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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: Cardano on Wednesday 14 December 11 02:18 GMT (UK)
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Hi,
Like may others with boxes of old family photos, I have photos with unidentified people in them. There are two categories:
1. No known individuals.
2. Some known individuals, the rest unknown.
I'm going to attach an example of the 2nd type.
This is a photo from WWI, taken in England, I believe. My maternal grandfather, William Henry Dalley (1883 - 1965) is 3rd from the left. He was born in Cardiff, Wales.
Here's my question: I have no idea who the others are in the photo, but out there somewhere there are people who would know these men as their grandfathers, great grandfathers etc. Where could photos like this be posted to maximize the appropriate kind of exposure? I have many old family photos, and would love to share them with people who know any of the people in them.
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Looking at the photo right now, I notice the chevrons, and it seems these men are all the same rank. I'm thinking that if they are all from the same outfit, somewhere there may be military records which would identify them, by finding out the names of those who served with my grandfather. I have some information about his unit, and I'll find it and post it.
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Here's some military information in the attached image from my mother's birth record, dated Sep. 4, 1916, which shows where my grandfather was on that date, and information about his unit. I think he was in the Royal Engineers, but would appreciate more information from someone who know how to interpret this information.
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Hi Cardano
I guess Rootschat is as good a place as any to put your photos in the hope someone might recognise a family member in it - I might post my grandparents' wedding group photo at some point as there are many unidentified people in it.
I see many people have read this but not commented - it might be worth posting a link to this thread on the military board and/or deciphering and recognition board to get some expert eyes on the uniforms and insignia :)
Good luck with your research
Heather
p.s. once you've identified the regiment/unit there may well be a website where you could post your photo. For example here's the Commando Veterans website http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/main.php we found photos of my Uncle on there with his comrades that his sister had never seen :)
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Thanks, Heather.
I'll follow these suggestions.
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So far as I can see from the photo these men are all corporals, wearing the two stripes.
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Rootschat isn't really a place for everyone to post lots of their unidentified old photos but I'm going to move this thread to Armed Forces board for you so the experts there can help with any military details.
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Id say they were Territorial Royal Engineers
Imperial Service badge on one of them and looks like RE shoulder title
Ady
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Heather, I have posted my grandparents wedding photo from 1896 on this site (Ayres/Brignell wedding) many of the people on the photo were unknown to me, but with a little work i have pinned them all down except three, how? First I had several talks with my mother, she was over 90 and her answers weren't always the same, but after a few sessions she became more consistent with the IDs, next by comparison of the 1901 and 1891 censuses with the partners of known people I was able to identify all but three of the rest. There are 17 people on the photo.
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hi cardano
would it be possible to get a close up scan of the shoulder title of the chap lying down on the left as it would help identifying the reg for certain .
regards
trevor
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ps
just had another look at the pic and is it me or does the chap you say could be your grandad look as if he has a different style of uniform to the others , only he is wearing leather boots some of the others have puttees also his uniform jacket has the extra patch sewn on it over the shoulders too help take the wear of his equipment plus obviously his ammunition pouch over the shoulder and even his trousers look more like the style mounted troops wore ?!!
regards
trevor
pps i,d like to hear the experts view on this
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Hi,
don't know if this helps - obviously and electrical engineer - (journeyman - time served) - attached to 3/2 Highland Field Company RE (405th RE) - part of 64th (2nd Highland) Division.
http://www.1914-1918.net/64(2H)div.html
'In March 1916, the Division moved to England, with HQ being set up in Norwich. The brigades went to Kelling, Taverham and North Walsham; the artillery to Blickling and Worstead; RE at Norwich, Taverham, North Walsham and Kelling.'
David
PS - medal card link - def RE
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=2224572&queryType=1&resultcount=12
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T mo,
I hunted around to find the original photo to rescan, as blowing up the image I have didn't seem to bring out enough detail on the insignia. I'm playing around with the contrast etc. on the rescan to try to get maximum detail, but my scanner only goes up to 1200 DPI. Not sure how much more detail is in the photo; it's not in very good condition. The photo is one of those postcards which were so common in that era.
What I have determined so far is that the first two characters on the shoulder insignia look like HY to me, the rest being a shiny blur. I'm less sure of the 2nd character.
Will post the rescans when I get finished trying to improve them. Have to go out for a few hours.
Thanks for all the help people have posted so far.
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Some of the men are wearing economy tunics again confirming the middle of WW1.
The 3/2nd Highland Field Company Royal Engineers (later renamed 405th Field Company) were (as Ady says TF, ie Territorial Force). The shoulder title should say T – RE – then their home county
The TF were part-timers who attended one evening a week, plus a two week annual camp. His low number suggests he was a pre-war member. He was later re-numbered to 402406. There is a medal card for him, but no record appears to be on Ancestry.
Composition of a RE Field Company - http://www.1914-1918.net/whatfieldcoy.htm
Ken
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km1971,
Interesting that you mention he was an early member. This is consistent with the background, which is as follows. He emigrated to Canada in 1908, where he met and married my grandmother in 1910. In May 1913, my grandmother sailed for Scotland with the two children (the younger dying on the voyage), my grandfather left for Scotland a few months later, and may have signed up before the outbreak of the war. My grandmother remained in Aberdeen with her mother for the duration of the war, and two more children, including my mother were born there. They all sailed for Canada in 1919.
I had always believed that the war was the reason they were all in the U.K. until a couple of years ago, when I found the passenger lists indicating they had left Canada in 1913. Now I don't know why they left. The other thing I had always believed was that he had been in the Canadian forces, not the British forces. Seeing my mother's birth record from Aberdeen corrected that.
Is there some way to find out the date he signed up?
Thanks very much for the information.
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The only way to find out with any certainty if his record didnt survive is to get a researcher to get your info from the Medal Rolls themselves...ie the actual book to which the index card online refers to.
This will have enlistment date and discharge date on it.
Ady
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I am very sure that is my grandfather Cpl Robert Elphinstone laying on the grass on the right side of the photo. He enlisted from Aberdeenshire, Scotland into 405th Highland Field Co, Royal Engineers on 13 Feb 1915. To my knowledge he served with them until being transferred to 203rd Field Co, RE in Jun 1918 where he was wounded 3 times until being hospitalized for 4 months after being wounded on 28 Sep 1918. Do you have anymore pictures of 405th during the 1915-1918 time frame? Dave
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My 81 year old Mom has definitely confirmed the guy lying on grass on right side of photo is her Dad Cpl Robert Elphinstone. Thanks so much for posting that picture as its been going around the family all afternoon and evening! Hope there are more photos out there.
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Doubled101<
I'm so glad to hear that you've identified a relative in the photo. I've had the photo up in various places around the internet for six or seven years, and this is the first time anyone in it has been recognized. Alas, I don't have any other group photos of my grandfather during WWI.
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Thanks so much you posting it!
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BTW did you grandfather eventually post to the Western Front or some other theater?