WWI MID Card puzzle!

[Dean1]

I wonder if someone could help me on these two questions:

[1[ I have come across what I think is the MID Card for a relative.   It has to be for WWI because he was born in 1869 - even so he was rather old for WWI.   His Civilian profession was Board School Teacher I understand.

The number on the MID card is:  M2-226263 - I don't think I have seen a card with an M before - what does it stand for?
The chaps name was George William R Foster and I am not 100% sure this is him (not enough info in it) but he was serving in the Army Service Corps if this is him - I had not expected him to have served in the War as he was a Teacher.

[2] I have just acquired a photo of a relative (considerably younger brother of the above).   He served in the RMLI I think as a career serviceman and was a naval pensioner - he was recalled for WWII and was taken POW.   The records cannot be downloaded from FindMyPast I imagine because his record for WWI has been amalgamated with WWII service which I have been told is not for release yet - his POW record is apparrantly also with these records on the above-mentioned site but it is not possible to download it even for a member?

The photograph which puzzles me shows him sitting, on board a vessel, with the words "On Board 1940 - SS British Commander"

When I google SS British Commander I only get German related stuff up - I had assumed it was possibly the name of his ship.   He looks like a soldier rather than a sailor in the photo - even though in black and white it looks like the hairy army uniform soldiers wore in times past.   There is, on his right arm, a Crown and three stripes - does anyone know what rank it is?   I am not even sure that he served in the Navy in WWII, where he was a POW (probably Germany) or what his rank was when he retired.    I am sorry not to be more helpful.   One thing I do notice is that he is quite thin in the photo but very happy looking and sitting "to attention" almost - wonder if he was on his way home from being a POW but 1940 seems far to early for that.

Sue

[mmm45]

If he was a Royal Marine (RMLI and RMArtillery amalgamated in the 20s he would be a Colour Sergeant with 3 stripes and crown.

What was his name?

http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?58026

British Commander was sunk off Madagascar....a merchant vessell(Tanker) crew taken POW RMs often manned these ships as protection



Ady

[forester]

Sue,

M2-226263 is George Foster's Army Service Corps service number.

M prefixes are for the Mechanical Transport section.

Phil

[mmm45]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_auxiliary_cruiser_Pinguin

More on British Commander 

Ady

[ainslie]

Sue
1]  That number is typical of the Army Service Corps.  I think the M prefix may indicate Motor Transport, but a real expert will confirm this, or not.

2]  Googling "ss British Commander" produced the information that she was a British tanker sunk by gunfire south of Madagascar on 27 Aug 1940 - no loss of life and the crew of 46 were made PoW.  The crown and three stripes could be Royal Marines or Navy, as well as army.  If you can post the photo we would have more idea.  It seems strange for a tanker to be carrying Royal Navy, marines or army, unless they were specialist gunners for the defence of the vessel.
 I see others have been quicker!
A

[mmm45]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensively_Equipped_Merchant_Ships

He could have been doing this? I have researched a RMLI Pte from ww1 who reenlisted to do this in 1939 and was torpedoed and killed off Africa

Ady

[forester]

Sue,

I would be very surprised if your G W R Foster is the same one as the one on the medal index card.

I have just found my notes from another thread and M2/226xxx numbers appeared to be for men joining at the Grove Park Motor Transport Reserve Depot in Autumn 1916 in general.

Phil

[Dean1]

Thank you to all who have given me so much to digest!

I agree that GWR Foster may not be "mine" sadly - didn't know about the "M" numbers of ASC because another brother was transferred to the ASC from the Fusiliers after injury in WWI and he didn't have an M number but he was teaching people to "drive horses" at that stage or to shoot at a "School for Shooting" - can't remember what it is called, in Kent (but it is apparantly still there).   Since he was transferred I imagine he kept his original army number that the Fusiliers issued him with.

As to the chap on the British Commander - he was Albert Herbert Foster (or Herbert Albert Foster) - I am not sure whether he was RMLI or RMLA as a career but assumed RMLI because his father, George was RMLI and I have another picture of him which must be from when he first joined that looks like naval uniform but is somehow different (I had thought for one awful moment that he was Kreigsmarine) and I think just "old fashioned" uniform.

I will try and post the pictures as suggested (it may take a while - not good at it) as I would be interested to know what rank his uniform shows - I have a vague recollection of "Colour Sergeant" possibly being his retirement rank.

Many thanks to all of you who helped me.

Sue

[Dean1]

Herbert Albert Foster 1886 - 1969 - pictures - I am so impressed with myself for adding them successfully!!!!

Is it possible to tell from the dress uniform picture what medals he has.   The photo from 1940 on board HMS Commander has medal ribbons on the uniform but I suspect they are too indistinct to be viewed clearly.