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Help needed with WW1 picture

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  • Help needed with WW1 picture

    Hi,

    I have a picture which I believe to be my great grandfather and great great grandfather.

    Hopefully it shows a picture of my great grandfather in his WW1 army uniform.

    I am looking for any clues in the picture that can help me date it and confirm who these people are.

    Any info about the clothes / uniform would be great.

    Can anyone assist or point me in the right direction.

    thanks.
    Attached Files

  • #2
    Would there be any chance of a larger picture? It may help people to see things a little better.

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi, see larger atrtachment in this word doc. thanks.
      Attached Files

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      • #4
        your photograph shows a member of the British army dressed in a standard Khaki uniform of the 1st ww period. He is not showing any rank ensignia and would therefore would have been a private when this photograph was taken. Unfortunately due to the position of his arms you can not see any good conduct badges nor any oversea's chevrons both of these would be worn on either arm just above the cuff. The cane that he is holding is a walking out stick and does not signify anything. The only indication of his regiment is the cap badge which is none too clear but at a glance I would suggest the Royal Engineer's which has a laurel surround surmounted with a crown, on the other hand it could well be a county badge but I would stay with the Royal Engineer's for now. Would it be possible for you to place an image (in a high res') of just the badge which may show it more better?

        Also what was his full name?

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        • #5
          thank you for the post.

          Hopefully the picture is of James Holbrook b1883 in Bristol.

          He served in the Tank Batt Corp (France) - number 306367.

          He was a corporal I had thought.

          I will see what I can do about the pic.
          Last edited by oliveriles; 21-10-09, 10:10.

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          • #6


            Hi, this is the best I can do on the badge - if still no good no worries

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            • #7
              Thanks for making the image of the badge clearer. Seeing it now and comparing it with a Tank Corps badge I would lean more to it being that than an RE one. The middle of the badge should have a tank facing left surmounted by a crown and forming the edges of the badge would be a wreath of laurel. Above the tank would be a scoll with the word Tank and below would be a similar scroll with the word Corps. The Tank Corps were formed by the bringing together of all tanks in different regiments on 28th July 1917 so by James wearing this cap badge it would indicate that the photograph was taken after the date given. On his medal index card he is noted as being an acting lance corporal in the tank corps which would indicate to me that he had gained that "rank" by 1919 when medals were being given out.

              don

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              • #8
                Great thanks thats a big help - so you think pic taken been 1917 & 1919 and that in this pic he is still a private. So maybe taken when he signed up rather than a pic taken at the end of the war when he had a higher rank?

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                • #9
                  Its quite possible that it was taken shortly after he enlisted (I do not feel that this is the case though as his tunic seems to be too worn in and has not got that creased newness about it) but remember that as the corps itself was formed in 1917 he may have been serving with a different regiment and was transfered over into the newly formed corps. It could also have been when he had a spot of home leave before going to the front and was taken so that his father/family had something to remember him by whilst he was away. There could be many reasons for it being taken and for the true one you may never really know. Being that he has no rank chevrons showing on the upper arm draws me to the date period rather than anything else. You may find his records on Ancestry as I believe that they have gone way past the letter H in their transferring the images onto their site. If you are lucky and do find them it will tell you when he enlisted and also what dates he received his promotions.

                  don

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                  • #10
                    Great thanks, no futher details on ancestry - shame.

                    So I wonder what reg he was in prior to 1917 and I wonder if the badge might just be that of his previous reg.

                    thanks for your help.

                    Comment

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