RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: tamworth on Friday 23 January 15 03:44 GMT (UK)
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Can this photo be dated? He is my Great Uncle, he was killed in WW1. His second name was Phillips.
The photo is on board 8 and a half inches by 6 inches across on grey board approx 3mm thick. Taken in the 'Williams Pioneer Studio London & provinces'. The back has the number 9013.
Can any information re rank, regiment etc be learned from his uniform? Any info would be appreciated.
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Have you looked on the Commonwealth War Graves site:
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1
Can you give more information such as his first name and date of death?
Have asked the moderators to move this to the military board where I'm sure one of the experts will be able to tell about his uniform.
Presuming he enlisted at the start of the war in 1914 and was KIA, then that would narrow down the time frame for the photo.
Caz
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Unfortunately I don't know his first name or date of death. I am trying to find out more information about him.
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Do you have another family member's name he might have lived with that I could check the census returns for you if you haven't already done so?
Or where he may be from?
Any other information you can share so we can help you search would be handy if you don't mind posting it (or pming even).
Caz
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There is actually a fair bit of information showing in the photograph.
He is wearing the Imperial Service badge - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_Force_Imperial_Service_Badge - showing he served in a territorial battalion and had agreed to serve overseas. Wiki say it was introduced in 1912. Men enlisting in the first weeks of WW1 were also awarded it. If he enlisted before WW1 then he would have lived close to the HQ as he would have attended one evening a week
His cap badge is for a fusiliers regiment. Given where the photograph was taken it is likely he was in the London Regiment which comprised more than 20 Territorial battalions affiliated to various regiments, including the first four affiliated to the Royal Fusiliers - http://www.1914-1918.net/london.htm
Once the original battalions were full they created a second line, and then a third line - 2nd/1st Bn, 3rd/2nd etc. These are listed lower down on the web page.
Unfortunately 9013 will not be his number. The TF were created in 1908 from Volunteer Battalions, and they started at number 1 again.
If you had family close to one of the districts covering 1st to 4th Battalions I would start there.
He has no rank chevrons, so a Private.
Ken
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Thank you all for the information. His fathers name was James , mothers name Louisa Maria. They lived in London about 1886 .
Ray