Postcards

[tankengine888]

Courtesy ancestry

Unusual cap badge

Brothers.

 

Morecambe Camp, TA 1908

 

Interesting group

 

Wiltshire Regiment Shooting team postwar

 

I presume both were wounded. One is in hospital blues, the other in a greatcoat with a presumed blue armband

3 misc photos

 

5th Btn SWB 1914

1st Btn SWB India 1904 (2 photos)

 

 

Indian Army orderly 1913

 

G Coy 1st Btn SWB 1899

 

15th Hussars? (2 photos)

Edited 27 June by tankengine888

[TomWW1]

7 hours ago, tankengine888 said:

Courtesy ancestry

Unusual cap badge

Brothers.

 

Morecambe Camp, TA 1908

 

Interesting group

 

Wiltshire Regiment Shooting team postwar

 

I presume both were wounded. One is in hospital blues, the other in a greatcoat with a presumed blue armband

3 misc photos

 

5th Btn SWB 1914

1st Btn SWB India 1904 (2 photos)

 

 

Indian Army orderly 1913

 

G Coy 1st Btn SWB 1899

 

15th Hussars? (2 photos)

They look great! Do you have any postcards of the Ox and Bucks LI with names on them?

[tankengine888]

2 minutes ago, TomWW1 said:

They look great! Do you have any postcards of the Ox and Bucks LI with names on them?

I looked around and found one. 

Courtesy Ancestry; Ox and Bucks, 1916. Unnamed

[FROGSMILE]

On 27/06/2024 at 02:08, tankengine888 said:

Courtesy ancestry

Unusual cap badge

Brothers.

 

Morecambe Camp, TA 1908

 

Interesting group

 

Wiltshire Regiment Shooting team postwar

 

I presume both were wounded. One is in hospital blues, the other in a greatcoat with a presumed blue armband

3 misc photos

 

5th Btn SWB 1914

1st Btn SWB India 1904 (2 photos)

 

 

Indian Army orderly 1913

 

G Coy 1st Btn SWB 1899

 

15th Hussars? (2 photos)

Photo 1.  This studious looking corporal wears a cap badge that always presents something of a challenge.  The simple Royal cypher of the reigning monarch was long used as insignia of those in general service to the crown and was used in a variety of ways.  Within the Army it had been used for men and officers in garrison staff appointments including the clerks of general officers, instructors in training schools, some barracks staff, and, after it was formed, the Military Prisons Staff (later Military Provost Staff).  What added confusion though was that the Norfolk Yeomanry adopted it as cap insignia as a mark of its favour with the monarch, whose favourite holiday home had been within the County at Sandringham.  Thus to identify the unit other things have to be present such as shoulder titles, a whistle chain, bandolier, or special belt, as corroboration.  In this case none of these features are present.  With all that in mind I suspect that this man is either, an MPS NCO warder, or a headquarters staff clerk.

Photo 2. This is a most perplexing image because of the headdress and badge of the soldier in a kilt.  The pair appear to my eyes to be brothers and the seated corporal is from a branch of the Royal Artillery, whose badge has been a little distorted by reflected light.  The standing sergeant has been twice wounded and wears the riband of a Military Medal, suggesting that he is a well blooded veteran.  His kilt is Mackenzie sett and there are hose garter tabs and obsolescent spats, which seems odd given that we know the photo must have been taken 1916-1917 from the wound stripes.  Ostensibly he is likely to be a Seaforth Highlander, but that is stymied somewhat by his headdress and its badge.  It is a field service cap rather than the correct glengarry and the style of badge is more akin to one of the old rifle volunteer units such as the Dumbartonshire or Perthshire.  I’ve scoured references to see if it might be Canadian and the only similar example is for a cadet unit.  Also the South African Kimberley Highlanders is similar, but none match perfectly.  I will be interested to learn the opinions of @4thGordons and @gordon92 .  At the moment it is a mystery.

