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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs => Topic started by: mijath on Tuesday 11 October 22 23:20 BST (UK)
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Hello, can anyone help me date the attached photograph?
I've always assumed it was connected to relatives who were in the army around the time of the Great War.
I've included a close-up in case the cap badges help.
Thank you
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It doesn't look like a WW1 photo more like WW2 or even later. A couple of the older guys have medal ribbons so they could have been earned in an earlier war.
If would best to put this on the Military Board for a more informed response. Showing the full photo including the back always helps as these are dating aids.
Carol
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I thought with the caps WW1 but then one man at the front has a hat like WW2 .
Can’t quite make out the badge but they are a nice lookin lot!
Viktoria.
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One guy on the front row is wearing a Glengarry and tartan trousers so one of the Scottish Regiments.
Carol
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I would agree it is post WW1. There are a few very young lads in amongst the faces.
Front row appear to have a variety of cap badges. Front row also seem to be displaying on the ground in front, trophies and medals. What a shame one cannot read what is written on the large trophy cup.
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Yes I agree Neale, pershaps a high res scan at around 600-800dpi image of the the cup would reveal valuable information. If the poster is in possession of the original.
Carol
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The cap badge on the young men is that of The Royal Army Ordnance Corps.
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The composition of the group makes me think this may be a training establishment, with the permanent staff seated in the front row being drawn from an number of other regiments, predominantly the Light Infantry. I don't think this is a platoon in basic training because of the number of cups they appear to have won. Basic training only lasts about 12 weeks and there wouldn't be time for something like a shooting team to enter that many competitions. That makes me think this may have been an RAOC junior soldiers battalion where the recruits remained for a couple of years. If I'm right about that, this article may provide more clues: https://www.juniorleadersraoc.co.uk/History/History_ofJuniorTraining_inRAOC.pdf
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Just to confirm this is post WW1 the Officers cuff rank insignia was discontinued in 1920.
Only the oldest 2 Officers have WW1 medal ribbons which gives the impression
this is 1930's & before the uniform change.
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Only the oldest 2 Officers have WW1 medal ribbons which gives the impression
this is 1930's & before the uniform change.
jim, I'm wondering if this was a slip of the metaphorical pen. There is only one officer here, the captain sitting behind the large cup. There are 3 LCpls, 3 Sergeants (one of whom has medal ribbons) a staff sergeant and a WO2 who is not a Company Sergeant Major, so if this is a shooting team maybe he is the QMSI responsible for skill at arms training. Junior and Senior NCOs are never referred to as officers, even though the word clearly appears in their title (there is one exception to that general rule: a soldier would be charged with striking a superior officer if he hit another soldier who was senior to him by rank, even if that was a non-commissioned rank).
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A slip of the metaphorical brain I think.
The chap with the Tam is an NCO of course.
Still appear to be the 2 oldest even the older
NCO's don't have them hence the date.
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I would certainly agree with your dating.
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Thank you all for your replies - you've been so helpful.
Given what you've said I think this must be a photo from my grandad's earliest years in the army - he joined aged 15 in 1939. He was in the RAOC.
I had wrongly assumed it was his father and uncles' generation.
Looking at it again I think I can see a boy who may be my grandad - it's quite difficult to be sure because I don't have many photos of him from this period!