Help re Uniform

[ScouseBoy]

 See http://www.thegarrison.org.uk/history/index.php for other info.

The uniforms shown were certainly in use by the BEF and if he was married Q4 1939, he may have been a pre-war regular or Terrier.

Regards,

Pete

           I do not see the connection when you say he may have been a pre war regular or Terrier.      He was just age 21  that would be a normal age for getting married.   If he knew that he was getting transferred to France, surely that would be  a factor in him deciding to get married before he marched off to war.

[ScouseBoy]

What was the significance of the white lanyard?   and on a later post on page one of this thread he was wearing the lanyard  on his left shoulder, but on the original photo the lanyard was on his right shoulder. 

[scrimnet]

 See http://www.thegarrison.org.uk/history/index.php for other info.

The uniforms shown were certainly in use by the BEF and if he was married Q4 1939, he may have been a pre-war regular or Terrier.

Regards,

Pete

           I do not see the connection when you say he may have been a pre war regular or Terrier.      He was just age 21  that would be a normal age for getting married.   If he knew that he was getting transferred to France, surely that would be  a factor in him deciding to get married before he marched off to war.

At age 21 in 1940, he could have joined up in 1937/8 at age 18....He could have joined as a boy at age 14/16...So he could have had the kit for ages if he was a regular....If he was a Terrier, he would have only been issued this kit, and not BD until later...

[scrimnet]

What was the significance of the white lanyard?   and on a later post on page one of this thread he was wearing the lanyard  on his left shoulder, but on the original photo the lanyard was on his right shoulder. 

The lanyard for the RA was originally worn on the left shoulder. Some say the change from the left shoulder to the right possibly took place circa the Great War when the ammunition bandolier was introduced, which was worn over the left shoulder. Others say that 1924 was the date of change due to rifles being positioned at the slope arms on the left shoulder which would soil the white lanyard. There is also a legend of it representing cowardice for a historical abandoning of the guns, but coming from a long line of Gunners I choose to ignore this! See http://www.thegarrison.org.uk/history/index.php for other info.

The uniforms shown were certainly in use by the BEF and if he was married Q4 1939, he may have been a pre-war regular or Terrier.

Regards,

Pete

They were originally lanyards for jack knives in the infantry and for the drop shorts, they were used for bits of kit that could be dropped or lost such as the pokey thing that would clear the firing hole in cannons....

They became fancy as the troops were encouraged to do them in their spare time themselves, as the devil makes work for idle soldiers!!!

[ScouseBoy]

as far as I can see it,  Soldiers getting married during WW2 were rather creative with the uniform regulations.