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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: Jeremy Pyne on Saturday 17 November 18 15:28 GMT (UK)
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Dear all - Can anyone identify this uniform . It's my grandfather Fred Pyne. I don't know what part he played in the war and thought from record cards on Ancestry that he might have been in the RAMC (Medical Corps) but don't think this matches the uniform. I've failed to properly id the badge on the sash. Fred survived the war I believe he was invalided out and married in 1917 Thanks Jeremy
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Possibly telegram messenger.
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The Corps of Commissionaires had a crowned badge on a shiny cross belt. Sword and anchor crossed in centre.
I see from the later post that the current Corps members have the cross belt on the other shoulder.
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See https://www.corpssecurity.co.uk/about-corps-security/corps-security-history/tracing-commissionaires/ regarding the tracing of commissionaires.
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We don't know why you have settled on the RAMC man but there are other candidates: notably Frederick Pyne 9786 North Staffs Regiment, discharged for wounds 7 July 1917; and Fred Pyne S201594 (formerly 3638) Devonshire Regiment, discharged for sickness 2 October 1917.
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Many thanks for the replies so far, I 'll follow these up - don't know why I didn't try this before!. Re the North Staffs and Devon Regiment candidates , I perhaps wrongly ruled these out based on geography. My Grandad was born and would have joined up in South London.
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PS to the earlier message, the badge , based on a better view from the original image definately looks right ie the crowned star with the crossed anchor and sword. I thought it was a wheel from the picture but the circle through which the sword and anchor pass gives that form.
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You might be able to rule out 9786 F. Pyne N. Staffs as he was a pre war regular, attested 1912-13.
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Thanks Jim, my Fred was born in 1894 in South London,so age wise possibly still a possibility, but I'd assumed that the Staffs and Devon regiments were made up by recruits from those areas, but I'm no expert. Maybe , if I can confirm the service in the Corps of Commissionaires that my chap stayed employed with them through the war but I see from a quick look at the history that a large number of them did sign up into the army.
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I'd assumed that he joined the Corps of Commissionaires after the war. They took on a lot of ex-soldiers.
I think you can rule out the Devon Regiment man. He was aged 21 and 2 months on discharge in October 1917.
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You might be able to rule out 9786 F. Pyne N. Staffs as he was a pre war regular, attested 1912-13.
4 September 1912 to be precise (per the SWB record)
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That photo looks more 19th century than 20th - are you sure it's him?
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Yep pretty sure its him - I have another early photo of him with wife and baby which I think is my father that will date to 1919.
Having checked again , his marriage was in May 1918 and profession on the cert is 'night watchman' - I wonder if this is something a member of the Corps of Commissionaires would do - in which case ties in with joining them on leaving the army and the RAMC chap might still be the best bet re army records.
I've emailed the Corps Security folk to see what they can come up with by way of records. Fingers crossed.