uncle who was with (5th Bn. The Loyal Regt.) Regt.,, Reconnaissance Corps.
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Thank you Shirelylds for your observations on that. Yes he was killed in Feb 1942 and was a trooper.
Okay that is one down and one to go!
The attire for warm weather might be anyone's guess. I wish I knew where the pic was taken so I could identify the right relative. Anyone care to take a stab at it?
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Good evening,
The man in the first piccy is in the Kings own Royal (Lancaster) regt but he is not a trooper. That is a cavalry rank, equivalent to private, not used by any other arms.
John915
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5th were a Territorial battalion originally infantry but they converted early 1942 and became part of Royal Armoured Corps still retaining their Kings Own cap badge hence the rank change.
Ady
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Good evening gentlemen,
The reason I say Trooper is that is what he is addressed as by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the Singapore Memorial. I do thank you both for helping me to decipher which picture applies to him. My father was RAF and initially went to Burma in 1938 so I wonder if the warm weather attire is actually my father's pic. Both he and my Uncle John looked almost like twins.
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In the second picture, I am intrigued by the shirts worn by four of the men. The man on the extreme right is wearing a standard issue khaki drill shirt but the other four seem to be wearing some sort of sporting shirt. Note the white(?) piping at neck and sleeves, however, they all appear to be wearing issue shorts. For some reason, just a gut feeling really, Polo is the sport that comes to mind. Also, the man at the front left looks to be holding a fly swatter, whilst behind them the large tree looks very much like a conifer of some description. I can't remember ever seeing conifer trees in the far east, so could this picture have been taken whilst they were in transit, maybe the Middle East? I have a photograph of a relative wearing pretty much an identical helmet to the one held by the man on the right, when he was serving in N.Africa with the 8th. Army. Not much help in distinguishing between your uncle and your father but hopefully something I have said may give a lead somehow.
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Thank you Sharki,
I do appreciate your insight as my father trained in Rhodesia for his pilots license in 1945 before returning to Lincolnshire to train on Lancasters. He had run into a boyhood friend whilst there who was with the Members of the Tin Hats -MOTH in South Africa. The friend was a 1st Class Air Officer of the Fleet Air Arm aboard the HMS Birmingham. Perhaps my dad spent a little time with them before returning to England. This makes sense to me know. You have solvd the riddle kind sir and for that I am very grateful.
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The Kings Own soldier is wearing the shoulder titles of a part-time Territorial solider - It is probably pre 1940 and possibly pre-war. He is not serving in the Recce Regt at time of taking but could be when the 5th was still an Infantry regt.
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5th Battalion, The Loyal Regiment was converted to 18th Battalion, Reconnaissance Corps and as such was recce. unit of 18th Infantry Division, initially in India, then Malaya. Hence hot weather kit. The Division was captured entire at Singapore.
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This is extraordinary gentleman! I really am intrigued by your observations of the uniforms which is an incredible help to me. On the CWGC site it states the following.........In Memory of Trooper John Hodgson..........18th(5th Bn. The Royal Regt.) Regt., Reconnaissance Corps who died age 24 and remembered with honour Singapore Memorial.
Thank you Regorian for the timeline for this battalion. It makes perfect sense now and I was not sure if my uncle had served elsewhere before deploying to Singapore. All of you have given me more than I could have found on my own. I guess I should have searched the 18th to start with to follow their tracks. I am more wise for it now!
Thank you all as your opinions are appreciated.