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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: Guinevere on Tuesday 22 March 05 17:56 GMT (UK)
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I hope these pictures have come up,I'm new at the pics thing.lol.
My Dad was in WW2,and he is in these 2 pictures,the one with
2guys in is i guess on leave,Dad is on left,and he was from portsmouth Hampshire,i think he was a driver/rifleman,but he had a great imagination and told us many things,so as he has passed away i cant get anymore info,i have tried sending his pics to Army,they cant help,I'm just stumped now,as have no idea where to turn now.He said he never went far during war,isle of wight and local i guess,he never saw action.
The bottom pic,is obviously a photo opportunity with mates,as I'm sure vehicle is u.s.a one,and hope someone may know where they were based during war.Dad is third from right
The one of Dad in uniform,is a bad pic,but they are only ones that survived,we cant see any cap badges as they are so badly taken.I would implore anyone to help,as im at end of rope trying to trace his regiment,im sure it was in Hampshire somewhere as hes from portsmouth,but he said he was stationed in isle of wight at one time,and i dint know how to find out what regiments were based there at the time.Thankyou so much for reading this,sorry if pics didn't go in,i tried.love Ann(Guinevere)xxxx
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I'm not sure if this will help, but try this forum, they may be a better bet.
http://www.forcesreunited.org.uk/forum/default.asp
or, try this. http://www.veteransagency.mod.uk/service_recs/service_recs.htm
Here's a colour version of your dad. It's a shame it's in low resolution. If you can get it scanned to a higher resolution 300k max. and post it in the photo restoration board (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,298.0.html) The guys their may be able to clean it up a bit.
I think the uniform is B37 Battle Dress Uniform Khaki. So my colour is wrong. I made him an american.
deadants
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This is probably closer to the true colour. Unless he was in the Air Force then it woulld be blue.
deadants
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Hi
I'd say the middle pic looks like a sea front somewhere - possibly Brighton / Eastbourne / Bournemouth? Just a guess!
:)
Paul
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A nice big version would be great to check to see exactly what's in the picture.
deadants
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deadants is right on it being american.
Look on pic 2, the one ith the large crane. It has a white star. This was painted on all US ARMY vehicles. Another clue to it being american is the way the cap is being worn and the shape of it.
if you can , send in a larg picture focusing on the cap badge.
May be able to identify it from there.
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Wow,thankyou all so much,i was moved to tears at the way you all wrote to help me,yes the vehicle looks american,but dad never left the u.k,so i think it was a place they had a base in hampshire or isle of wight,i have tried for years to get to bottom of this and im at end of my rope as i have nowhere else to look,i shall visit all the links and re-read these truly wonderful messages to see if i get any further,.
And a huge THANKYOU for the colour version of my Dad,as you will never know how much i treasure these as i only have a few of my dad,and these are 3 of them,it breaks my heart to think i will never find out about his army days,and learn more of his young life.THANKYOU ALL SO VERY,VERY MUCHLove Ann.xxxxxx
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oh i forgot,i think the beach maybe southsea or the shops in portsmouth,i have bigger ones i will try to upload them,as im new to this,lol.
he was definately in the british army,i assumed it was hampshire regiment,but they havent got him on files,he was a driver/rifleman,and the vehicle wasnt theirs,as its american,i just wish i knew where the americans were based in hampshire or isle of wight during ww2,Dad passed away in 1987,and we always lived in hampshire all us Dubbers did,and he just told so many fanciful stories of his war days,we just never knew where he was based only that he served in the Army,im so thrilled with the colour and the brown pics they are truly wonderful,now i just have to work out how to save them,they are so delightfuul,im teary eyed with seeing them in new light,bless your hearts for being so helpful,this site has always been so wonderful and friendly,and i feel very at home here,thankyou.Love Ann.xxxxxx ;) ;) ;) ;)
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Hi
I am afraid that all allied vehicles were marked with a white star in Europe as an aid to identification the star was not limited to American vehicles only.
Regards
Smokey
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Hi Smokey,wow thats news to me,and thank you i had no idea,that probably complicates things more i guess,lolol.
I think im never going to get to bottom of this.Thankyou for that valuable information.Love Ann.xx :D
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Hi Ann,
Is there any chance your father was in a reserved occupation perhaps and in the Home Guard rather than the Army? As you can see from this link the uniform was similar.
http://www.portsdown-tunnels.org.uk/events/portsdown_ww2_photos_p3.html
My grandad was a joiner and worked at the local airport repairing planes but was also in the Home Guard. If your Dad stayed local to Hampshire and wasn't in the Hampshire Regiment maybe this is a possibility? I also read somewhere that members of the Home Guard even went on 'commando' type operations so had to be secretive about their activities !!
