Photo Restore - Trooper Tickle HQ Squadron, 3rd Carabaniers

[SophieTopDog]

I would be grateful for help in restoring this old photo of my dad.
I think it was taken during his national service before WW2.
On the back of the photo is written:
Trooper W Tickle 404566
HQ Squadron
3rd Carabaniers
Cavalry Barracks
Colchester
Essex

My dad was born in 1914, he looks quite young, so would expect the photo was taken in the 1930’s
The family story goes that after completing his national service, he was later called up in WW2 and as he had recently been through his training, he was made a corporal and spent his service training new recruits.

Thanks

[japeflakes]

Any chance of a better scan-photo to work on? This is just a quick starter

[SophieTopDog]

Hi
The picture that I posted was added as an attachment, I started with a better quality image, is there another way to send a larger file?

[SophieTopDog]

Hopefully a better quality image

[SophieTopDog]

trying again

[DanNC]

My contribution:

[ShaunJ]

Something is not quite right for a man born in 1914.

404566 is a pre-1920 regimental number issued by the Royal Tank Corps to a William Tickle who enlisted (according to FindMyPast) in 1919. He transferred to 3rd Carabiniers and was discharged in 1931.

From July 1940 he served with "RE/AMPC" ( the Pioneer Corps) with army number 13045340.

NB there was no "National Service" before 1939.

[SophieTopDog]

Thank you for your reply ShaunJ
William Tickle was my father, he was definitely born in 1914
I have his army pay book, showing his army number as 13045340, enlisted at Wigan on 4/7/40 for the Territorial Army.
I didn’t know that he served with the Pioneer Corps.

The photo that I originally posted is definitely my father.
On the back is handwritten
Trooper W Tickle 404566
HQ Squadron, 3rd Carabiniers, Cavalry Barracks, Colchester, Essex
Home address: 19 Baldwin St, Wigan

My dad was definitely in the army before WW2, it was some sort of cavalry regiment, as he spoke of dealing with horses during that time.

I have added a scan of the back of the photo.
The number 404566 is darker than the surname Tickle.
I don’t know why, maybe added later???

I thought my dad said that the first army stint was as national service, I must have misunderstood, he died 40 years ago, so the memory of his stories are a little flakey.

During his second period of service in WW2, he was quickly made up to corporal or lance corporal, because of his “recent” training.

I cannot explain the pre 1920 number, these are the only documents that I have.

[SophieTopDog]

Handwriting on rear of photograph