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Solving a First World War Mystery...

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  • Solving a First World War Mystery...

    Have been bothered by this for years. Amongst my great grandmothers posessions (she passed away in 1988) was an empty envelope, adressed to her from France, dated December 1917. It was empty, but years later I noticed it had a small signature at the bottom where the sender signed 'G.Dixon'. She had a brother George Dixon b.1894, so I assume he went to the Front. However I have had no luck tracing him on Medal cards etc as the name so common.

    Now when looking through her photos, there are four or five photos unidentified of men in uniform circa WWI, I wonder whether one is George and was originally in the envelope alongside the letter?

    Anyway seeing the wonders done here before identifying, placing and dating photos I have decided to scan them and post them up here. She obviously knew all these men, (she had quite a few brothers of war age, they may have all fought).

    Will not post them all at once, but will start with this one. Have blown it up, it's actually a tiny little cabinet photo, so could well have been in with the letter, and looks to me as if it was taken at the front. Could it be George? Any help with uniform/regiment etc?:




    The above is scaled, there's a full size (600dp) scan here, if it helps at all to identify it: http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...8024022pm2.jpg
    Last edited by Richard; 13-05-08, 12:18.

  • #2
    unfortunately the cap badges are not that too clear but at a guess I would suggest that they were both in the Royal Engineer's going by the shape and form of the cap badges. The soldier on the left is a corporal and has taken the stiffening wire out of his cap giving the cap an untidy look about it. By taking the wire out from the edge of the crown enabled the cap to be folded so that it could be placed in the pocket and also made it more comfortable to wear. The soldier on the right however still has the wire in his cap and held the rank of Quarter Master Serjeant. I would suggest that this photograph was taken after 1916.

    don

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    • #3
      Don

      Thanks for that. I have just had another look on Ancestry, and though could still not find any luck with George, I was overjoyed to find one of her other brothers, William.

      His records are quite detailed, he was in the 28th Brigade Royal Field Artillery for the duration of the war, most of the time in France, he joined up (renlisted) as a corporal in August 1914, was made Sergeant 1915, then promoted again in August 1917, though the rank is not too clear..might be ?.Q.M.S..So could be Quarter Master Sergeant?

      Is it possible these two could indeed be in the Field Artillery rather than R.E? If so might have identified William if not George.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Richard View Post

        Is it possible these two could indeed be in the Field Artillery rather than R.E? If so might have identified William if not George.


        Hi Richard ... have a look here ... the Royal Artillery and RE badges are quite different



        ~ FOR PHOTO RESTORATIONS PLEASE SCAN AT A RESOLUTION OF 300-600 WITH THE SCALE AT 100% MINIMUM ~ http://restoreandcolour.brainwaving.co.uk

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        • #5
          Thanks Rachel

          The badge on the man on the left I agree certainly looks like RE. I'm wondering though whether the chap on the rights badge isn't slightly different (though probably not RFA either). Shame the photo isn't clearer, have tried rescanning it at much higher res, but bit of a lost cause, the orig image isn't good enough.

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          • #6
            Hi Richard
            Here they are enlarged .... they do look slightly different but very unclear




            ~ FOR PHOTO RESTORATIONS PLEASE SCAN AT A RESOLUTION OF 300-600 WITH THE SCALE AT 100% MINIMUM ~ http://restoreandcolour.brainwaving.co.uk

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            • #7
              Hi Rachel

              Thanks for that. It doesn't look like R.F.A though, but it's intriguing him being a quarter master sergeant. I have had another look at William Dixons records and he was promoted to C.Q.M.S in August 1917, which I gather means Company Quarter master Sergeant.

              To clarify things great gran had six brothers

              Thomas Henry Dixon b.1878
              Albert John Dixon b.1882
              William Charles Dixon b.1889
              George Dixon b.1894
              Arthur Dixon b.1900
              Ernest Dixon b.1902


              Thomas I do not think fought. Albert definently fought in the Boer War. Williams record I have of course found, and George must have fought as there is the empty envelope from him in France 1917. I also think one of the younger brothers fought, there is a photo of a very young looking boy, and a family tale of a brother dying very young aged 15 or 16 at the front.

              Of course it would help if great gran had written the names on these photos..but too late now.

              Will put the other three up, hopefully if I can identify the uniforms, it may help me trace them.