Photo 3.  Shows a Bombardier and gunners from part of a sub-section from a Territorial Force Royal Field Artillery unit at their annual training camp sometime before WW1.  One of the men is still wearing the then obsolescent slouch hat, which had been replaced by the peaked forage cap seen on the rest of the men from 1905 in the regular army but some years later in the TF whose uniforms were funded and managed separately.  A couple of the men are holding signals flags ready for their use to practise the issue of corrections between observers and guns.  The photo was taken one year after the T.F. was formed by the Haldane Reforms so the older men, especially the bombardier, were probably members of the previous Volunteer Artillery.

Photo 4.  An evocative image of a Lincolnshire Regiment WOII company sergeant major with his CQMS and four platoon sergeants.  The man on his right is a recipient of the MM and is a qualified Lewis Gun instructor.  Their 08 web belts and general appearance suggests perhaps a veteran service battalion and there are no T’s and numerals over their shoulder titles, and what I can make out of their cloth formation badges suggests the 8th Battalion to me, but forum pal @poona guard will correct me if I’ve misinterpreted.  I’ve looked at the regular battalion’s and can’t seem to make a match.

Photo 5.  This very serious looking group of marksmanship proponents is notable for the relatively young and physically tough looking RSM, who although wearing his Sam Browne is without puttees as if he had been momentarily ejected from his office for the photograph.  On his left is a fellow warrant officer (WOII), both of them distinguished by their wound stripes, and third from left at rear is the sergeant APTI.  Far left in the front row looks as if he might be the band sergeant. 

Photo 6 These two soldiers of the Prince of Wales’s Own West Yorkshire Regiment dressed in hospital blue (one in winter order) have good reason to look uncertain given the loss of limbs and fingers (?).  The peg legs of the soldier in wheelchair seem archaic as I’ve seen other prosthetics with feet fitted so perhaps it reflects and intermediate stage in his recovery and learning to walk again.  I’m not sure about their background, but it has perhaps the look of a workshop where prosthetics are made and fitted.

Photo 7.  We can ascertain by their insignia that this group of officers and NCOs are all from the Honourable Artillery Corps infantry.  The shopfronts behind them suggest perhaps a location near their headquarters in London.

Photo 8.  This image that is so resonant of winter trench conditions appears to show RSM Albert Ames(?).  His chest mounted respirator, goatskin vest, sheepskin gloves and stout stick are evocative of 1917, although that is my conjecture.  What appears to be a chateaux behind him is probably the location of his battalion or brigade headquarters.

Photo 9.  This image resonates with utter weariness and the need to snatch sleep whenever possible.  The soldier has his cap comforter under his helmet to stay warm and appears to have wrapped sandbags around his legs to add extra insulation.  The mud and very shallow trench conditions suggest to me 1917 and perhaps Paschendaele. 

Photo 10.  This shows the 5th Battalion SWB in its early days, either at Brecon, where it was raised, or perhaps more likely at Parkhouse Camp, Tidworth, where it moved in late summer 1914.  The bare bones of a forming Kitchener battalion are visible.  The older NCOs in uniform are either, a contingent from the regulars to help the battalion form, or volunteers from time served men who reenlisted to do the same.  New volunteers can be seen in Kitchener blue uniforms with their distinctive field service caps in matching blue cloth.  At front left can be seen a SNCO of the Army Gymnastic Staff with his cap bearing crossed swords insignia but typical gym dress of white woollen jumper beneath his outer garment.  The sergeant major of battalion is seated centrally and wearing a warrant officer’s version of officers service dress bearing the old (pre Jan 1915) style rank badge and a horizontal line of herringbone lace across his cuff (this was later abandoned).  Interestingly he even has the open collar for shirt and tie that was later frowned upon for those of his rank.  I’m sure this thread will be of interest to @Jerry B.  The following year the battalion was designated as divisional pioneers and would have received their crossed rifle and pick collar badges.

