WHAT REGT : RANK : WAR RECORD ?

[percy]

Hi Scotmum,

I don't know how reliable Record Cards are --  but feel that the Privates cannot be my Sydney Reginald Sandys as the photograph is DEFINITELY him and clearly shows him as a Sergeant, with my Aunt; whom I knew.  The picture is from identical albums formerly in the possession of my mother and my aunt.

Would love to find Sydney's marriage .  I know he had two sons : one married in 1934 so presumably Sydney married BEFORE WW1.  Haven't been able to find a marriage in the UK for him -- or in New Zealand -- so suspect it may have been when he was in South Africa.

Don't think yours is my Sydney however as his father was never in the Services.

Thank you, and everyone else, for your kind help.

best regards,  Percy.

[Arquebus]

The cap badge isn't either of Somerset Light Infantry or Royal Engineers.

Try www.britisharmedforces.org/index.htm

Most of the badges shown on here (or variations thereof) were in use prior to, through and after WW1.

I'm afraid Percy, me old mate, your best option is a better resolution photo or to extract more info out of whoever you can....just a tiny bit might put you onto the right track.

I have got one of these.....a Henry Swales joined the Royal Scots Greys about 1900 aged 14, was in the Army for years, ended up in the West Yorkshire Regmt.....do you think we can find him on any census?.....and he was awarded loads of medals, including one from Tsar Nicholas.

Al.

[percy]

AL !  AL !

Don't desert me now Pal !

Actually, I have just sent the known information, with picture, by Email to the New Zealand Defence Force Personnel Archives ---  and thrown myself on their mercy ??

Will let you know if they come up with anything.

Thanks to all.      Percy

[mcfc1923]

percy, a little bit more info from the war forum, it looks almost certain its Canadian machine gun corps, and so he was in the canadian forces.

jim

[percy]

HI jim,

Would you let me have the information that makes you think so

He DID have an older (married) sister, brother in law, and 4 nephews who had  emigrated to Canada in 1907, and purchased extensive farmland in the 1911/1913 Assiniboia Land Grants in Saskatchewan: --- so it IS possible. 

BUT it is definite that he himself with two sons, lived, worked and had a business in Hawera, New Zealand  at least in the 1930's.


 Regards & thanks,   Percy.

[Arquebus]

I would be surprised if that cap badge is Canadian MG Corps.....the Canadian version has an under-scroll which curves upwards in the centre ( I think this is the only version in which this happens)...all the other British and other versions appear to have perforated letters in a curve down formation.....Percy's Sydney's cap badge has a downward element in the centre bottom.


I'll stick by my guess (which is what we are all doing) is that this is a Kiwi uniform and not British because the stripes aren't white.

Al.

[mcfc1923]

Percy,

Just checked back on the war forum and another reply has been added and the guy says that ther is no canadian called sydney reginald sandys listed on the canadian expeditionary force dateabase website, apart from one sandys who was born in calcutta.( but we already knew he was not canadian anyway)

From what i have read on the war forum, the main reason they think it most likely to be canadian MGC(although they admit it is difficult to see the badge clearly) is that the soldier is wearing collar badges which were forbidden on british soldier dress jackets untill the 1920's(they explain it in more detail, i'm just giving you the rough outline)

So I beleive that eagle eyed artcetera (Al ) may be on to something that they have missed, so i'll let them know what Al has said and see what reply's we get.

nice one Al

jim

[Arquebus]

Jim, Ta....it's my job (in more ways than is evident...unfortunately nothing to do with geniewotsit)

Percy, I think you should post the other photo of Sydney with the Naval or Police cap....see if anyone can tie that in.

I don't think it is the Natal Police, but where was he when it was taken, Natal?

Al.

[mcfc1923]

another view from the war forum, one guy says that only the Canadian second division MGC Battalion badge had an upward scroll at the bottom.

The 3rd canadian and somewhat the 4th canadian division MGC
battalion badge both had downward scrolls, and he is almost certain it's not a british uniform.

thought i would just pass the info on

jim