Salisbury Plains

[Pdafmill]

Can anyone help with this photo please. It was found among my grandfather's papers. He had written on the back "Dad in camp at Salisbury Plains"

I am aware that the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire has been used by British military for some time, but these uniforms are a mystery to me and I had not known that my great-grandfather had served in any capacity.

"Dad" was John Mitchell, born in Longton, Staffordshire, England in 1880 and died in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in 1946. John is identified in the photo. He immigrated to Australia in 1911 and had been living in Yorkshire in 1907 (when my grandfather was born) and was married in 1905 at St Gregory's church, Longton, Staffordshire, England.

[km1971]

From the fancy braid work on all but two I would say it is a summer camp for part-timers. The hats suggests mounted, although they are not wearing riding breeches or spurs. So maybe mounted infantry.

Your best chance of identifying the regiment is the shoulder title of the man sitting in the centre. Either a magnifying glass or scanning just that area at a really high resolution may yield something.

Interesting that the mount is marked Leicester. Someone on the photo recognition section may be able to tell you when the photographer was active. Regulars stopped wearing that style of cuff c1901. The two without braidwork could be Regulars helping to training mounted infantry volunteers.

Ken

[Pdafmill]

You could be onto something there. By part-time do you mean like a citizens militia or reservists?

I have sent a copy to the Australian War memorial research team. Will see what they say too.
Thanks
Denise