Photo 11.  This photo is my favourite in this thread and shows the 1st Battalion South Wales Borderers which was on foreign service in India between 1897 and 1909.  Looking at the hierarchy in the front row we have the battalion headquarters staff sergeants and officers.  From left to right: a staff sergeant ranking as colour sergeant whose specialisation is unclear, a staff sergeant, again with unclear specialisation, the battalion quarter-master-sergeant, the battalion sergeant major, the commanding officer, probably the quarter-master (given his apparent age and medal ribbons), the band-master, the orderly-room-quarter-master-sergeant, the colour sergeant instructor of musketry, the band-sergeant, the Armourer Staff Sergeant (AOC). At the rear in an unusual location for him is the sergeant-drummer (drum-major) who appears to be holding possibly the tallest staff (mace) that I’ve ever seen (unless it’s sitting on a step).  It has a decorative top seemingly in silver and of unusual design.  I imagine that there’s a story behind it and that it might still exist in the museum at Brecon.  He wears the cross belt bearing  honours on which the regiment’s precedence number, 24, can clearly be seen.  In pride of place at the centre of the photo are the regiments furled but not cased colours, with the famous wreath of immortelles presented by Queen Victoria on top of the regimental colour.

Photo 12.  This shows the adjutant (a junior officer, but mounted) of a Bengal Lancers Regiment.  

Photo 13. A superb quality image (wonderful resolution) showing the company colour sergeant and Lance corporals of G Company 1st Battalion the South Wales Borderers in India around the turn of the century.  The foreign service India pattern scarlet frock that they wear replaced full dress tunics as review order dress due to the robustness of the serge and more open weave.  It was usually unlined and looser than a tunic with faced collar (still white until 1905) and a trefoil loop formed from white piping on the cuff.  Sergeants and above were distinguished by white piping running down the front join and unusually all around the bottom.  The photo seems uncommon and as all the soldiers are probably substantive privates it makes me wonder if this might’ve been a training course at the end of which they received their stripes, but that is merely my supposition. 

Photo 14.  This is a sergeant of the 1/1st Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry after they were dismounted and converted to infantry at Rouen from 3 September 1917 subsequently merging with 6th Wiltshire Regiment to become 6th (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Battalion the Wiltshire Regiment.  In that guise they joined 58th Brigade, 19th Division.  As you can see the Yeomanry style rank insignia was retained. 

Photo 15.  This appears to show  the same man as photo 14 after he became RSM.  The 6th Wilts had suffered heavily during 1917 and were sent back to the U.K. to reconstitute via a merger with the rump of a Dorset Regiment battalion before returning to France in July 1918 as part of 42nd Brigade, 14th Division, remaining with them until the end of the war.

Photo 16.  This stunningly superb image shows the sergeant major of battalion and all his SNCOs ranking as colour sergeants** posing with the regimental colours of 1st Battalion the South Wales Borderers (late 24th Regiment of Foot).  Again a particularly good view of the sergeants quality India pattern frock with its extensive white decorative piping can be seen to good effect.

**this means not just the company colour sergeants but also any filling appointments within the Battalion Headquarters Staff (identified in this case by carriage of a sword). 

Edited 28 June by FROGSMILE

[FROGSMILE]

12 minutes ago, tankengine888 said:

I looked around and found one. 

Courtesy Ancestry; Ox and Bucks, 1916. Unnamed

They are not collectively Oxf & Bucks, but a very wide range of different regiments and probably undertaking a training course.

Edited 27 June by FROGSMILE

[max7474]

The GV cypher shown on the first card was worn by "Military Provost Staff Corps , Wardens and School Masters".   

The Barrack Staff which included recruiting staff wore a crownless version.  The Norfolk Yeomanry was much larger than the one in the photo.

[FROGSMILE]

On 27/06/2024 at 11:17, max7474 said:

"Military Provost Staff Corps , Wardens and School Masters".   

Which “wardens” and at what point did the schoolmasters switch from a plain crown as cap insignia to the Royal cypher?##

Like you I’ve studied insignia a long time and have most if not all of the published references, but quite a few don’t include the badge at all or merely show the Yeomanry example (e.g. Gaylor).  There are also many errors in those books published back in the 1970s and 1980s.

In general I prefer to focus much more on the definitive evidence of photos of soldiers in uniform with cap insignia clearly displayed, and other corroborative evidence on view.

In this case I don’t think we can be 100% positive as to what unit the soldier was serving with, although the Military Provost Staff, or a Headquarters Staff Clerk** seems the most likely to me.

** the parent corps of the Staff Clerk trade was Army Service Corps at that time, but they did not apparently wear ASC insignia.

