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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: jan.jan on Sunday 28 July 13 16:31 BST (UK)
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Hello
I hope this is on the correct board but I need some help to identify this photo. I have no idea of a rough date, nor a name but found it in a box of old photographs that was recently given to me.
I had thought he was a Royal Marine due to the helmet but I've searched online and it doesn't seem to match any designs.
Also, all the images of Royal Marines have white belts around the waist.
Does the cane mean anything?
As he has the helmet, does that denote that he served abroad?
Any little snippet of help would be really appreciated
Thank you
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Hi
White pith helmets like this were used by the armed forces in warm climates. The plants in the back ground seem to tie in with this. Maybe India/Africa?
I think the key to further identification is the badge on the helmet, unfortunately the scan is too low resolution to see clearly.
Do you know anything more about the wording at the bottom of the picture - this may provide further clues. Also, the photo JPEG is named 'John Thomas Henry Gray' - is this the person in question?
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Hello Simon
I saved the photo as John Thomas Henry Gray as I thought it was him but have my doubts now.
I didn't know about the photographers using props when taking the portraits.
Sadly, I know nothing of the wording.
The photo was amongst a stack of photos that a cousin had and there were just a handful with something written on the back
Regards
Jan
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hi jan do you have the photo or your cousin only if you can let us know what the first names or initials are for thad ?on the mount we may be able to work out where he was from also whoever has the pic if they could either magnify the helmet badge or do a look up for regimental badges british army they may find a match .
also nearly all these old studio pics have some sort of back drop like that my own gran and granddads included .
oh and whats written on the back of it we need everything you can find .
regards
trevor
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The photograph almost seems not to match. The uniform seems to be European Theatre and the helmet Tropical. One wonders if the swagger stick was part of the photographer's props.
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Hello jan
..Before I forget, It may be nothing but I notice that our chap has no medal ribbon bar. Sometimes it's little things like this that can be clues to dating.
The majority of armed forces members who served during ww1 and ww2 would, after these wars, wear a medal ribbon bar on their uniforms, particularly for photos.
Although we can't prove anything definite from this, it suggests to me it may have have been taken before or during the wars. Just from the look of the photo, I'm thinking pre-WW1.
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Hi,
It may be the effect of the photo flash but the helmet looks broader than the British Army standard Wolseley, and quite a different shape to the "custodial" style (British police type) worn by a few British regiments. Also rare for badges to be worn on the front of this kind of helmet in the Military.
I'd pick the photo to be approx 1890-1910, and wonder if he could be a policeman ? West Indies or, possibly, some of the Australian states perhaps ?
Maec
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I agree with last post thinking police or colonial service
Ady
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Thanks for the replies.
I took the original photo back to my cousin in Plymouth and I live Hampshire. It is amongst a very large box of loose photos, so I'll try to find it again when I visit next. There was only an ink blot on the back.
It's interesting that the Police were mentioned.
This might be completely useless info but I've got one born 1895 and was a drummer boy in the Royal Marines in Greenwich.
He was loaned to the Colonial Government of Ceylon before 1927 and trained Cadet Officers in firearms.
He was promoted to Reg Serg Major in Ceylon and then reverted back to Colour Serg on his return to England.
He then worked for the Military Police at Stonehouse in Plymouth.
If it is him, his son is the one who has the photos and it would make sense for his photo to be with the son.
We have an older photo of the man in his uniform but there he has stripes on his arm and a sash over his shoulder through a lapel but sadly no helmet.
Thanks for in input, much appreciated
Jan
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hi jan
would you post the other pic of him as well if only for historical purposes it,s always nice to see the old boys bulled up ;)
regards
trevor
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My scanner isn't working at the moment but here is a copy of the photo, together with one of his brothers
Regards
Jan
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Lad on left is Royal Marine other lad army.
Ady
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I've got the Service Record for the man on the left and he was in the Royal Marines from 1910-1933 and then transferred to the Military Police and was tragically killed in a road traffic accident in 1939.
Jan
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hi jan
thanks for posting them , r m,s always look somewhat smarter than other services somehow pride in the uniform i suppose , don,t know that I,d have wanted to cross colour sgt somehow ;D.
regards
trevor
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I would have loved to have met him but he had just finished a night shift and accepted a lift home. All the traffic lights had been turned off in Plymouth to confuse the enemy and a taxi came round the corner at speed and smashed straight into the side of the car he was in and he was killed outright.
Such a tragedy and he left a widow and seven children.