signature on a photograph

[arthurk]

Oops, I totally overlooked the 'f' - though when my handwriting was more cursive I think I varied it a bit. But looking again at the formation of that middle letter, I do now wonder if Sue (sparrett) is right with Texas. 

Maddy - you wondered if the man was an ex-patient but should have been in uniform, but could he have been invalided out some time previously, gone (back home?) to Texas, and was now sending a photo to say "Look at me now"? (So it's not a name but a place.)

[Gadget]

Not sure about the X - didn't we write it as back to back c.

[hepburn]

I think it's Texas too.His tie has the stripes going from right to left,the way Americans were them..

[arthurk]

Not sure about the X - didn't we write it as back to back c.

Yes we did, but I think for me the 'x' may have been one of the first casualties when my writing became less cursive and more italic. In any case, styles vary, and you've inspired me to investigate how handwriting was taught in the USA in that period. According to Wikipedia they (mostly? exclusively?) used Spencerian script, devised by Platt Rogers Spencer:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencerian_script

This is described in the Spencerian Key to Practical Penmanship, on p.47 of which he describes the letter 'x' as a downwards diagonal, finished off with an upwards diagonal crossing it:

https://archive.org/details/spenceriankeytop00spen/page/46/mode/2up

I think that could be what our signature shows, but it would be interesting to have the comments of anyone who is familiar with specifically US styles of handwriting.

(Good spot about the tie, hepburn.)

[Gadget]

I'm not convince on the T or the X but, as a left hander, I may be biased.

I spent many years marking essays and dissertations  and medics scrawl, mind, when most of them wrote by hand (definitely not cursive though)

 

[RyanUK]

Personally I think it may say Texas like has been suggested previously.
It could be a nickname i agree with that statement. However It seems to end a little abrupt for me to think it could be a person's name without signing something like "love  ....."  but that's just an opinion. The context is what's most important I would surmise.

[Ian Nelson]

The central line goes through the hair and so is not a scar ... see pic.  the other looks as though it might also go through the hair and stop just above the top of the hair, but I'm not so sure.   However, there looks to be a scar over his left eye.
cheers, Ian

[maddys52]

Thank you so much everyone for interest and thoughts on this photo.

I think I am tending to "Texas", though still not entirely convinced. Very interesting about the tie. I didn't know the differences in the way stripes went indicated anything in particular.  Would an American soldier be nursed in Australia during WWI? Although, there is nothing to indicate he was a soldier, just the date.

Definitely creases in the photo, not scars through his forehead, though as Ian says, there could be one above his eye.

As an aside, does anyone think this may be the same man? I have no indication who, where or when this was taken, other than it appears to be on a ship. (Might try to scan it again to see if I can get it any clearer, I realise it's not very sharp.)

[Neale1961]

Yes, I do think it is the same man. A snappy dresser.
Could have been a doctor working at the same hospital as "Josee"??