## it was actually the Inspectors of Army Schools.

NB. I agree that the Norfolk Yeomanry version of cap insignia was generally larger, but collar badges were of the smaller size and as in extremis soldiers might wear whatever badge they had available, I did not feel justified to rule it out.

 

Edited 30 August by FROGSMILE

[morrisc8]

One more from my collection. 

[FROGSMILE]

4 minutes ago, morrisc8 said:

One more from my collection. 

He is clearly a warrant officer II in a mounted duties unit given the spurs, but unfortunately there’s no corroborating feature to confirm which mounted corps he might be.  The mixture of service dress and Wolseley helmet suggests a more changeable clime such as Salonika.  Interestingly he wears the emergency simplified jacket issued early in the war.  It’s a great image, thank you for sharing it.

Edited 27 June by FROGSMILE

[Pat Atkins]

2 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

Photo 6 These two soldiers of the Prince of Wales’s Own West Yorkshire Regiment dressed in hospital blue (one in winter order) have good reason to look uncertain given the loss of limbs and fingers (?).  The peg legs of the soldier in wheelchair seem archaic as I’ve seen other prosthetics with feet fitted so perhaps it reflects and intermediate stage in his recovery and learning to walk again.  I’m not sure about their background, but it has perhaps the look of a workshop where prosthetics are made and fitted.

 

It's dangerous to infer from facial expressions in old photos, but the amputee in particular looks fairly traumatised - as he might very well be, of course. It's difficult not to see these men's war experience captured in their features. A powerful image.

[FROGSMILE]

11 minutes ago, Pat Atkins said:

It's dangerous to infer from facial expressions in old photos, but the amputee in particular looks fairly traumatised - as he might very well be, of course. It's difficult not to see these men's war experience captured in their features. A powerful image.

Yes Pat I agree and saw something similar to you in his face.  A kind of mixture of bewilderment regarding the unfamiliar place where he found himself, and a fearfulness perhaps about what the future might hold.  Working men of those times were very cognisant that there was neither a national health service, nor a social net of benefit payments for those unable to work and pay for their keep, not to mention the keep of any family they might have. 

Edited 27 June by FROGSMILE

[max7474]

2 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

Which “wardens” and at what point did the schoolmasters switch from a plain crown as cap insignia to the Royal cypher?

Like you I’ve studied insignia a long time and have most if not all of the published references, but quite a few don’t include the badge at all or merely show the Yeomanry example (e.g. Gaylor).  There are also many errors in those books published back in the 1970s and 1980s.

In general I prefer to focus much more on the definitive evidence of photos of soldiers in uniform with cap insignia clearly displayed, and other corroborative evidence on view.

In this case I don’t think we can be 100% positive as to what unit the soldier was serving with, although the Military Provost Staff, or a Headquarters Staff Clerk** seems the most likely to me.

** the parent corps of the Staff Clerk trade was Army Service Corps at that time, but they did not apparently wear ASC insignia.

NB. I agree that the Norfolk Yeomanry version of cap insignia was generally larger, but collar badges were of the smaller size and as in extremis soldiers might wear whatever badge they had available I did not feel able to rule it out.

 

Try this link for a 1920's attribution.  https://www.etsy.com/ie/listing/1419718034/genuine-antique-1920s-badges-of-all

There is a photo of a barrack warden on this form and the BMBF wearing this capbadge and his caretakers coat.

The schoolmasters may have also worn the same design within a wreath.

[FROGSMILE]

3 hours ago, max7474 said:

Try this link for a 1920's attribution.  https://www.etsy.com/ie/listing/1419718034/genuine-antique-1920s-badges-of-all

There is a photo of a barrack warden on this form and the BMBF wearing this capbadge and his caretakers coat.

The schoolmasters may have also worn the same design within a wreath.

Thanks Max, I agree with your clarification about barracks warden and realise now that you’d meant garrison staff in your succeeding sentence previously, rather than ‘barracks staff’.  The barracks masters and barracks wardens were both time expired warrant officers and NCOs engaged in what subsequently became long service list type roles.

This type of insignia (Royal cyphers) really needs more research and very little has been published about it outside of military historical society bulletins and such like.  The many reforms and reorganisations have made things difficult to pin down with any great confidence.