              Comment


              • #8
                Photo 2



                Close up of Cap Badge:

                Comment


                • #9
                  Photo 3

                  This is the only one with a photographers stamp on the back, so I know it was taken in Salonika.



                  The cap doesn't appear to have a 'badge' more some sort of bobble.

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                  • #10
                    Photo 4

                    This is the very young boy, who i think is probably Arthur, but may even conceivably be Ernest is family tale is true:



                    Cap Badge:



                    Royal Engineers again?
                    Last edited by Richard; 13-05-08, 15:02.

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                    • #11
                      That's the lot...hopefully someone can help identify.

                      Thanks

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                      • #12
                        Photo 2 is also NOT a Royal Artillery cap badge


                        ~ FOR PHOTO RESTORATIONS PLEASE SCAN AT A RESOLUTION OF 300-600 WITH THE SCALE AT 100% MINIMUM ~ http://restoreandcolour.brainwaving.co.uk

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                        • #13
                          at first glance photograph number three would appear to be a badge from one of the county regiments and the one that would seem to fit would be the Essex Regiment with the keep in the centre surrounded by an oak leaf wreath and surmounted by a sphinx. The middle picture shows two Second Lieutenants with the photograph having been taken prior to 1917, if you can do a high res' image of the collar dogs (badges on the lapels) it might help to say which regiment that they belong too. The badge in photograph number one has me perplexed to say the least. My first thoughts were that it was of the Cheshire Regiment but as there is no scroll work under the main body of the badge that one is out............like I say it has me puzzled.

                          don

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                          • #14
                            I found about 14 pages of cap badges on e-bay ..... couldn't see a definite match for anything

                            would it help if we knew where they lived ?
                            Last edited by Rachel Scand; 13-05-08, 13:57.
                            ~ FOR PHOTO RESTORATIONS PLEASE SCAN AT A RESOLUTION OF 300-600 WITH THE SCALE AT 100% MINIMUM ~ http://restoreandcolour.brainwaving.co.uk

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                            • #15
                              Thanks as ever for your input Don.t, is much appreciated, will see if I can scan rescan the collars.

                              Rachel, the family home was in Trumpington Road, Forest Gate, though the odler brothers moved into their own homes in the immediate area, Leytonstone, Stratford,West Ham all Essex County.

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                              • #16
                                Originally posted by don.t View Post
                                at first glance photograph number four would appear to be a badge from one of the county regiments and the one that would seem to fit would be the Essex Regiment with the keep in the centre surrounded by an oak leaf wreath and surmounted by a sphinx.

                                don

                                and here it is for anyone following this thread



                                Last edited by Rachel Scand; 13-05-08, 15:12.
                                ~ FOR PHOTO RESTORATIONS PLEASE SCAN AT A RESOLUTION OF 300-600 WITH THE SCALE AT 100% MINIMUM ~ http://restoreandcolour.brainwaving.co.uk

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                                • #17
                                  Hi sorry, yes realised I'd wrongly put that as photo 3 just changed it.

                                  I'd say that's spot on Rachel, even though the photo isn't clear they do look remarkably similar.

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Right, looked up Dixon and the Essex regiment on the MIC's, and no Ernest but were two Arthurs:


                                    Arthur Dixon Private 204328 409568
                                    Essex Regiment Labour Corps
                                    Victory Medal & British War Medal

                                    Arthur Dixon Private 2318 300293
                                    15 Star, British War Medal
                                    K in Action 2/11/17
                                    Theatre of War first served in. (2b) Balkans
                                    Entered 11/8/15


                                    Edit: Double checking sources!


                                    Still no further on George who started this hunt..but very satisfying to have learnt more on William and Arthur.
                                    Last edited by Richard; 13-05-08, 15:56.

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                                    • #19
                                      Originally posted by Richard View Post
                                      Close up of Cap Badge:

                                      You don't suppose this could be something other than a cap badge and he was having a joke ?

                                      ~ FOR PHOTO RESTORATIONS PLEASE SCAN AT A RESOLUTION OF 300-600 WITH THE SCALE AT 100% MINIMUM ~ http://restoreandcolour.brainwaving.co.uk

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                                      • #20
                                        He looks very serious in the photo. I did wonder whether it's foreign, and maybe the photo is of a foreign soldier one of the brothers bought back? That said it is standard English 'Post Card' on the back.

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