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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: barbarai on Wednesday 18 January 17 10:02 GMT (UK)
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Hi, I was wondering if any of you lovely people could help me out with my 2x great grandfather's military uniform please. All I know about him is that his name is George Baker not sure when or where he was born. He married (no record of that!), Eliza Philips born 1851, and they lived in the Woolwich and Plumstead area. He doesn't appear on any census with Eliza though he is in the electoral roles at her address. He disappears from them after 1891. All I have are photos so his military record is my last hope of finding any info on him. Thank you
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Possibly 4th Dragoon Guards - "This regiment wore the Star of the Order of St. Patrick in silver as an arm badge since 1868 but it was not approved till 1887. It was worn by sergeants and above including W/Os."
http://www.uniformology.com/UIDSPEC-08.html
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Hi Thanks, i was once told that it was the Rifle Brigade and that it was a rifle shooting proficiency badge?
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Looks like Kings Royal Rifle Corps but have to wait for an expert to come along and see this.
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Good afternoon,
He looks to me to be from a volunteer battalion, possibly the rifles. Dragoon guards would be wearing white crossbelt and waist belt. Rifles wore black leather crossbelts
The uniform is too pale to be the dark red of the DGs and also has a narrow braid around the centre of the collar. Normally found on VB uniforms not regulars. Then there is the hat sitting on the table beside him, not cavalry of any sort.
John915
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White five pointed star above right cuff is for five years services as a volunteer.
If you know where he lived then look for local unit. Part-timers lived in the same county.
Ken
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Good evening,
I believe he is possibly a member of one of the 26 volunteer battalions who became the London Regt in 1908. A number of them were volunteer battalions of the Rifle Brigade and KRRC. It's just working out which he may have joined from where he was living.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Regiment
John915
Added, most likely would be Blackheath, Camberwell and Southwark.
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Thank you all for your help, hopefully i will be able to find his service record now. ;D
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Following up on John915's post, take a look at the plates on this
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/244367-london-regt-battalions-full-dress-uniforms-caton-woodville-plates/&
maxD
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Good morning,
Good one maxD, it tends to disprove my thoughts as to a possible battalion though. I'm fairly certain he is in an elcho grey uniform but the 3 I gave as possibles would have been in red if I read correctly.
Perhaps you could post the photo's on there and get their thoughts on ID as i'm not a user of that site.
John915
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Good thinking John, will do.
Edit - already done by the OP.
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Thank you all for your help, hopefully i will be able to find his service record now. ;D
No Volunteer records survive other than a set for Middlesex in the National Archives. The NA recommend contacting the local Record Office as some records may have been donated.
If he later enlisted in another unit, one of the questions asked was for details of previous service. And this is where 90% of information about Volunteers comes from. So not much.
During the Boer War lots of Volunteers joined. But they were put into Volunteer Companies of regular battalions with new numbers, or the new units created for the war - Imperial Yeomanry if they could ride etc.
Ken
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Thank you all once again. Been searching for this man for 15 years now, so hopefully i'll find him one day.