I’d like to see more evidence concerning the schoolmasters, who generally wore no rank (an engineer style shoulder knot instead), a frock coat, and a cap with plain crown (except overseas where khaki drill and other appropriate uniform was worn).  If insignia changed before they were disbanded and the Army Education Corps replaced them (years later), then I’ve not yet found definitive evidence, so hence my query.

Edited 27 June by FROGSMILE

[tankengine888]

3 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

Photo 15.  This appears to show  the same man as photo 14 after he became RSM

Correct!
For that correct assumption, have a brownie- in a form of a photo (Courtesy Ancestry)
'A' Company, Essex Regiment in India, 1910

[FROGSMILE]

3 hours ago, tankengine888 said:

Correct!
For that correct assumption, have a brownie- in a form of a photo (Courtesy Ancestry)
'A' Company, Essex Regiment in India, 1910

Another nice photo although not such good quality this time.  Bandsmen and drummers in the cross legged front row with just one enlisted boy entrant.  The company colour sergeant can be seen seated next to the officers, that lattee including the Regimental Medical Officer (aka surgeon) of the Indian Medical Service with white helmet. The bandmaster can be seen on the right although why with A company I do not know.  Perhaps they were accommodated with them.

There’s a door on the left with an intriguing sign and I cannot decide if it says whitening and boot room, or writing and book room?

Edited 27 June by FROGSMILE

[CorporalPunishment]

4 hours ago, tankengine888 said:

I looked around and found one. 

Courtesy Ancestry; Ox and Bucks, 1916. Unnamed

Most of the group are City of London Yeomanry, Derbyshire Yeomanry and South Nottinghamshire Hussars.    Pete.

[gordon92]

5 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

Photo 1.  This studious looking corporal wears a cap badge that always presents something of a challenge.  The simple Royal cypher of the reigning monarch was long used as insignia of those in general service to the crown and was used in a variety of ways.  Within the Army it had been used for men and officers in garrison staff appointments including the clerks of general officers, instructors in training schools, some barracks staff, and, after it was formed, the Military Prisons Staff (later Military Provost Staff).  What added confusion though was that the Norfolk Yeomanry adopted it as cap insignia as a mark of its favour with the monarch whose favourite holiday had been in the County at Sandringham.  Thus to identify the unit other things have to be present such as shoulder titles, a whistle chain, bandolier or special belt.  In this case none of these features are present.  With all that in mind I suspect that this man is either an MPS NCO warder, or a headquarters clerk.

Photo 2. This is a most perplexing image because of the headdress and badge of the soldier in a kilt.  The pair appear to my eyes to be brothers and the seated corporal is from a branch of the Royal Artillery, whose badge has been a little distorted by reflected light.  The standing sergeant has been twice wounded and wears the riband of a Military Medal, suggesting that he is a well blooded veteran.  His kilt is Mackenzie sett and there are hose garter tabs and obsolescent spats, which seems odd given that we know the photo must have been taken 1916-1917 from the wound stripes.  Ostensibly he is likely to be a Seaforth Highlander, but that is stymied somewhat by his headdress and its badge.  It is a field service cap rather than the correct glengarry and the style of badge is more akin to one of the old rifle volunteer units such as the Dumbartonshire or Perthshire.  I’ve scoured references to see if it might be Canadian and the only similar example is for a cadet unit.  Also the South African Kimberley Highlanders is similar, but none match perfectly.  I will be interested to learn the opinions of @4thGordons and @gordon92 .  At the moment it is a mystery.

Photo 3.  Shows a Bombardier and gunners from part of a sub-section from a Territorial Force Royal Field Artillery unit at their annual training camp sometime before WW1.  One of the men is still wearing the then obsolescent slouch hat, which had been replaced by the peaked forage cap seen on the rest of the men from 1905 in the regular army but some years later in the TF whose uniforms were funded and managed separately.  A couple of the men are holding signals flags ready for their use to practise the issue of corrections between observers and guns.  The photo was taken one year after the T.F. was formed by the Haldane Reforms so the older men, especially the bombardier, were probably members of the previous Volunteer Artillery.

