WW1 photo

[MargP]

This is a photo of my father the one sitting down I believe he was in the 158 th Battery attached to the Worcestershire Reg and Kitchener's Army he told me he served in Mesopotamia but I can find no record for this could this photo be set up to look like he was there ? any information would be very much appreciated

Many Thank's Marg

[ainslie]

The cap badge looks like the Machine Gun Corps, and the small figure is unlikely to have lived near Ypres, if that is not a detrimental remark!

[Finley 1]

interesting pic... will look at it  later

xin

[MargP]

Happy fathers day dad

[macintosh]

The part of the badge that is visible on the side cap of the soldier sitting down looks like the scroll of the Royal Artillery badge, the soldier standing up looks to have the badge of the Machine Gun Corps.
I think it could be in Iraq 1914-18 Mesopotamia.
The child looks to have traditional i dress. The child may even be Egyptian and the pic may be in Egypt.
The shorts and tunics of both soldiers looks like warm weather clothing for the time.


James

[MargP]

Thank you James, I now believe he was in Mesopotamia, he was such a story teller as a child, its hard to know what was the truth or what was made up, since posting this and after  a long search, I have found that he was in the R G F and the R F A, unfortunately his war record were one of the many that were burnt.

I did put this photo on Ancestry via Facebook, the British War Museum were doing a live session about uniforms, they commented that the Cap, being unusual for the 1WW and called it a Chip Bag Cap which were usually worn in the Flying Corps in WW2 ??

Thanks again for your interest

Marg

[alan o]

His regts were probably the RGA (Royal Garrison Artilllery) and RFA (Royal Field Artillery); 158 battery would be a Royal Artillery unit.
This ties in with the artillery cap badge. 

The side cap is unusual and as you say often seen on Royal Flying Corps men.  The badge is however that of the gunners.  The RFC ceased to exist in 1918 with the formation of the RAF.

[MargP]

You are spot on Alan, on one of his daughter's birth certificates dated 29 Jan 1915, he is shown as a Trumpeter in the 158th Battery R F A,on another of his daughter's BC in 1920 he is shown as a Blacksmith journeyman Ex Army of the 115th, do you know when he would have been in Mesopotamia or any other movements of the 158th/115th

Thank you Marg

[alan o]

If you google 'Long Long trail, that website has the locations of all RA btys during the war.  I cannot see which one of those went to the Middle East.  158 RFA was in UK in 1915 before going to France in 1916 which ties up with your certificate.    He may of course been transferred between btys during the war.