Can anyone help identify the regiment/unit shown in this photo...

[baardsgirl]

Hi! My Granddad, Len James, (b. 1900 Chipping Norton, England; d. 1972 Tasmania, Australia) was a member of the Armed Forces but I don't have many details around this.

My dad and uncle believe that Grandpa was a Coldstreamer. My dad also remembers some talk of Turkey. We do not believe that Grandpa participated in WWI active service.

I do also have a few photos that were in my grandmother's photo album, but I know nothing about military history, uniforms or the like. Can anyone help me?

Many thanks!
baardsgirl

[alan o]

No badges visible at all but the blue No1 dress tunic has pairs of buttons up the front.  This is unique to the Coldstream Guards.

[alan o]

The bottom photo is 1920s/30s as there are WW1 medal ribbons.  Your man has no ribbons so did not serve overseas before 1918.

[mmm45]

His record may be available from MOD archives it costs £30 and a few months wait.

Ady

[John915]

Good evening,

The fact that he wears no medal ribbons may just mean the photos were taken before they were issued. Of the 3 regular battalions 1st and 2nd were in England and were sent to France from here. 3rd battalion were in the middle east and returned to France from there.

The uniforms in the first 2 are overseas style so would indicate he was 3rd battalion and the photos are taken there pre France. Also looking at the rifles, they are in parade condition not weapons that have seen the trenches as yet.

John915

[alan o]

Look at his birth date of 1900 - he was not in the BEF in 1914!

[John915]

Back again,

That would also fit with 1st and 3rd battalions being in Palestine after the war.

Oddly the long long trail say the 3rd batt were in Chelsea barracks when war started but the piece of regt'l history I read says they were in the middle east.

John915

[baardsgirl]

Wow guys, thank you all for the input, it has helped a lot! The photo of the lads cleaning their rifles was taken in England I believe, as there is a photographer's stamp on the back and that stamp includes the location, 'Pirbright'. There is sadly no date. I figured it was the military barracks that he trained at. Another question... Len (Leonard) was born and raised in Worcestershire (Chipping Norton) but I heard, or read, somewhere that Coldstreamers are historically recruited from a particular route, and that doesn't include Chipping Norton. One other question in regards to that photo... I understand that the No. 15 Company is the Coldstream Guards band (and HQ) and I see words that look like '15 plat' written on the barrack hut. Could this mean that he was part of the band? And would a band member have been deployed overseas? Sorry if these are really dumb questions, but I am fairly close to totally ignorant of military matters.
Again, thanks for taking the time to answer my post!

[mmm45]

A Platoon is a body of men approx 30 strong these Platoons made up Companies.
I suspect the photos are of training at Pirbright which was the Guards Depot.
Most of the sergeants with him have Great War medals.

Ady