Photo 4.  An evocative image of a Lincolnshire Regiment WOII company sergeant major with his CQMS and four platoon sergeants.  The man on his right is a recipient of the MM and is a qualified Lewis Gun instructor.  Their 08 web belts and general appearance suggests perhaps a veteran service battalion and there are no T’s and numerals over their shoulder titles, and what I can make out of their cloth formation badges suggests the 8th Battalion to me, but forum pal @poona guard will correct me if I’ve misinterpreted.  I’ve looked at the regular battalion’s and can’t seem to make a match.

Photo 5.  This very serious looking group of marksmanship proponents is notable for the relatively young and physically tough looking RSM, who although wearing his Sam Browne is without puttees as if he had been momentarily ejected from his office for the photograph.  On his left is a fellow warrant officer (WOII), both of them distinguished by their wound stripes, and third from left at rear is the sergeant APTI.  Far left in the front row looks as if he might be the band sergeant. 

Photo 6 These two soldiers of the Prince of Wales’s Own West Yorkshire Regiment dressed in hospital blue (one in winter order) have good reason to look uncertain given the loss of limbs and fingers (?).  The peg legs of the soldier in wheelchair seem archaic as I’ve seen other prosthetics with feet fitted so perhaps it reflects and intermediate stage in his recovery and learning to walk again.  I’m not sure about their background, but it has perhaps the look of a workshop where prosthetics are made and fitted.

Photo 7.  We can ascertain by their insignia that this group of officers and NCOs are all from the Honourable Artillery Corps infantry.  The shopfronts behind them suggest perhaps a location near their headquarters in London.

Photo 8.  This image that is so resonant of winter trench conditions appears to show RSM Albert Ames(?).  His chest mounted respirator, goatskin vest, sheepskin gloves and stout stick are evocative of 1917, although that is my conjecture.  What appears to be a chateaux behind him is probably the location of his battalion or brigade headquarters.

Photo 9.  This image resonates with utter weariness and the need to snatch sleep whenever possible.  The soldier has his cap comforter under his helmet to stay warm and appears to have wrapped sandbags around his legs to add extra insulation.  The mud and very shallow trench conditions suggest to me 1917 and perhaps Paschendaele. 

Photo 10.  This shows the 5th Battalion SWB in its early days, either at Brecon, where it was raised, or perhaps more likely at Parkhouse Camp, Tidworth, where it moved in late summer 1914.  The bare bones of a forming Kitchener battalion are visible.  The older NCOs in uniform are either, a contingent from the regulars to help the battalion form, or volunteers from time served men who reenlisted to do the same.  New volunteers can be seen in Kitchener blue uniforms with their distinctive field service caps in matching blue cloth.  At front left can be seen a SNCO of the Army Gymnastic Staff with his cap bearing crossed swords insignia but typical gym dress of white woollen jumper beneath his outer garment.  The sergeant major of battalion is seated centrally and wearing a warrant officer’s version of officers service dress bearing the old (pre Jan 1915) style rank badge and a horizontal line of herringbone lace across his cuff (this was later abandoned).  Interestingly he even has the open collar for shirt and tie that was later frowned upon for those of his rank.  I’m sure this thread will be of interest to @Jerry B. 

Photo 11.  This photo is my favourite in this thread and shows the 1st Battalion South Wales Borderers which was on foreign service in India between 1897 and 1909.  Looking at the hierarchy in the front row we have the battalion headquarters staff sergeants and officers.  From left to right: a staff sergeant ranking as colour sergeant whose specialisation is unclear, a staff sergeant, again with unclear specialisation, the battalion quarter-master-sergeant, the battalion sergeant major, the commanding officer, probably the quarter-master (given his apparent age and medal ribbons), the band-master, the orderly-room-quarter-master-sergeant, the colour sergeant instructor of musketry, the band-sergeant, the Armourer Staff Sergeant (AOC). At the rear in an unusual location for him is the sergeant-drummer (drum-major) who appears to be holding possibly the tallest staff (mace) that I’ve ever seen (unless it’s sitting on a step).  It has a decorative top seemingly in silver and of unusual design.  I imagine that there’s a story behind it and that it might still exist in the museum at Brecon.  He wears the cross belt bearing  honours on which the regiment’s precedence number, 24, can clearly be seen.  In pride of place at the centre of the photo are the regiments furled but not cased colours, with the famous wreath of immortelles presented by Queen Victoria on top of the regimental colour.

