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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: netty999 on Wednesday 26 March 08 14:15 GMT (UK)

Title: Ma in uniform
Post by: netty999 on Wednesday 26 March 08 14:15 GMT (UK)
Can anyone help me to identify this uniform and / or date the photograph.  Any help appreciated
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: neil1821 on Wednesday 26 March 08 18:40 GMT (UK)
Welcome to Rootschat!

Perhaps you (or a mod) could crop the image and remove all that empty space? Would just make the whole thing easier to view.

As to the uniform, I'd go for Royal Horse Artillery.
- the short jacket with the ornate lace pattern is typical RHA. There's a passing resemblance to hussar uniform, but hussars wore longer tunics with rather less lace!

- the headwear is a busby. Both RHA and hussars wore busbies, but hussars had a distinctive boss on the busby front.

- another distinction if it were visible is that the RHA attach the busby lines to the left breast while hussars attach the lines to the right!

This site has some wonderful photos for comparison.
http://www.hussards-photos.com/UK_home.htm

Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: old rowley on Wednesday 26 March 08 18:45 GMT (UK)
Neil,

Dressed in this style would he be in The King's Troop RHA?

old rowley
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: neil1821 on Wednesday 26 March 08 19:09 GMT (UK)
Quote
Dressed in this style would he be in The King's Troop RHA?

Hi Old Rowley!
In answer to your question, I don't know!  :-[
Are there any uniform distinctions between Kings Troop and the rest of RHA?
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: netty999 on Wednesday 26 March 08 19:13 GMT (UK)
Many thanks gents - the web site link is very useful. 

First time I have posted / used this site so I will try and do better next time re the waste of space next time!


Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: neil1821 on Wednesday 26 March 08 19:39 GMT (UK)
One thing that does puzzle me is the 5 rows of buttons down the braiding on the jacket.  ???

I'm still going with RHA though  :)
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: old rowley on Wednesday 26 March 08 20:20 GMT (UK)
Hi Neil,
I would agree with you that it is RA, and as for The Kings Troop I was thinking out a loud (if you see what I mean) which is why I put the question, but on checking it would appear that he is wearing No 1 Dress, not only that but I have since found that The King's Troop have only been known as such since parading in front of George VI in 1947.

old rowley
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: scrimnet on Thursday 27 March 08 01:32 GMT (UK)
OR is quite correct in the provenance of Kings Troop...

Now as for the pic....Ummmmm....

Looking at his Dress Cords or lack thereof, his belt thing, and other edgings and bits to the uniform, I'm have doubts about the RHA ID....

I am leaning towards a Yeomanry unit...Probably Hussars....

I have an oppo in the RA who is a bit of an historian (and a senior officer) I'll show the pic to him and see what he reckons
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: scrimnet on Thursday 27 March 08 01:44 GMT (UK)
Another thing which troubles me, is the colour of his hackle...From what I can see his is coloured and not the white one would expect of RHA...
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: neil1821 on Thursday 27 March 08 11:10 GMT (UK)
Quote
Another thing which troubles me, is the colour of his hackle...From what I can see his is coloured and not the white one would expect of RHA...


I take your point about the hackle. I agree a yeomanry unit is another possibility, but it needs to be one with an RHA style short jacket with ornate braiding/lace (which doesn't look white in the photo) and no boss on the front of the busby.
Also I can't tell if there's any adornment on the busby bag, which would help. And I can't comment on the belt thing (is a barrel sash the right term?).

Netty999, is there any clue on the photo (written on the back, or name of a photographer etc) that would point to a location? A location would maybe suggest possible yeomanry units.
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: netty999 on Thursday 27 March 08 14:11 GMT (UK)
Hi

I'm sorry but thee is nothing at all written on the back.  The vast majority of my family come from Devon, not sure if this helps. 

What is a hackle?
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: neil1821 on Friday 28 March 08 11:13 GMT (UK)
Quote
What is a hackle?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackle  :)

So perhaps we should be checking the uniforms of the Devon Yeomanry regiment(s)?
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: scrimnet on Friday 28 March 08 11:59 GMT (UK)
I had already had a gander on the French "Hussards" site...

Unfortunately most of the pics they have are of officers, and they can be quite different from ORs...

Here's the Devon Yeomanry museum....

http://www.armymuseums.org.uk/museums/0000000093-Royal-Devon-Yeomanry-Museum-Collection.htm

Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: neil1821 on Friday 28 March 08 16:14 GMT (UK)
Just browsing the "Hussards" site again, was struck by the obvious similarities with this photo:
http://www.hussards-photos.com/UK/UK_Yeomanry_Gloucestershire_CAB1.htm

Jacket, braiding, 5 rows of buttons, barrel sash (or belt) all look a good match.
The hackle? Is it in fact white over dark in the original photo on this thread?
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: netty999 on Friday 28 March 08 17:11 GMT (UK)
Hi neil1821

Yes it does look like a good match and yes the hackle does appear in the original to be light over dark.

What sort of date do you think this is?

Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: scrimnet on Friday 28 March 08 17:59 GMT (UK)
Just browsing the "Hussards" site again, was struck by the obvious similarities with this photo:
http://www.hussards-photos.com/UK/UK_Yeomanry_Gloucestershire_CAB1.htm

Jacket, braiding, 5 rows of buttons, barrel sash (or belt) all look a good match.
The hackle? Is it in fact white over dark in the original photo on this thread?

Nice one matey...A good match!

Here is a board for Soldiers of  Gloucestershire...Pop it on there and I think they might enjoy themselves a bit!!!

http://www.sogm.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=6

I'd go for 1880/90 by the type of print and the bit of movement which has blurred it a bit...

But deffo pre WW1 as they were turned into cyclists in 1916
Title: Re: Ma in uniform
Post by: scrimnet on Friday 28 March 08 18:33 GMT (UK)
Heres a nice pic...

http://www.glosters.org.uk/collectionitem.php?id=7396&from=&to=&category=&campaign=&keywords=yeomanry

And it looks the same...