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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: CF1981 on Sunday 17 July 16 13:47 BST (UK)
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Hi, not sure if this is the right place for this, but does anyone know what regiment of the Italian army this is? Or could someone point me in the direction of someone who would know? The photo is my 3 times great grandfather. Thanks :)
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Which war was he involved in, do you know?
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Hi, I think this photo was taken around 1870, just after the unification of Italy. It could be later, 1890 maybe. But he's a youngish man there, and he was having children in the 1870-80's. I don't know if he was involved in any battles related to the unification of Italy? I have no idea. He would have been too old for World War One, his son, my great great grandfather fought in that war, in the British Royal Field Artillery. Thanks.
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Looks like a, busby type hat pity can't make out all of the badge on it, perhaps light cavalry.
Try posting on the Armed Forces Board
James
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Probably a NCO and not an officer as he is posing with a rifle. Going by the British Army he looks like an Italian Lance-Corporal. But that is a wild guess. Scroll down to very last image and that might give rank and choices of army units. On the bottom line (right of the trumpeter) there is an X image badge similar to the X image which is near the plume of the hat on your photograph.
http://www.uniformology.com/RUHL-08.html
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Not a British uniform. The headdress is strikingly similar to a French Army Shako worn today by the French Republican Guard so could it be French. Google images will also show similar collar worn by some senior ranks. Shako badge if identifiable will give the regiment.
However, if definitely Italian as the original post says, then cancel the above!!
maxD
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Am I seeing things, or is there a number "2" on the hat?
Frank.
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Yes is looks like a number 2
No is looks like the the Crossed Axes of the (Saper) Sapper? badge on the images attached. previously.
I am sitting on the fence on this one.
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Am I seeing things, or is there a number "2" on the hat?
Frank.
Now you point it out, I can see it. Possibly just an emblem of uniform. Cannot see why there would be a number 2 on regimental hat. But know nothing, stand to be corrected.
Great pic by the way.
Cas
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What do we think, I think it's the number "2"
Frank.
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I think it's highly probable it's a number ' cavalry number' maybe, after reading this page
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Military-History-669/2011/2/Uniform-Identification-5.htm
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Would number 2 be on a non English reg hat thou ?
But know nothing about Italian or French number systems except basic French
Cas
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What would an Italian number 2 look like ;D ;D
74 is on the hat in the link I gave ~ so possible
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What would an Italian number 2 look like ;D ;D
This answers that one ;D
An Italian 2nd Artillery Cavalry Cap Badge,
http://www.emedals.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/small_image/327x245/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/a/n/an_italian_2nd_a_5522ee1aea763.jpg
Frank.
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Doh! ;D ;D ;D
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Good evening,
Probably a NCO and not an officer as he is posing with a rifle. Going by the British Army he looks like an Italian Lance-Corporal. But that is a wild guess. Scroll down to very last image and that might give rank and choices of army units. On the bottom line (right of the trumpeter) there is an X image badge similar to the X image which is near the plume of the hat on your photograph.
http://www.uniformology.com/RUHL-08.html
Strangest rifle iv'e ever seen, actually it's a cavalry sabre. I think heavy cavalry but don't know a lot about the Italian cavalry.
The no "2" is not part of his badge, that is the large item lower down on the front of the busby. It may just be a reflection or some sort of device on the bit that holds the plume on.
John915
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TBH I also thought sword not rifle, but out of depth here, no knowledge
Cas
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Yeah.. I'd go with sword. But I still think it looks like a '2', but wading far out of my depth here
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Good evening,....................................................................
The no "2" is not part of his badge, that is the large item lower down on the front of the busby. It may just be a reflection or some sort of device on the bit that holds the plume on.
John915
Hi, yes, its not part of the badge but I just wondered what it signified ;) it definitely looks like the number "2"
Frank.
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I'm confused... is it a number 2 ??? ? or a shadow
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I'm confused... is it a number 2 ??? ? or a shadow
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I'm going to stick my neck out (that's what Yorkshire men do ;D ) and go with my first thoughts that it is indeed the number 2.
Frank.
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It looks too defined to be a shadow, thanks :)
( Yorkshire men ~ know all about them, am married to one ;)
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Back again ;D
I now think it's definitely the number "2" and he is cavalry, the attached Link shows a cavalry man, different Busby / Cap badge but with a number on the bottom of the plume, this one is "6" but the one on the CF1981's photograph is "2"
Frank.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Collina_Costantino_(1880-1929)_as_cavalry_man_at_arms_portrait.jpg
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Oh! well done Frank, that's a great picture, very clear :)
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Good evening,
Good find Frank, just spent ages looking for images of Italian uniforms, badges and other insignia. That one never came up though. Iv'e been trying to find the upside down chevron, not a rank as far as I can tell.
John915
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Probably a NCO and not an officer as he is posing with a rifle. Going by the British Army he looks like an Italian Lance-Corporal. But that is a wild guess. Scroll down to very last image and that might give rank and choices of army units. On the bottom line (right of the trumpeter) there is an X image badge similar to the X image which is near the plume of the hat on your photograph.
http://www.uniformology.com/RUHL-08.html
Hi, Thanks for the reply. He's actually holding a sword. I should have cropped the photo a bit better, sorry. Thanks for the link, I'll have a look it :)
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Back again ;D
I now think it's definitely the number "2" and he is cavalry, the attached Link shows a cavalry man, different Busby / Cap badge but with a number on the bottom of the plume, this one is "6" but the one on the CF1981's photograph is "2"
Frank.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Collina_Costantino_(1880-1929)_as_cavalry_man_at_arms_portrait.jpg
Thank you so much!! My family will be really happy to get this info! :)
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Using Frank's picture of the other cavalryman (Collina Costantino), I searched for other pictures of this man and found this one: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Collina_Costantino_(1880-1929)_as_cavalry_caporal.jpg
The chevron on the arm must represent the corporal rank.
RRTB
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I am wondering if the badge on the left arm in the OP's picture is a "distintivo da maniscalco". (http://www.frontedelpiave.info/userfiles/image/uniformi/cavalleria/soldato%20dei%20cavalleggeri%20con%20distintivo%20da%20maniscalco.jpg)
It can be very clearly seen in the above picture, and when translated into English it means "Farrier's Badge".
Also, the badge on the front of the headgear would appear to be that of a Reggimento di cavallegeri with the number 23. The picture posted below shows one which appears to be pretty similar and is from the Reggimento "Cavalleggeri di Lucca" 16°.
(http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/cavalleria/imgcav/16a.jpg)
RRTB
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Sorry about the third post in a row, but I have just googled "Reggimento cavaleggeri 23" and came up with Cavalleggeri di Umberto I (23°) dal (from) 1887 al (to) 1919. Would this fit with the era of the photograph? The following link would tend to say yes:
http://www.museocavalleria.it/Scuola%20e%20Reggimenti/Linea/Umberto%20I.htm
RRTB