Debbie
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Hi Debbiedee,thanks for your reply,no Dad was a full time soldier and was demobbed after the war ended,that would have been another lead,only i know he was a full time soldier,thats about all i do know,lol.
Such a mystery he left me to untangle,its had me tearing my hair out a few times lolol. take care love Ann.xxxxxx ;)
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Hi Ann,
I will go along with another poster in this thread, if you can come up with a picture of your dad's cap badge, I am sure we could identify the Regiment for you.
It's one of my boring hobbies I am told!! I collect them.
Tom
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Hi Tom,sadly the cap badge is not seen very well,as the pics are so old and taken obviously on a very cheap camera,as in those days you had to be rich to have a good camera,Ive tried everything to enhance the cap badge but to no avail,it would be so simple as you say many people collect them,and could readily identify it.its maddening for me believe me i have tried to get the photo sorted so you can see it,but cant seem to find anyone to do it thanks anyway.Love Ann.xx ;)
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Hi Ann,
Sorry to hear that, are you sure there are no other photo's hidden away?
Also I am very surprised that you cannot find your dads Army papers. I have yet to hear of any old serviceman throwing theirs away. I still have mine after nearly forty years out. (The Senior Service by the way)
Keep looking through all those old boxes etc, you may strike it lucky, who knows!!
Tom
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Hi again,no i dont have anything at all,Dad didnt keep anything as far as we know,as our family is estranged sadly which breaks my heart,i have no way of getting anything at all,i was lucky to get these 3 pictures that ive put in the message,it is so annoying to have so little stuff,even the Army wanted his number or something and i had nothing,they still charged me £25 for not searching even though we have a rare surname,its so very frustrating,i hope i have more luck when i ask for my grandads Army files he was a sapper in ww1 i only found that out by a birth certificate i got for an uncle,purely by chance,i think it was the royal engineers,im not very good at whos called private or whos a sapper,i dont even know what a sapper is im so dumb!.lolol thankyou so very much im getting so many lovely messages here,its helping me in a way,and i truly hope someone can help me,as im stumped.lolol take care love Ann.xx :) ;)
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Having blown up the cap badge on the 'seafront' photo as much as possible (the cap looks as though it is a beret , on the back of the head) until the pixels distort the image too much, I am certain there is a fairly distinctive 'almost Maltese' cross shape there.....which could mean Bucks, Berks or Wilts Regmt.
In the absence of anything, you have to start somewhere.......
The uniform is British Army.....although the 'dark' picture is confusing....it does look RAF...even with the two buttons on the side hat....(I have got one here).:
but I still reckon it's Army.
For Salty.....Essex Regmt dress cap with silver Egypt badge of interest?
Al.
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Hi Anne,
The building in the background in the middle picture has a name on it. possibly a hotel. Is it possable to get these photos rescanned at a higher resoluton so we can have a good look.
deadants
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Hi Ann,
Good site for searching records of all services is "National Archives" .
Probably quite slog but you have a name to go on and branch of service ie. Army. Also all the records are held at Kew.
Give it a try.
Regards Johnpeel
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Hi Ann,
I can now understand your problem. I have the same problem with my father, although I know he was in the Royal Navy during WW11. He remarried after mum passed on and as I am not the next of kin, I cannot get a copy of his service record. His two children from the second marriage do not reply to my letters even though I have promised them all the info I have gathered for the family tree back to the late 1700s. All I have asked for is a photo copy of the record and a photo of his war medals. I do not want the real thing, just something for my records. Zilch.
I wish you luck for the future, who knows it could just happen one day.
To Al, re the Essex badge, made of silver or white metal?
Since the advent of ebay I have had to specialise for the time being. I now only collect Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Hampshire, Kent and the Gordon Highlanders.
Strange choice you might say, but being a Hampshire lad, ex RN as was/is most of my family. Then fathers family all from Kent, mothers side from Aberdeen where the Gordons were raised.
Royal Marines, well, I had the privelige as a raw recruit to play in a bugle band alongside the Marines every day for a year, hence my love of listening to their bands only. All the rest I'm afraid are not up to scratch as far as I am concerned.
There are so many beautiful badges out there for every Regt, stretching back years and I cannot afford them all.
I did however have one bargain, found an old military drum with a Hampshire crest on. Did some research and discovered that it had actually been an Army issue side drum to the Hampshire Regt. I have had it restored to its true colours and it now proudly hangs in my study.
