Hello, whilst looking through old family photos I came across this picture similar in size to the postcard pictures of WW1. I have no idea how it came into my families possession and as it is a mix of various family photos could have come from anyone. I have assumed they are Australian as the badge looks look like the rising sun, but i am happy to be corrected. Is anyone able to shed any light on these 3 individuals? Thanks Gaz
The Australian website Trove is worth running those names through, sometimes get lucky and find articles/photos.
Looking at shape of colour patch could be Australian Railway Construction and Maintenance Group see patches 666. 667 & 668 here. Colour Patches of Engineers (cont'd) and Signals AMF & AIF They were in the UK for a time, see here Railway Remembrance Wall, Central Station, Railways at War Photograph Boards
Hi The Corporal could be this guy, if I can read the name? - World War Two Nominal Roll He seems to have 3 records with these two as well- note the age changing- World War Two Nominal Roll World War Two Nominal Roll Cant see anything to identify Sergeant S G Green? regards Robert
I would say that the 1898 DoB for Frank Kenneth Code would be the correct one, as he served in WW1 and his personnel file has been digitised by the NAA - it shows that he enlisted in March 1917 when he was 18 1/2 years old. Which leads me to the blokes in the photo, I was going to say that they were most likely either pre-war regulars or WW1 blokes that reenlisted in 1939 / 1940 - taking into account their rank in August 1940 Soldiers who had never served before and had only joined up around that time would unlikely be SNCOs by August 1940
Good Evening All, I recently had some more info provided on this photo by Fromelles over on the GWF, which I have posted below. Hi Gaz, I’ll give your WW2 Diggers a go! I’m quite certain these are the two named men (left and centre) - · VX12868 S/Sgt Fredric Steven CODE – DoB: 24 Oct 1901 (Shepparton, Victoria) – Enlisted: 24 Apr 1940 (Caulfield, Victoria) - Date of Discharge: 2 Oct 1945 – Posting at Discharge: 2 Forestry Coy · VX11862 Lieut Sydney Claude GREEN – DoB: 12 Feb 1905 (Melbourne, Victoria) – Enlisted: 23 Apr 1940 (Caulfield, Victoria) – Posted: Forestry Coy (22 Apr 1940) – Promoted: Sgt (6 May 1940) – Disembarked: Liverpool, England (18 Jul 1940) – Date of Discharge: 16 Dec 1943 – Posting at Discharge: Australian Army Pay Corps Sydney Green’s records have been digitized and are available HERE. Unfortunately, at present, Fred Code’s records aren’t available to view. The colour patch they are wearing is the Forestry Companies (c.1940-43) – Scarlet diamond on Purple square and superimposed on a Battleship Grey square boarder, signifying 2nd AIF service. I have had a look at the records and Sydney Green served 4 years with the Senior Cadets and then 3 years with the Citizen Forces from 1919-1926 and served initially in 1940 with 2nd Forestry Coy. A quick look at their history suggests they were based in Northumberland, possibly around Seahouses which is only a few miles from where my family are from which suggests that rather than these men being distant relatives of mine, are more likely to have boarded with my side of the family who managed farms or my other side who were stewards on large estates. Jerome i believe is a photo studio which had several branches across the country. Does anyone know the reason for the grenade and lanyard on the man on the right? Thanks Gaz
There might be something in here of use - Colour Patches of Engineers (cont'd) and Signals AMF & AIF TD
I thought it may have been a variant on what we have today (RM and Army) for CSgt and SSgt with the crown above the Sgts chevrons Plate 668 matches Sydneys Foresty Coy as described by Fromelle. Nice to see in colour. Thank for the insight Gaz
Can't find an obituary for Fredric Steven Code in Australia. But a Fredric Stevens Code died in 1991 in Cornwall.