Hi I was wondering if anyone could help me. This is a picture of my Great Grandfather (bottom right). He served right at the end of WW1 and then went to Northern Ireland where he served, I think, with the KOSB’s. This picture is from much later (est. 1944) but I’m struggling to figure out the uniform. Does anyone have any ideas? I had thought civil defence/ARP given the sash cord but they seem to have worn berets? Any help much appreciated. Alan
Others will know better than me but for 100% clarity you should obtain his service records and they are only to be found for WW2 at the MOD - forms you need are here Request records of deceased service personnel - if your parents are alive then aske them to sign the forms, i.e. fill them in on their behalf - you will need a copy death certificate If you provide his name and date of birth we should be able to find his WW1 details TD
He is in army uniform, jacket is "Battledress, Serge" introduced in 1937 but used all through WW2 - he has a coloured FS cap but the unit colours/badge aren't clear - the lanyard doesn't really tell us much as a lot of different units wore them in various colours (and I have heard of at least one photographer providing them to subjects as a bit of colour)
It could well be a forage cap for the Royal Signals - it has the intermediate line (piping) through the cap Sig Joseph Sydney Smith | In Memoriam Page 853 | Royal Corps of Signals Memorial Book It would depend on colour as much as anything for example: TD Seems from what I can find is that ARP or Civil Defence wore dark blue uniforms, as AB64 says that uniform in the photo is normal army - perhaps at this point he was in Home Guard, but service records will identify that
Thanks all. Yes, time to get the service records I think. We’ve only just finished sitting through his son’s (in the picture), which included Malaya, the SAS and several court martials! Hopefully great grandad’s is as interesting! Thanks again Alan
As mentioned though if you provide his name and date of birth we should be able to find his WW1 records as they are publicly available, its only his WW2 ones you need to send off for Up to you TD
Apologies, I totally missed that! Thanks for the help. John Black, born 18 August 1900, Murray Street, Annan. From what I think I know, he joined up right at the end but I don’t know if he ever set foot in France. I’m sure I saw that he went straight to Northern Ireland. Thanks
In the absence of his records: agreed, RCoS is a possibility for the cap (have a photo of my uncle Den, 44th Div Signals, in what looks like an identical one) - but not sure about the badge though? I bet someone on here will be able to ID it, though. Cheers, Pat
UK, British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920 Name: John Black Gender: Male Enlistment Age: 18 Birth Date: abt 1900 Marriage Date: 11 Jul 1919 Marriage Place: Dumfries Document Date: 1918 Residence Place: 5 Murray Street, Annan Military Date: 1918 Relationship to Soldier: Self (Head) Regimental Number: 48306 Regiment Name: Highland Light Infantry Number of Images: 17 Form Title: Record of Service Other Records: Search for 'John Black' in other WWI collections Family Members: Name Relation to Soldier John Black Self (Head) A Halbert Spouse Blimey you are a very lucky boy TD
For interest only, this is about the fire that destroyed most of the WW1 army records. The 1940 fire at Arnside Street – The Long, Long Trail
Thanks. I do recall that now actually as we drew a bit of a blank with my great uncle who was killed in 1917 at Arras. We managed to find out a fair bit about him from local press as he got the MM but that was about it I think.