Need identification of this uniform in WW11. RAF Army, or AirForce John Hodgson

[Jmama]

My uncle was a Trooper and was killed as his ship was torpedoed arriving in Singapore. My father was in the Air Force but while not in uniform that I recognize all the time I cannot tell who is who in this picture. Can you identify what type of dress they are wearing in this pic as my uncle and my father look so much alike.

[bowman]

The top pic shows the cap badge for the Kings own, as this shows

[shirleylds]

My husband says it is army, infantry and right at the beginning of WW2 hence the reason it looks like WW1

[Jmama]

So with this badge would you say he is with the army? If so then it would be my uncle who was with (5th Bn. The Loyal Regt.) Regt.,, Reconnaissance Corps.

[Jmama]

Thank you Shirelylds for your observations on that. Yes he was killed in Feb 1942 and was a trooper.
Okay that is one down and one to go!

The attire for warm weather might be anyone's guess. I wish I knew where the pic was taken so I could identify the right relative. Anyone care to take a stab at it?

[John915]

Good evening,

The man in the first piccy is in the Kings own Royal (Lancaster) regt but he is not a trooper. That is a cavalry rank, equivalent to private, not used by any other arms.

John915

[mmm45]

5th were a Territorial battalion originally infantry but they converted early 1942 and became part of Royal Armoured Corps still retaining their Kings Own cap badge hence the rank change.

Ady

[Jmama]

Good evening gentlemen,

The reason I say Trooper is that is what he is addressed as by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the Singapore Memorial. I do thank you both for helping me to decipher which picture applies to him.  My father was RAF and initially went to Burma in 1938 so I wonder if the  warm weather attire is actually my father's pic. Both he and my Uncle John looked almost like twins.

[sharki]

In the second picture, I am intrigued by the shirts worn by four of the men. The man on the extreme right is wearing a standard issue khaki drill shirt but the other four seem to be wearing some sort of sporting shirt. Note the white(?) piping at neck and sleeves, however, they all appear to be wearing issue shorts. For some reason, just a gut feeling really, Polo is the sport that comes to mind. Also, the man at the front left looks to be holding a fly swatter, whilst behind them the large tree looks very much like a conifer of some description. I can't remember ever seeing conifer trees in the far east, so could this picture have been taken whilst they were in transit, maybe the Middle East? I have a photograph of a relative wearing pretty much an identical helmet to the one held by the man on the right, when he was serving in N.Africa with the 8th. Army. Not much help in distinguishing between your uncle and your father but hopefully something I have said may give a lead somehow.