Which Regiment please?

[millerina]

My Aunt found this lovely photo recently, and unfortunatley we have no idea who the people are! I know it is very hard to see, but is anybody able to identify the regiment from the cap badge - it might help me to work out who they are! Also, am I right in guessing that this photo is from WW1?

Many thanks if you can help!

millerina 

[neil1821]

Very difficult ! 
Could you tighten up the image at all, scan the cap at a higher resolution?

And the belt buckle?

[atom12]

Agree it is difficult to tell for sure!  Could it be Royal Army Medical Corp!!, a better scan is needed though.   

[millerina]

Thanks for taking a look! 

I have scanned and rescanned on 800 dpi and this one is the best one my scanner is prepared to throw up - still not very clear I know, but the belt should be more visible now? Such a shame he didn't angle his hat slightly more towards the camera!

millerina

[atom12]

Yes, he is wearing a WW1 economy pattern jacket - without the pleats in the pockets.

Still cannot make out the cap badge for definite; we need the man called Scrimnet, who knows all things medical to determine if its RAMC or not.   

[scrimnet]

You called???

It certainly looks like the RAMC cap badge...

The scroll at the bottom is a bit of a clincher....

Now as for what else we can determine....

I would strongly suggest that this chap is just out of basic training...He has no medical "trade" badge on his sleeve....Neither has he any overseas chevrons or tribal distinctions for a division

I would also suggest that it was taken late 1917 - early/mid 1918...He has an economy jacket (from 1915) on, and his puttees are wound only half way up...An affectation that came in late in the war. It started amongst the officers and eventually led to the "Plus Eights" and "Plus Fours" of the 1920s.

The belt is from the valise equipment 1882, and was only used for ceremonial and "walking out" purposes...

Another note if I may...His stance is not very soldierly...rather hunched over....and not for the purposes of the photo...there is plenty of room at the top!....

As the war progressed,  more of the lower levels of fitness were accepted...Someone who would not be entirely fit for the "teeth arms" would have been put in a secondary role...

He also carries a "walking out" stick....

The cap still has it's stiffener in which was removed in Aug 1916....This would not normally tally with that style of puttee tying...Another suggestion of "just out of basic" and not "up the front" yet...

[scrimnet]

As the belt is an 1882 ptn one, it wouldn't have Royal Army Medical Corps on...just "Dieu Et Mon Droit" - God and my right...as the RAMC were not founded until 1898....

[scrimnet]

Another point...

Blimey...isn't the wrist watch on the woman enormous!!!

Something else that was not popular until late in the war....

[atom12]

The Watch amazed me too, what a size for a lady !!!  I wondered if she'd smeegled it from him  .....!!!

Have only ever seen ladies wristwatches from 'way-back' with tiny faces.