Good luck all
Tom
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Hi Ann,
I can now understand your problem. I have the same problem with my father, although I know he was in the Royal Navy during WW11. He remarried after mum passed on and as I am not the next of kin, I cannot get a copy of his service record. His two children from the second marriage do not reply to my letters even though I have promised them all the info I have gathered for the family tree back to the late 1700s. All I have asked for is a photo copy of the record and a photo of his war medals. I do not want the real thing, just something for my records. Zilch.
I wish you luck for the future, who knows it could just happen one day.
To Al, re the Essex badge, made of silver or white metal?
Since the advent of ebay I have had to specialize for the time being. I now only collect Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Hampshire, Kent and the Gordon Highlanders.
Strange choice you might say, but being a Hampshire lad, ex RN as was/is most of my family. Then fathers family all from Kent, mothers side from Aberdeen where the Gordon's were raised.
Royal Marines, well, I had the privilege as a raw recruit to play in a bugle band alongside the Marines every day for a year, hence my love of listening to their bands only. All the rest I'm afraid are not up to scratch as far as I am concerned.
There are so many beautiful badges out there for every Regt, stretching back years and I cannot afford them all.
I did however have one bargain, found an old military drum with a Hampshire crest on. Did some research and discovered that it had actually been an Army issue side drum to the Hampshire Regt. I have had it restored to its true colours and it now proudly hangs in my study.
Good luck all
Tom
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Sorry that came up twice, a technical hitch!!!
Tom
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hi salty, you can delete one of them. look up in the right corner, you should see a delete button. No, sorry only modify on this board. You can delete on other boards.
deadants
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Tom, just a quick reply....it is on a genuine officer's cap, probably WW2, black with red piping and a black decortaive cloth hatband.
The badge has never tarnished since I acquired the cap in the mid 80's, so I'm thinking logically 'white metal'.....I suppose it would be hallmarked if silver?
Also....Royal Marines (brass) and SAS (brass) both relatively modern...
Plus one Met Pol helmet!
Al.
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Hi Al,
I cannot say for sure what it is that you have without having a good look through my books. The ones I have looked at briefly describe the Essex badge as Bi metal, ie; white and brass.
I have the family here for Easter so cannot have a good look until Monday pm.
Any way that you can email me a scan of it? Jpeg please.
tom@whitman1944.fsnet.co.uk
The RM and SAS would probably be run of the mill badges but I will have a look at the books for you if you wish. Only the larger Helmet plates for the RM are really worth anything, except maybe RM Light Infantry and Artillery. But they need to be exceptional for costing. The RMLI are pretty cheap on ebay, but the RMA may fetch something extra, not too many of them about.
SAS are really relatively new, so not worth too much.
Met helmet and plate, not really sure, depends how old.
I have been fortunate to obtain a couple of RM rare helmet plates, but you have to be very careful that they are not restrikes, some are very poor quality and some too good.
I just wish that Ann could come up with a picture so that we could identify her dads Regt.
Tom
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Ok Tom, I'll see what I can do over Easter.
Yes, I agree.....I have seen so many badges that are just simply not clear enough resolution and sometimes all that you can do is guess from the size.
I have here a couple of programmes that I sometimes use in tandem to identify badges, but too much enlargement invariably means the pixel size distorts the basic shape.
In the case of this posting if only a quarter of the badge was showing in decent resolution, I have no doubt we could identify it......we will have to hope that she can find something else.
I don't know if your interest is purely badges or WW1 / WW2 etc......I have a number of family photos etc relating to both (a good one of Royal Sussex Regmt members) plus some CWGC info.
If you would like stuff like this send me a PM and we can exchange email etc.(better get off here).
Al.
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Why don't you get your dad's service records.
They will be available through the public records office, I'm told,
of the National Archives. His service records will tell you everything
about who he served with, when and where, etc.
My partner says the uniform is definately WW2 Battledress but the
picture is too dark to pick out specifics.
Here is the link for the National Archives:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/default.htm
Good Luck ;)
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Hi ya
I've just spent about 30 minutes searching various site to find the type of vehicle this is, it is some form of recovery/logistics vehicle, I came close to finding a similar type on the REME site
Can I suggest you contact the Imperial War Museum, if you can find what regiments had that type of vehicle, that would be a starting point
The the other photo with two people on, I don't think is in England as it would have to be very early on as a lot of iron railings in the UK were taken away.
Your father would be also entitled to campaign medals at least.
Cheers and good luck
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Guinevere,on this site you are always that much nearer to a solution,c'mon, one more mile ay?
