RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: Kierancl on Monday 11 March 19 14:58 GMT (UK)
-
Hi all,
been doing some research on behalf of my father into my grandad who is in the photos below, wondered if anyone could help identify the badge from the cap and the patch on the shoulder?
The other photo has had both of us stumped and I thought maybe someone here may recognise something about the pins and Medal, according to my dad after the war my grandad wouldn't leave the house without all of them on and he doesn't remember why they were so important long shot I know
thanks in advance :)
-
The Gordon Highlanders.
I can’t help with the second photo.
-
Gordon Highlanders
-
Hi Kieranci,fascinating photo as quite rightly said the cap badge is Gordon Highlander's,but that's look's like a Royal Naval patch on his sleeve and the photo look's to have been touched up the metal shoulder title
look's like Canada! If you like I could post a link on WW2 forum in the relevent section see what the folk's
there make of it.
-
The anchor shoulder patch may simply be a Divisional Emblem.
The Gordon Hjghlanders Museum should be able to assist you with that.
Just a thought, but the other items you mentioned could just be good luck tokens he carried during his war service; my father had similar items.
-
Hi Kieranci,fascinating photo as quite rightly said the cap badge is Gordon Highlander's,but that's look's like a Royal Naval patch on his sleeve and the photo look's to have been touched up the metal shoulder title
look's like Canada! If you like I could post a link on WW2 forum in the relevent section see what the folk's
there make of it.
Thanks for the information and if you could that would be great any more information I could get would be great, could you explain what you mean by touched up? :) We did wonder if the anchor was naval but as far as he knows he was never in the navy. I guess he could have been at some point as my grandad rarely spoke of the war to my dad, I'm going to look through some more old photos my father has and see if there's anymore photos like this one and see if he knows anymore about his service history.
-
The anchor shoulder patch may simply be a Divisional Emblem.
The Gordon Hjghlanders Museum should be able to assist you with that.
Just a thought, but the other items you mentioned could just be good luck tokens he carried during his war service; my father had similar items.
I will look them up and see if I can get some information thanks :)
Yeah that would make sense quite possible they were just good luck tokens.
-
The word on the slip-on shoulder title looks like Gordon’s to me. The curved title is not clear enough to read.
-
I'll pop a link on the forum today,the shoulder title seemed to have been enhanced hence the "touched up"
the anchor patch is not as far as I can tell(two hour's scouring military websites) a British Divisional patch
which is where one would have been worn it look's like a Leading Seaman's badge navy blue with a red
anchor.Link now posted let's see what turn's up.
-
Hi Kieran,Grandad have link to the Shetland and Orkney's? here's a link to my WW2 forum post
http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/uniform-and-badge-help-gordon-highlanders.76127/
-
The IWM has an example of a foul anchor arm badge, but with initials A and A to each side. Google shows another with R and A.
Could be linked with Maritime regiments, RA, and could a Gordon’s TA unit have converted to RA, retaining some Highland bits of uniform? It certainly happened here with a KLR Bn changing to RE with searchlights, then to RA/AA with guns. They kept elements of title and possibly uniform.
-
The IWM has an example of a foul anchor arm badge, but with initials A and A to each side. Google shows another with R and A.
Could be linked with Maritime regiments, RA, and could a Gordon’s TA unit have converted to RA, retaining some Highland bits of uniform? It certainly happened here with a KLR Bn changing to RE with searchlights, then to RA/AA with guns. They kept elements of title and possibly uniform.
Same here with the DLI ainslie when some battalion's converted to searchlight and aa units.
-
Hi Kieran,Grandad have link to the Shetland and Orkney's? here's a link to my WW2 forum post
http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/uniform-and-badge-help-gordon-highlanders.76127/
I’d need to ask my dad about that it’s possible I know my grandad and gran met in Scotland during the war so that would make sense, I will find out if he knows thanks for posting that for me I will have a look now :)
-
So I had a chat with my dad He's said he was up in Scotland and was something to do with Scapa Flow as he volunteered to join the parachute regiment, apparently my grandad use to say he volunteered cause he was bored up in Scotland
Also looked through some more photos every photo of him he seems to be wearing a different uniform :o
-
Probably your next step might be to ask for his Army record's Kieran thay are held by the MOD
cost around £30,you need nothing but his name and date of birth on the form plus a death certificate
if the person has passed away,I'm sure there's a guide here in the Armed forces section.
Good luck Steve.