Identify Military Uniform and date please

[sgauntlett]

This photo is of my Great Grandfather, Benjamin Cooke, born in 1874.

I'm trying to find some information about his military career but I can't find the WW1 record for him (there are other Benjamin Cookes but I know he was married in 1903 to Edith Clay so she or his children would be next of kin. Perhaps his record was destroyed?

Can anyone help me date or identify this uniform, the rank or anything? Given his DOB I suspect he served before WW1.

Thanks in advance.

Simon

[ainslie]

Certainly an officer - style of uniform, including Sam Browne belt.  Rank is difficult, as he has no cuffs showing, where 1914-era officers would have badges of rank, nor are pips/ crowns evident on the epaulettes, as worn later in WW1.  Can you scan the cap badge for us?  That might give a clue.
No medals, which might have helped with the date.
There are medal index cards for 6 Benjamin Cookes on the National Archives docs online, but none is shown as an officer.
Has the family any medals?  Had BC any other names?
Officers' records should be at the National Archives, but I am no expert on that and someone who is will advise you.

[scrimnet]

There is something about this pic....

Certainly WW1 period, as ainslie has pointed out...The chinstrap on his hat is also a pointer....it is narrow.

There are nil collar dogs, his Sam Browne looks like it has been "acquired" from a taller chap...The cross strap has been worn some 4 notches further down, and for some time. there is also something rather odd about his epaulettes.

"Wind up" jackets with rank on the shoulder were not unknown as early as 1915. Also the Guards did not wear cuff ranks at all...they always wore them on the shoulder.

His puttees, worn in a dismounted fashion look rather like other ranks rather than officers...

Nearly everybody in a position of repute in WW1 wore a uniform which would pass as an army one, from the Red Cross to even the Boys Brigade!!

I cannot make out the cap badge and if possible and as requested, a high def scan would help.

He may appear on the Army Lists of WW1, and he can be traced thus, also via the London Gazette: this is searchable on line. The Army Lists can be found in libraries and a number of Regt museums. If he appears on neither, he may well be one of the WW1 "paramilitaries" 

[sgauntlett]

Interesting.
I'm not aware of medals from this part of the family.

scrimnet, are you suggesting he was wearing this as "fancy dress" rather than for real? I know very little about this side of the family so anything is possible.

I have a slightly bigger image of his head but not really high def and I don't have access to the photo at the moment as it's with my parents.

[scrimnet]

No I'm not suggesting fancy dress at all!!

There were many many groups that wore mil type uniforms...I'll check the badge 

[ainslie]

Now we can see single pips at the top of the epaulettes, not at the outer end where they should be.  There is something at the outer end which I cannot recognise.
Could the cap badge be Army Ordnance Corps?
Buttons - look plain, with no badge.
Odd!
A

[scrimnet]

I am still leaning towards a WW1 Volunteer Unit (Home Guard type). This would explain dodgy rank stars (only oranges have pips!  ) and the fact that he doesn't look to have a very military bearing! I reckon this was taken just after the Volunteers were taken under the wing of the Line Regts...

Where was this chap living during WW1 and just before??

[sgauntlett]

Now I’m really intrigued! Benjamin was born November 1874, married June 1903, Died in 1929 as far as I can work out with certificates and census records. Born around Newark, Nottigham, married in Swinton, Lancaster and died in Basingstoke.

So, he was definitely alive in WW1, guess he would have been in his late 30’s.

Are there any Home Guard records anywhere?

[scrimnet]

It's not Home Guard as you would know it...

This is a WW1 Volunteer unit I reckon...Have you an address for him in 1914-19 at all as this would help to tie in with the badge, and we can pin him down...?