Photo 12.  This shows the adjutant (a junior officer, but mounted) of a Bengal Lancers Regiment.  

Photo 13. A superb quality image (wonderful resolution) showing the company colour sergeant and Lance corporals of G Company 1st Battalion the South Wales Borderers in India around the turn of the century.  The foreign service India pattern scarlet frock that they wear replaced full dress tunics as review order dress due to the robustness of the serge and more open weave.  It was usually unlined and looser than a tunic with faced collar (still white until 1905) and a trefoil loop formed from white piping on the cuff.  Sergeants and above were distinguished by white piping running down the front join and unusually all around the bottom.  The photo seems uncommon and as all the soldiers are probably substantive privates it makes me wonder if this might’ve been a training course at the end of which they received their stripes, but that is merely my supposition. 

Photo 14.  This is a sergeant of the 1/1st Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry after they were dismounted and converted to infantry at Rouen from 3 September 1917 subsequently merging with 6th Wiltshire Regiment to become 6th (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Battalion the Wiltshire Regiment.  In that guise they joined 58th Brigade, 19th Division.  As you can see the Yeomanry style rank insignia was retained. 

Photo 15.  This appears to show  the same man as photo 14 after he became RSM.  The 6th Wilts had suffered heavily during 1917 and were sent back to the U.K. to reconstitute via a merger with the rump of a Dorset Regiment battalion before returning to France in July 1918 as part of 42nd Brigade, 14th Division, remaining with them until the end of the war.

Photo 16.  This stunningly superb image shows the sergeant major of battalion and all his SNCOs ranking as colour sergeants** posing with the regimental colours of 1st Battalion the South Wales Borderers (late 24th Regiment of Foot).  Again a particularly good view of the sergeants quality India pattern frock with its extensive white decorative piping can be seen to good effect.

**this means not just the company colour sergeants but also any filling appointments within the Battalion Headquarters Staff (identified in this case by carriage of a sword). 

Regarding Photo #2 and the kilted soldier, I would agree with Frogsmile that everything from the shoulders down says that he is a Seaforth Highlander. There is nothing about the uniform imo that suggests Canadian or South African. The cap and badge are, indeed, anomalous.  The badge appears to consist of a thistle in a circlet surmounted by a crown remindful, as noted by Frogsmile, of the RVs.  The closest sensical possibility I could discover is the badge shown on the third soldier from the left in the illustration below from Grierson's Records of the Scottish Volunteer Force. The uniform is from the 6th Elgin RV 1862-1879.  This unit became part of the 3rd VB Seaforth Highlanders. This badge appears also to be a thistle in a circlet but without a crown.  Grierson is really good on uniforms but not so much on details of badges!

That the man in the OP wears the badge on the right side of the cap suggests to me that it is some kind of legacy souvenir acting as a supplement to the main badge that he probably wears on the left side of the headdress.  While the evidence is hardly decisive, a best guess that makes any sense to me is that he is a soldier of the 6th (Morayshire) Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (TF), a descendant of the 3VBSH.

Mike

Edited 27 June by gordon92

[FROGSMILE]

Thanks Mike, a reasoned and sensible hypothesis.

[PRC]

13 hours ago, tankengine888 said:

Morecambe Camp, TA 1908

Whatever is behind them, - an Artillery piece perhaps - has writing  on it. With software enhancement it looks like it might read RGA Northumbrian, Barrack Road, Newcastle on Tyne.

No new IP is claimed for the above, and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owner.

Stick"Northumbrian", "Artillery", and "Morecambe" in as a search on the British Newspaper Archive and you get a lot of matches, but the peak seems to be in July 1908 when a number of artillery units from the north-east appear to have held their annual camp in the Morecambe area. From the snapshot answers available to non-subscribers that included the "Northumbrian (North Riding) Royal Garrison Artillery" and the associated Divisional Ammunition Column.  I believe that RGA unit was headquartered at Middlesbrough, so may not be the unit pictured here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_North_Riding_Artillery_Volunteers

Hopefully someone with subscription access can check what other units attended the camp, or indeed if the articles might reference why equipment might have been stored in Newcastle.

