Alexander 'Alick' Buchan Yule Drummond, Army Service Corps

[JeremyDrummond]

I was hoping to have help interpreting the attached photo of Grandfather, Alexander 'Alick' Buchan Yule Drummond sent as a postcard to his Mother in 1917.

He was born in 1895 and would have been 22 when this picture was taken. He died of a brain abyss in 1930 the year of my Father's birth.

He is the tall person on the back far right. He was in the Army Service Corps and had the number: M/379529.

I know from past conversations with my Grandmother that he had a fine baritone voice and was in demand at concert parties. I note this photo seems to have stage background. He was based in Rouen and possibly Amiens.

So are all these other men his ASC team or are they part of a concert party? Who might the others be?

We know his records have been lost and am just hoping that this photo could help me understand a little more about his time in WWI.

I would be grateful for any thoughts.

[MaxD]

They aren't all ASC men and the presence of a staff officer in the centre (cap badge and arm armband)  may suggest a training course but a concert party can't be ruled out (or in!).

Has his number been correctly transcribed?  I can't seem to find him in medal rolls -  375927 Alexander Drummond appears in the ASC rolls.

MaxD

[jim1]

Whereas I would agree with MaxD it being difficult to say
what the occasion is, training course photos were usually taken outdoors
owing to the large numbers of men on them.
This was taken in a local studio & I can easily see a concert party being this size
with a Staff Officer in charge.
I would tend to go with something other than a training course but what
that might be would be pure speculation.

[MaxD]

More speculation, a brigade (?) staff officer with some of the brigade other rank staff?

MaxD

[jim1]

In a Bde. photo I would expect to see an Lt. as well.
Also there appears to be more than 4 Regts. represented
including ASC which I wouldn't expect to see in a Bde. photo.
Even more speculation.

[JeremyDrummond]

Thanks for your comments.

I have just had the following comments from another source:
'The Captain seated at the front is a Staff Officer which you can tell by the cap badge, armband and gorgets on his lapels. Staff Officers did not belong to a Regiment but were involved in the planning and organisation of the war. Seven of the ORs are from the ASC. In early 1917 big changes were made to the labour supply of the British Army. Previous to this most Regiments had their own Labour Battalions as did the Royal Engineers and the branches of the Royal Artillery. They handled all labour requirements of their particular unit wherever they were. The Army Service Corps had  several Labour companies involved in dock and railhead operations. From 1917 the Labour Corps was formed and all the above companies put under their control. This also meant that some soldiers were transferred into the ASC from the former Labour Battalions. New uniforms were not available so soldiers were told to continue wearing their previous ones and insignia. The presence of a Staff Officer, two Sergeants and two Corporals leads me to believe these men were all in a section involved in the logistic side of supply, which Alick having been a clerk seems to fit.'

Do you concur?

Thanks

[MaxD]

The two sentences that begin " Previous to this....." aren't quite right.  The Infantry had the bulk of the Labour Battalions, Infatry Works Companies and  and Labour Companies which although they carried a regimental title, didn't "belong" to that unit and worked under a Regional Command in UK initially. The RA did not have labour units per se.  The ASC did have ASC Labour Companies and the RE had Labour Battalions, these were converted to Labour Corps in June 1917.
No real quarrel with the rest of it.  However I would expect to see a Labour Corps number in his record and I still haven't found a medal record with the number you gave earlier.

The above is too simplistic for words, I'd recommend No Labour No Battle by Lee and Starling for the full picture.

MaxD