Now,that good lookin' young feller will show up much better when the photo wlzards have finished with it,and will show up his stripes+possibly his Div;sign at about shoulder level,if those two items can be salvaged,+the fact that he was a Regular, not Hostilities Only,should help a bit.
Plod on kid.plod on!
Goggy
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Hi Ann,
Try this www.gazettes-online.co.uk put in your dad's name and see if that helps. I've already put the name Drubber in and there are loads of them. As you say he was a driver it is probably the Royal Artillery Reg,
I found my Grandad's reg and service number along with my dad and his four brothers!
Good luck
Sue Corbie
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I tried to lighten the picture ... posting it here to see if it shows lighter for you here too. It really looks like a badge on his shoulder with some letters on it ... I dunno. Here's the lightened image though and I hope this works/helps :)
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G,Day All,
well!the story is slowly unfolding eh?One other thing,cant see a Regimental flash,just under the shoulder seam on the right shoulder,also would you lose the cap button insignia if too enlarged??
American+other allied troops were built up on I.O.W prior to D.Day,indeed the whole Southland area was flooded with them.
I agree on recovery function of vehicle shown,needed on invasion beaches!
Hope this helps,Goggy.
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That middle photograph where they are wearing berets ........ the cap badge seems more able to be read ..... but not by these old eyes.......... perhaps someone could try enlarging??
joboy
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Hi Everyone.Wow this is fantastic,I'm learning so much from you all,thankyou,.
The lightening of the picture was truly wonderful,and my hubby Chris and i think it may say R.C.T?,and underneath it seems to say something else,and is that a 7 after it?.lol I'm so excited by all these findings,oh my i believe we may solve this yet between us,well you lot really!.
The railings piccy,was definitely in u.k,as dad never went overseas..
Wonders if R.C.T is royal corps of Transport?is there is such a thing?I'm getting so excited bless you all.Love Ann.xxxxxxxxxxx :) ;) :D ;D
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Hi Ann,
Yes those initials do stand for the Royal Corps of Transport. I have been looking through my books to find a picture of the cap badge for you. Unfortunately I can only find one post 1953 with the present Queens crown.
I cannot find a trace of one at all prior to that with a Kings crown, which is what it would have had in WW11.
I will keep looking and if I find one you may be able to compare in some way with your photo.
Tom
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Hi,
Hey Ann, I'm so stoked that the lightened picture helps you some more :)
TOM ... and ANN... regards the cap badge for WW2 time for that regiment,
I placed a request for a picture or link to a picture of the cap badge for that time and regiment.
I'm sure some historian will jump in quickly and I'll get an image one way or another.
I'll post it here as soon as I have one.
I like to help ... because I've been on the receiving end of amazing help from others who
have helped me learn about my own relatives, especially my relatives who served in WW2.
ANN ... I can guess how important this is to you and how you must feel ... family!
Isn't it so wonderful to put family knowledge where questions have always filled an empty place?
I sort of feel that the more we know who we came from, the more we understand ourselves
and our own lives. That continuity gives the rootedness.
If I can help anyone to fill those knowledge gaps then I feel great!
Karmen
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Hi Ann, I copied and sent your photos to a friend who is a Canadian Military Historian as from what I said he seems to prove the regiments you may think are right, are not possible. He viewed the images and this is his reply. He also posted an image of the Royal Engineers cap badge, which I'm going to try and save and upload here now... good luck: poop ... I can't remember how to upload ... will try something else...
Hi Karmen;
I still don't know where "R.C.T." came from, but its not that or RASC (Royal Army Service Corps). I'd have to say, that from what I can make out, he served with the Corps of Royal Engineers (RE), judging by the cap badge visible in one photo and the equipment in the other.
Cheers
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Hi Mackenzie.Wow thanks for copying for your friend,i was trying to make out the letters on his sleeve,i cant even see a cap badge,hehe,old eyes methinks!!.loll.
Hmm,this plot thickens huh?.i wish i could get a bigger copy of the lightened pic that was posted,i could take it to our local store,and they are great at blowing up images,or maybe i could get one of the group here that specializes in making old pics good.
