Can anyone help me with this photo of Ned's Ancestor please?

[ned3127]

Hi, I'm doing my family tree and am trying to identify the man in this photo. It looks like he's wearing a military shirt. Would any of you be able to recognise where this shirt might have come from? And a rough date? Even knowing if it was WW1 or WW2 would be helpful in narrowing which generation on my family tree this might be, and more specific information on the shirt might narrow it down further still. Sorry I don't have more information. I'm trying to match men on my family tree to their photos. Unfortunately no information was written on the back, and the relatives who would have known have passed away. Thanks for looking at this.

[Treetotal]

Hi Ned and welcome to Rootschat, I have requested help from a member of the Armed Forces Board for a more informed response.
Good Luck!
Carol

[ShaunJ]

It looks like British army, tropical uniform, 1890's

I've trimmed the picture to make it easier to view

[ned3127]

thanks Carol, and thanks Shaun for the quick reply.  I know of at least one ancestor who served in Egypt and wore a desert uniform, I've never seen a photo of him and would love to think that this man is him. Unfortunately, the dates don't match. The ancestor I have in mind served in Egypt in WW2.

You say the 1890s - is there any chance it could be later than this? Maybe not WW2, but WW1?

I really appreciate your help with this 

[Treetotal]

Hi Ned! I have asked a moderator to move your post to the Armed Forces board for a more informed response, although I think Shaun is most likely to be correct.
Carol

[alan o]

Defiantly not WW2.  Victorian era would be correct.

India possibly or a hot climate.

[ned3127]

Many thanks to Shaun, Carol and Alan for your help! I did think that Shaun was right but didn't know of a relative who fitted the bill. However, I have now identified an ancestor who would fit the bill. It came as a surprise to us because in our family he wasn't known to have been in the army or to have served in the First World War. I now think that he might have served in the Boer War long before my relatives who knew him were born. I'm looking into that further. Thank you again for your help with this. This site is brilliant, I'm really grateful to you all :-)

[FROGSMILE]

India fits specifically, because above the chest pockets are pleated tubes for rifle cartridges, a style that was especially favoured on the North West Frontier, as it meant that each soldier had some ready ammunition on his person even when he wasn’t wearing his belt equipment.

[ned3127]

Dear Frogsmile
Thank you so much for your thoughts on this. I wonder if it would be possible for my ancestor to have served in India as well as South Africa? On a genealogy site I have identified two military records that could relate to my ancestor, one from the Boer War and another from the First World War (same army number, different wars).
I really do appreciate the help I've been given on this site, it's brilliant and it's so kind of you people out there to take the time to give this advice.  It's already been very helpful.
Best wishes