Uniform, age etc

[Spotty]

Hi guys,

Can anyone identify the year of this photo?

The information I have is that we think it is of our prolific forefather who had 5 wives and 20 children. 

If it is him we think it would have been taken between 1870-1880.  He was Irish and served in India.

Thanks in advance for any ideas or help.

Spotty. xx

[old rowley]

Hi Spotty,

Don't know if this helps but...........
Your soldier is wearing a glengarry with red and white check which would denote him as being a member of a Scottish Regiment. He also appears to have a metal badge on his shoulder epaulette which would have the initial's of his regiment (ie KOSB= King's Own Scottish Borderers).
Being no expert on uniforms it looks more first world warish
than the date that you have. The only other thing than I can add is that he was a corporal and that the uniform it self appears to be one worn in this country or europe (I say this because I am under the impression that he would be wearing a uniform made from a lighter material if the photograph had been taken in India).

Not much but I hope that it helps in someway.

[manmack]

old rowley,your right,hes a corporal in a scottish regt,taken in ww1,hes dressed for service in mainland europe france/belgium,cant tell which regt because five different scottish regts wore that type of glengarry,mack

[Spotty]

Cheers guys, back to the drawing board then!

[Spotty]

He was in the 43rd regiment when he came back from India, was that not the highlanders?

 

[old rowley]

Hi Spotty,

The 43rd regiment of foot's full title was..........
43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry), untill the Army reform in 1881 when it then became the
1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire Light Infantry. In 1908 it then became ....The Oxfordshire and Buckingshire Light Infantry (more commonly known as the Ox & Bucks).

The mystery thickens as to why he was photographed wearing a Glengarry......unless he was attached to one regiment from another.

Have you also noticed that he is wearing a lanyard which goes under the epaulette on his left shoulder?

old rowley

[Spotty]

The mystery thickens as to why he was photographed wearing a Glengarry......unless he was attached to one regiment from another.

Have you also noticed that he is wearing a lanyard which goes under the epaulette on his left shoulder?

He was in the 37th and then the 43rd?? whatever that means!  He returned from India and lived in Shropshire (possibly still with the army).

What is the significance about the lanyard? 

Thanks again for your help.

[old rowley]

Hi Spotty,

The 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment was amalgamated with the 67th (South Hampshire) Regiment when the army reforms came into being in 1881 to become "The Hampshire Regiment".

As for the Lanyard perhaps Manmac can answer this one as I am not too sure on the meaning of it, all that I know is, is that each regiment, when wearing a lanyard, have their own meaning, also lanyards colourations differ.

old rowley

[manmack]

well spotted rowley,i dont think he did much fighting,he was to exhausted after 5 wives and 20 kids,he may have been recommended for a victoria cross for extreme gallantry for having 5 mother in laws
spotty what was his name,mack