I keep trying hard to work out the lettering under the words i think are R.C.T,i just keep coming up blank,i think is it a seven or an h?,loll,i do remember my sister saying something years ago,and indeed she wrote it on back of one pic "8th". I'm guessing thats a regiment?i wish i knew more about our services,to my shame i dint.
o looked at a few sites yesterday about .R.C.T but cant find any uniform,i know they have been turned into the logistics corp now,maybe a letter to their head office,i will have to try to find the Addy,maybe its Aldershot.Boy,I'm dreaming about this a lot,he he,or is it nightmares!ROFL.Take care.Love Ann.xxxxxx :) ;D :P
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Hi Guinevere,
do you have access to these photos? If so can you get someone to rescan them to a larger resolution as it would make identifying things a lot easier.
deadants
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Hi again,ive hopefully made these pics bigger as asked for.The first pics i used were only little more than passport size,so i just took them to a shop and they made them a bit bigger,so hope it goes through here,im not sure how big i can go here.
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ive tried to post these photos several times but it keeps saying file already in use,and its not so im stumped.lol
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ive tried to post these photos several times but it keeps saying file already in use,and its not so im stumped.lol
Oh my dads third from right,i still think the uniform thing on sleeve says something like R.C.T xxxx
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Possible he was in the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) they were prominent in the IOW during latter part of WW2.
Try this email address for a link to an historian who covers REME in IOW at that time;
george@hillis211.fsnet.co.uk
The web page is;
http://www.army.mod.uk/reme/association/
Good Luck
Joboy
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oh thank you joboy,i will write to them and send copies ogf pics to see what they think.
Have a great week.Love Ann.xx :D
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Hi Ann,
Yes those initials do stand for the Royal Corps of Transport. I have been looking through my books to find a picture of the cap badge for you. Unfortunately I can only find one post 1953 with the present Queens crown.
I cannot find a trace of one at all prior to that with a Kings crown, which is what it would have had in WW11.
Tom
It says on the following site that the RCT was formed in 1965 so that would explain why you can't find one pre EII.
And also rules it out for Ann's father in the 2nd WW
http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/corps/RCT.htm
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Ann - I assume you tried Historic Disclosures for your Army Records - when you have a bit more info have another try.. they were indexing all the Army records by name and were supposed to be completing by early 2005.
I telephoned before i sent for records as I had so little information on my man - but they found him for me ;D
Good luck
Suey.
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Message for Salty and anyone else hoping for Navy Records..
I think you will find, someone please correct me if I am wrong, that the Navy is the only Service who gives each Serviceman his record when he leaves! They don't keep copies :'(
Suey
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Hi Ann,
I think that the uniform your father is wearing in the photo on his own is definately R.A.F. check my portait of my father in his R.A.F. uniform on www.thewallworks.co.uk click on my art gallery and you will see portraits of Bernard Wallwork in his R.A.F. hat which looks the same as the one your father was wearing.
I also have lots of photos of him in his R.A.F uniform.
regards wallie :)
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Suey,
Yes the Royal Navy do give the service records out when they leave. I can confirm that. I have my own.
But, they do keep a record of which dates, ranks, ships and shore establishments each member served in etc, in the archives. I have my grandfathers from them. I don't think I will ever see his proper record though. Unfortunately.
Salty
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Suey,
Yes the Royal Navy do give the service records out when they leave. I can confirm that. I have my own.
But, they do keep a record of which dates, ranks, ships and shore establishments each member served in etc,
Salty
Thanks for putting me right on that one Salty :D
Suey
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Hi,and thanks for imput,my dad was definately in the British Army,i know that for 100%certainty,he was a rifleman/driver in a Hampshire regiment ,all the brothers joined the Army together,and though dad didmnt tell us much,he did tell us it was the Army,he had a loathing of navy and r.a.f for some reason,i think he thought they werent real men!,lol sorry his words not mine,but then it was an era of poor men being full of machismo.Lolol.Love Ann.xxxx ;D
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Hi
Try this site I just found http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/A1105912 and on the same BBC wartime site is one on uniforms might be of no use but there again
I've not had time to have a good look at it yet myself
Andrew
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Hello Ann
Hope you are having some success with your search. If all else fails the British Legion should be able to help. Even if it is only to put you in the right direction.
My dad was in the army in WW2 and wore the same sort of cap your dad is wearing in the photo on his own. My hubby was a 1950s soldier and tells me that the cap is called a forage cap. All non Scottish army regiments would have forage caps. I don't suppose this little bit of info will help your search but it is interesting.
In the photo taken with one other chap, they are sitting on a wall with fancy wrought iron work which looks like fleur de lys or Prince of Wales Feathers design. This might help to identify the place it was taken.
If you think it was Isle of Wight why not send a copy of the photo to the main library on the island. You never know.
Also if you are in the UK - try teletext on Channel 4. It has a free Service Pals feature. You can post messages. Page 152. If you are not in UK I will do it for you if you like. Send me a private message with all the details.
Bye
Kath(Yorky)