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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: Alexander. on Thursday 16 July 15 10:39 BST (UK)

Title: Date and ID military photo possibly WW1
Post by: Alexander. on Thursday 16 July 15 10:39 BST (UK)
I'm assuming this photo is from WWI, but it would be great if it is possible to narrow down the date. Also I have no idea who is in the photo, so if any information can be gleaned from uniforms, etc., that would be most useful.

Thanks,
Alexander
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: jim1 on Thursday 16 July 15 11:05 BST (UK)
I would suggest this is pre WW1 & sometime during the Edwardian era.
Their helmet plates are indistinct but the lanyards suggest Artillery.
As the warm weather kit suggests this was taken overseas.
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: Seoras on Thursday 16 July 15 11:09 BST (UK)
The headings on the back are Italian and French.
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: Regorian on Thursday 16 July 15 11:31 BST (UK)
They're not British. Probably French troops. Found similar image for Congo 1905.
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: Alexander. on Thursday 16 July 15 11:45 BST (UK)
Thanks Jim, Seoras, & Regorian. :)

Interesting, that is earlier than I was expecting. If they're not British then I have no clue who they could possibly be, or why and how we came to have the photo...

Alexander
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: jim1 on Thursday 16 July 15 12:10 BST (UK)
They're wearing British uniforms (post 1908 I think).
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: ScouseBoy on Thursday 16 July 15 12:22 BST (UK)
Also it is before the smoking ban 
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: jim1 on Thursday 16 July 15 12:26 BST (UK)
I've put a link to this on the armed forces board.
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: ScouseBoy on Thursday 16 July 15 12:30 BST (UK)
Could be italians in North Africa .  Cyrenaica... Or Tunisia
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: km1971 on Thursday 16 July 15 12:56 BST (UK)
Tunisia was French. Italians took over Libya in 1911. They first acquired parts of Somalia in the 1880s. Could be either. UK had territories next to both. Italy joined the allies in WW1 in 1915.

You need an Italian fashion web site to discover when their soldiers started to put a crease in their uniform.

British postcards have message and address on one side after 1902.

Ken

Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: Regorian on Thursday 16 July 15 13:06 BST (UK)
No, Ken is right. I now think the jacket is the 1902 pattern British tropical issue. It actually survived into WWII. Patch pleat breast pockets only. Two of the three men are wearing what appears to be webbing belts which makes them British. So, it comes down to the helmet badges. I don't know what they were, New Zealanders had a similar badge. I don't know whether there were British or Commonwealth troops in Italy in WWI.   
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: JAGER on Thursday 16 July 15 16:14 BST (UK)
I don't know whether there were British or Commonwealth troops in Italy in WWI.

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9522135.stm
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: Alexander. on Thursday 16 July 15 23:52 BST (UK)
Thank you all for your insights. So the consensus seems to be that the soldiers may be British? I can't think of any relatives who were in the army before WWI, but I'll have a closer look. The problem is I'm not even sure from which side of my mother's family the photo came.

Alexander
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo possibly WW1
Post by: jess5athome on Friday 17 July 15 11:16 BST (UK)
I tried to enlarge the photograph but it's still not very clear, my first thought regarding the helmet plates was the "Royal Marines Light Infantry"

A quick internet search shows that the possibilities are endless

Frank.
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: youngtug on Friday 17 July 15 12:26 BST (UK)
I don't know whether there were British or Commonwealth troops in Italy in WWI.

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9522135.stm

 I have a person in my tree who was killed in 1918 in Italy. He was with the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He is buried at the Granezza British Cemetery. Vicenza. Veneto. Italy.
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo possibly WW1
Post by: ScouseBoy on Friday 17 July 15 12:31 BST (UK)
It could be in Egypt?     Look at the complexion of the clean shaven man
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo possibly WW1
Post by: ScouseBoy on Saturday 18 July 15 22:14 BST (UK)
The cap badge looks like RASC  or Royal Logistics Corps.   Could it therefore be Army Service Corps?
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo possibly WW1
Post by: John915 on Saturday 18 July 15 22:31 BST (UK)
Good evening,

This could be anytime WW1 to WW2. I would be inclined to veer towards early 20s just from the look of them.

The cap badge is indistinct but is definitely an 8 pointed star. There is no scroll under it so that leaves Army Service Corp or Devonshires.

Not only artillery wore lanyards Jim.

John915
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo
Post by: ScouseBoy on Sunday 19 July 15 09:07 BST (UK)
Tunisia was French. Italians took over Libya in 1911. They first acquired parts of Somalia in the 1880s. Could be either. UK had territories next to both. Italy joined the allies in WW1 in 1915.

You need an Italian fashion web site to discover when their soldiers started to put a crease in their uniform.

British postcards have message and address on one side after 1902.

Ken
What about Cyrenaica?
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo possibly WW1
Post by: alan o on Sunday 19 July 15 09:17 BST (UK)
These are definitely British tropical uniforms circa WW1.  No doubt about it. 
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo possibly WW1
Post by: ScouseBoy on Wednesday 29 July 15 07:24 BST (UK)
The helmet appears to be a British Wolseley pattern.

They were still being used during WW2 in Iraq and the Middle East.     
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo possibly WW1
Post by: John915 on Wednesday 29 July 15 22:53 BST (UK)
Good evening,

I'm leaning more and more towards the Devonshires. 2nd batt was in Egypt until 1914 however I don't think they are regular soldiers. Look at the trousers of the seated man on the right. His trousers are a good 6 in too long and have been folded up inside and sewn. The chap on the left also has a small part folded up inside. Regulars would have had properly fitted uniforms, especially pre war.

Several of the Territorial batts served most of the war in places like India and the middle east. From Egypt to Iraq so they are all good possibilities.

The new army batts all spent the war in france.

John915
Title: Re: Date and ID military photo possibly WW1
Post by: alan o on Thursday 30 July 15 06:50 BST (UK)
I would agree.  The belts are not the 08 pattern worn by the regulars.  The Great War Forum experts will tell you more.