Carol Stewart Posted 9 February , 2017 Share Posted 9 February , 2017 I have recently hooked up with a distant cousin and we are exchanging photos and information from our respective family trees. She has shared a photo with me which she believes to be her father's uncle but I think the photo and the uniform worn looks too old for it to be him. I wondered if in fact it is someone in the generation before him. Judging from the general look of the uniform and the use of puttees, I thought this looked like WW1 uniform but the cap and uniform badges are too indistinct for me to identify. In fact, I think the whole look of the photo seems to fit with the WW1 era. However, the person who shared the photo with me tells me that her father (who is the nephew of the man in the photo) thinks that the man (born 1914 and therefore not old enough to serve in WW1) was a cadet of some sort and that this may have been the uniform he wore. I understand that puttees stopped being part of uniform around 1938, so it is possible that he could have worn such a uniform pre-WW2. Is there any chance that someone could identify the uniform that this man is wearing and perhaps also some indication of the age/era/context in which it was worn? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 9 February , 2017 Share Posted 9 February , 2017 Carol - I'm afraid it's far too small to see properly. Either re-size or use a hosting site (Photobucket, for example) and link to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol Stewart Posted 9 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 9 February , 2017 Ah, sorry. I hadn't realised that the image would come out so small on here. I've taken a snip of the original photo, which shows only the head and shoulders so that the badges etc can be seen more clearly. It's still not a very sharp image but this is the best I can do without losing any detail. I hope it comes out as a decent size but if not, I'll try Photobucket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartimeus Posted 9 February , 2017 Share Posted 9 February , 2017 The photo is of a Gunner or Driver in the Royal Artillery. The look suggests the inter-war period - twenties or thirties. Uniform is very similar to that worn in the 1914-18 period. I think it is the collar badges that give it away as being post-WWI; I don't recall seeing them in R.A. photos of the period. Bart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol Stewart Posted 9 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 9 February , 2017 7 minutes ago, Bartimeus said: The photo is of a Gunner or Driver in the Royal Artillery. The look suggests the inter-war period - twenties or thirties. Uniform is very similar to that worn in the 1914-18 period. I think it is the collar badges that give it away as being post-WWI; I don't recall seeing them in R.A. photos of the period. Bart That's great thanks. This would certainly tie in with him not having served in WW1, because as I say, he was only born in 1914. To me, this photo looks much older than the uniform evidence suggests, so it is good to have your insight into its actual age and provenance. There is a strong family resemblance among many of the young men in our family tree and I really just wanted to make sure that this was not someone else - an uncle of the man in the photo who had served as a regular with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders before and during WW1. They looked very alike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBrook Posted 9 February , 2017 Share Posted 9 February , 2017 If your distant cousin has his name it would be worth checking it against the Royal Artillery Attestations 1883 - 1942 database on findmypast, which, if successful, would show much useful information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 9 February , 2017 Share Posted 9 February , 2017 1 hour ago, Carol Stewart said: ... I understand that puttees stopped being part of uniform around 1938, so it is possible that he could have worn such a uniform pre-WW2. They could be encountered into WW2 also. The uniform on the photo is identical to that worn by my own granddad ( a gunner in 155 Bty, 52 L.A.A. Regt., Royal Artillery (T.A.) ) when he was shipped to France in September 1939. Battle-dress, including gaiters rather than puttees, had only just been issued to them when Fall Gelb was launched in May 1940. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol Stewart Posted 9 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 9 February , 2017 (edited) 13 minutes ago, HarryBrook said: Trying to do that now, thanks... but FMP is playing silly beggars at the moment and keeps logging me out! 10 minutes ago, CROONAERT said: They could be encountered into WW2 also. The uniform on the photo is identical to that worn by my own granddad ( a gunner in 155 Bty, 52 L.A.A. Regt., Royal Artillery (T.A.) ) when he was shipped to France in September 1939. Battle-dress, including gaiters rather than puttees, had only just been issued to them when Fall Gelb was launched in May 1940. Dave The source I read suggested 1938 but knowing how slowly things rolled out in reality, that would not surprise me. Edited 9 February , 2017 by Carol Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol Stewart Posted 9 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 9 February , 2017 14 minutes ago, HarryBrook said: If your distant cousin has his name it would be worth checking it against the Royal Artillery Attestations 1883 - 1942 database on findmypast, which, if successful, would show much useful information. I'm trying to do that now Harry, but FMP is playing silly beggars at present and keeps logging me out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 9 February , 2017 Share Posted 9 February , 2017 (edited) I will check the exact date, but in general the wearing of collar badges was only formalised at the same time as a more tailored (close fitting) SD jacket was issued, circa around 1922. He is dressed for 'walking-out', complete with whip, and appears to wear a leather belt from the 1903 Bandolier Equipment. The lanyard had been moved from left to right shoulder around the same time. Edited 9 February , 2017 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoon Posted 9 February , 2017 Share Posted 9 February , 2017 4 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: I will check the exact date, but in general the wearing of collar badges was only formalised at the same time as a more tailored (close fitting) SD jacket was issued, circa around 1922. He is dressed for 'walking-out', complete with whip, and appears to wear a leather belt from the 1903 Bandolier Equipment. The lanyard had been moved from left to right shoulder around the same time. Hello FROGSMILE, didn't the RA wear Royal Engineer pattern collar badges before their own RA pattern circa 1920's so it would date the photo after that year or so of wearing RE pattern? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 9 February , 2017 Share Posted 9 February , 2017 (edited) 30 minutes ago, Dragoon said: Hello FROGSMILE, didn't the RA wear Royal Engineer pattern collar badges before their own RA pattern circa 1920's so it would date the photo after that year or so of wearing RE pattern? Yes, I believe that is correct, but I am away from base and need to check my references. Edited 9 February , 2017 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 9 February , 2017 Share Posted 9 February , 2017 56 minutes ago, Carol Stewart said: The source I read suggested 1938 but knowing how slowly things rolled out in reality, that would not surprise me. Re: puttees... AO's and DR's etc are never instantaneous and always take time to implement (if they ever are (fully)!). TA units tended to be a little behind, but even some regulars went to France in 1939 looking pretty much the same as their fathers. Below are some images to illustrate this.... all taken in France during the winter of 1939/40. Note the SD uniforms and long puttees. One is even still equipped with '08 pattern webbing... Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol Stewart Posted 10 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 10 February , 2017 Thanks to you all for your input into this. I shall be able to pass this information on now. I think they'll be very interested, as indeed was I. HarryBrook, I didn't have any joy with finding an attestation record for this chap on Findmypast. Not sure if I was just going about it the wrong way or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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