Dress or photo clues sought from sharp eyes.

[RRTB]

With the War Medal and Victory Medal in the wrong order, I had a look at the medal ribbon on the extreme left and I *think* I detect a hint of green stripes either side of a purple shaded one. If I'm right then that would possibly be the GSM 18, and it's in the correct place albeit a back-to-front order in relation to the other two medals.

The ribbon on the extreme right of the picture though is much harder to determine any shade of colour in it.

[Fresh Fields]

Hello.

Sometimes it takes something like a service ribbon to highlight the fact that a photo has been taken from the wrong side if a negative [also happens with printing plates/blocks] but I don't know in this case, as the photo is not mine.

For a number of years I was involved editing an annual for an organization, and our publisher always preferred to have the images facing inwards to the centre of the page. I tried to keep that in mind when doing page proof, paste up's.

At this stage every thing about this mans pre NZ heritage is a mystery, with oral history not stacking up.

- Alan.

OOP's must have been burning the midnight oil. The ribbon would have been on the OPPOSING CHEST if it had been reversed in developing / publishing.

[DavidG02]

Having read the other thread/post - it is suggested that the subject of this colourisation was also the colourist. It may be possible  that the blurring was deliberate and the ribbons defined could have been guessed at etc.

But also from Papers Past he was a judge in Photography section at A@ P show at Orari .Dont think he was a professional photographer ,he did colour photos as did my Dad

[marymog]

Hi Folks

could it not be something simple like the wife sowed the ribbons on upside down.

[Fresh Fields]

Surely a WIFE would not be as stupid as that !!

I suppose in that vain if you were in a hurry doing a last minute attachment, say for an ANZAC service, looking down at your chest you could think the bar was correct.

Any thing was possible, but going to the trouble to colour what turned out to be quite a striking image, that could be hung with pride in a home, I would have expected it to have been 'coloured' correctly.  All those years and visiting veterans, never saw fit to challenge the painting's representation.

It is possible that he was medi-evacuated from a WWI front campaign only to have got a 'Dear John' letter and decided to go to the other side of the world, with a Kiwi acquaintance made along the way. To a Metropolitan raised man, the sound of the freedom of an out back sheep station in the NZ ranges, could have sounded just the ticket. Certainly nothing like the battle fields of France and Belgium.

[marymog]

Surely a WIFE would not be as stupid as that !!

Ah fresh fields, I had a neighbour once, young girl late 60s, hubby was a ten ton navvy, all muscles and mans man. They were skint at the time so his wife went to repairing all their clothes, she worked all day, even repaired the underpants. Next day at break time Navvy is standing in the urinal in a row with his workmates, when he discovered he couldnt get john thomas out. His wife had repaired the hole.!! Wives come in  all shapes and sizes.

[Geraldine Girl]

I was thinking if maybe Henry didnt colour the photo himself the Photographer may have done it? Might that explain the error in the ribbons? If Grandad coloured it himself he would surely get the colours correct,especially when he was an active member of the RSA wouldnt they have noticed ? Just a thought!

[Fresh Fields]

Surely a WIFE would not be as stupid as that !!

Ah fresh fields, I had a neighbour once, young girl late 60s, hubby was a ten ton navvy, all muscles and mans man. They were skint at the time so his wife went to repairing all their clothes, she worked all day, even repaired the underpants. Next day at break time Navvy is standing in the urinal in a row with his workmates, when he discovered he couldnt get john thomas out. His wife had repaired the hole.!! Wives come in  all shapes and sizes.

You bring tears to my eyes. She would never live that one down, or was it stitch up !!

Nor would he if his mates became aware.

Alan.

[Geraldine Girl]

I like your thinking Alan! I feel sure something happened to make him leave all he knew ,whether it was a Dear John or desertion who knows!