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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: SophieTopDog on Tuesday 26 November 19 12:57 GMT (UK)
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I would be grateful for help in restoring this old photo of my dad.
I think it was taken during his national service before WW2.
On the back of the photo is written:
Trooper W Tickle 404566
HQ Squadron
3rd Carabaniers
Cavalry Barracks
Colchester
Essex
My dad was born in 1914, he looks quite young, so would expect the photo was taken in the 1930’s
The family story goes that after completing his national service, he was later called up in WW2 and as he had recently been through his training, he was made a corporal and spent his service training new recruits.
Thanks
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Any chance of a better scan-photo to work on? This is just a quick starter
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Hi
The picture that I posted was added as an attachment, I started with a better quality image, is there another way to send a larger file?
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Hopefully a better quality image
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trying again
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My contribution:
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Something is not quite right for a man born in 1914.
404566 is a pre-1920 regimental number issued by the Royal Tank Corps to a William Tickle who enlisted (according to FindMyPast) in 1919. He transferred to 3rd Carabiniers and was discharged in 1931.
From July 1940 he served with "RE/AMPC" ( the Pioneer Corps) with army number 13045340.
NB there was no "National Service" before 1939.
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Thank you for your reply ShaunJ
William Tickle was my father, he was definitely born in 1914
I have his army pay book, showing his army number as 13045340, enlisted at Wigan on 4/7/40 for the Territorial Army.
I didn’t know that he served with the Pioneer Corps.
The photo that I originally posted is definitely my father.
On the back is handwritten
Trooper W Tickle 404566
HQ Squadron, 3rd Carabiniers, Cavalry Barracks, Colchester, Essex
Home address: 19 Baldwin St, Wigan
My dad was definitely in the army before WW2, it was some sort of cavalry regiment, as he spoke of dealing with horses during that time.
I have added a scan of the back of the photo.
The number 404566 is darker than the surname Tickle.
I don’t know why, maybe added later???
I thought my dad said that the first army stint was as national service, I must have misunderstood, he died 40 years ago, so the memory of his stories are a little flakey.
During his second period of service in WW2, he was quickly made up to corporal or lance corporal, because of his “recent” training.
I cannot explain the pre 1920 number, these are the only documents that I have.
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Handwriting on rear of photograph
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So he must have been a boy soldier. Perhaps the old regimental numbering system persisted for boy soldiers. He was discharged on 4 May 1931 under Kings Regulations para 370 (VIa) which I think is medical grounds. He would only have been around 17.
The FindMyPast transcription must be incorrect as to the enlistment date. The ledger in question covers 1919-1934 enlistments and they may have used the first year as the default if no date was stated.
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Thank you for the response.
I haven’t got a Findmypast subscription at the moment, but will check when I am able.
I will apply for his army records and see if these will provide more details.