identification of uniform or military unit

[mayoevie]

Does anybody know when and where this photograph could have been taken?  What kind of a military branch or unit would this be.

[Pete Keane]

Not without the photo.......

[mayoevie]

Sorry Pete,
There was a problem uploading the picture. It is now in place and perhaps you or some other military expert knows something about the uniform.

Eve

[forester]

Hello Eve,

I'll be the first to stick my neck out then.

Going purely on the cap badges:

Second from the left, standing, looks like Army Service Corps. The three to the right of him look like Royal Army Medical Corps. The combination of the two would tend to make me think of an ambulance unit of some sort.

The two to the left of him, particularly with the angle they are standing, I'm even less sure about.

Phil

[ainslie]

 A bit more comment.  Their service dress tunics are all of the utility pattern, so probably they joined up during WW1 and not before.  'Thumb in belt' is a lance corporal. Others are privates.  No medal ribbons, wound stripes, overseas service stripes or visible trade badges.  One, at least, has breeches and the goggles may mean they are motor cyclists, but despatch riders usually wore a blue and white armband.

[Pete Keane]

Three different Corps, thing in common is the goggles, but not armbands as pointed out...

Motorcycle or motorvehicle drivers training course?

I mention motorvehicle as the ASC had different types of transport driver, T1 to 4, this could be the T4 training, ie motorised lorry, for which goggles would be worn (as cabs not enclosed).

So possibly a motor lorry / ambulance driver course.

Pete

When? post 1915 due to tunics.

[scrimnet]

Late spring, early summer of 1917.

I reckon that they are ALL ASC, and thus all drivers of some motor vehicles or other.

Some have mounted puttees, some do not.

I'm afraid I can see no RAMC badges there mate!

Points to note on this...

RAMC did not drive the ambys, and they would have been trade trained on entry to medical assistants... Thus would have small round Geneva Cross on both arms

[mayoevie]

Wow. Thank you Phil. Ainslie, Pete and Scrimnet.

I have to admit that I am totally ignorant of military matters and terms and abbreviations.

This photo was among the things that were guarded by my late mother and I have only recently seen it for the first time. Two of her uncles joined the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. The youngest was killed in France in 1916 and his brother was injured in France and married his French nurse and never returned to Ireland.

Is it possible that any of the men in the picture could be members of the RDF.

The picture looks quite formal and I wonder is it possible that there could be a copy somewhere in military archives which might contain the names of the soldiers.

Eve

[forester]

I bow to a man with better eyes than me.  

The lack of Geneva Cross was puzzling me.

Phil