Image courtesy The British Newspaper Archive.

Cheers,
Peter

[FROGSMILE]

Well spotted Peter, what little I could make out of the gun seemed too small to me to be garrison artillery, but I clearly have misinterpreted its scale.

Edited 27 June by FROGSMILE

[6RRF]

19 minutes ago, PRC said:

Whatever is behind them, - an Artillery piece perhaps - has writing  on it. With software enhancement it looks like it might read RGA Northumbrian, Barrack Road, Newcastle on Tyne.

No new IP is claimed for the above, and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owner.

 

Not Garrison Artillery. Westlake confirms that the Barrack Road drill hall in Newcastle [still used in living memory] was used by Northumberland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery with 1st, 2nd and 3rd Northumberland Batteries and their Ammunition Column

[tankengine888]

Courtesy Ancestry

Signaller Section, 1st Btn Essex Regiment. 1912, Quetta

 

RWF Regimental Football Winners, 1908 at Agra

 

A poor photo, but it is a bit odd to me. (2nd Btn RWF in India; The International Order of Good Templars Red Dragon Lodge)

 

The Lucky 13..
The young men in this photo were all members of F Coy, 6th Btn, the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. The photo was taken when they were at Riby camp, near Grimsby in October 1914.... The photo is part of the Brayshaw collection at Giggleswick School and was presumably kept because 3rd from the right on the back row is Thomas Brayshaw, junior. The soldiers’ names are written in pencil on the back but after 5 of the names the word “killed” is added.    The mens names as given on the back of the photo were;   Back Row Left – Right Pte 2621 Walter Yates, Pte 2616  Frederic Close, Clark, L Cpl 2619 John Middleton Morphet (killed in action 25 Aug 1915),Pte 2620 Arthur Parker,Thomas Brayshaw, Sgt 2618 William H Brassington (killed), Sgt 30360 William Henry Hirst    Front Row Left – Right  Cpl 2603 Charles Parker,Lieutenant J R Jackman (killed in action 22 Jul 1918 Royal Flying Corps), Pte 2615 John T Cardus, Sgt 2608 Charles Peachey (killed), Sgt 2631 John Samuel Hepworth (killed)

A Soldier and his young son. The soldier was killed in 1917, the son later serving in his fathers footsteps.

School of Musketry at Bisley, 1915

 

No.17 Squad at School of Musketry in Stresnall, York. Taken in Apr 1917

Australian School of Musketry...?

Royal Bucks Hussars on Sailsbury Plain in 1913

Members of H Coy, Liverpool Scottish 1906

 

A nice old serving family (2 photos). The back centre fellow in the first photo is a VC Winner

[FROGSMILE]

7 minutes ago, 6RRF said:

Not Garrison Artillery. Westlake confirms that the Barrack Road drill hall in Newcastle [still used in living memory] was used by Northumberland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery with 1st, 2nd and 3rd Northumberland Batteries and their Ammunition Column

Thank you, it’s reassured me my eyes are not getting as bad as I feared. 

[PRC]

15 minutes ago, 6RRF said:

Not Garrison Artillery. Westlake confirms that the Barrack Road drill hall in Newcastle [still used in living memory] was used by Northumberland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery with 1st, 2nd and 3rd Northumberland Batteries and their Ammunition Column

Thanks for checking - although that assures me my eyesight, unlike @FROGSMILE 's  is getting worse

British Newspaper Archive does have some references to a 1st Northumbrian (Country of Durham), Royal Field Artillery, camping at Morecambe. If I'm reading the preview snippets correctly then looks that their fortnight started in the second week of the RGA unit being there.

Cheers,
Peter

[6RRF]

1 hour ago, tankengine888 said:

No.17 Squad at School of Musketry in Stresnall, York. Taken in Apr 1917

 

 

Interesting one. All but the instructor have 1914 leather equipment and all [including the instructor] are armed with P14 rifles 

 

 

 

Edited 27 June by 6RRF