Can anybody throw any light on this unidentified mounted (WWI?) soldier ?

[kob3203]

Who do you think the mounted soldier might be? Do you have some names in mind?

We have no idea.

The photo belonged to the chap mentioned in Was it common for a man to serve in two different regiments ?, but my distant relative says it's not him in the photo.

[kob3203]

It's just been pointed out to me that the RGA had mounted troops, drivers, but nobody's suggested them or ruled them out. So could there be an RGA connection ?

And just to reiterate the main question from the first two posts, which hasn't yet addressed,

"I'm specifically wondering how much it is possible to tell [about the mounted chap] simply from his uniform and equipment."

and

"The sort of things I'm wondering include:

Is it possible to tell whether it's the Boer War, WWI, post WWI, or one of the other conflicts around that time period?

Is it possible to tell whether he's cavalry, artillery (driver), mounted infantry, or yeomanry ( I believe, possibly incorrectly, that the yeomanry was the mounted arm of the volunteer force, which became the TA)?"

[majm]

The rifle ... Lee-Enfield Mk 3 dates it to WWI.   Cannot be earlier than 1913. 

JM

[majm]

Good point Tonepad.

  I  wonder if the rifle has been identified....   a variety of rifles were used in WWI .... 

JM.

[majm]

The complete photo shows a more typical British landscape than Macedonian (harsh and arid).
There is a typical British hedgerow running through the photo in the middle distance.

The middle standing chap's clothing is not Serbian. He is wearing a British waistcoat with a V-neck, unfastened. He is not wearing a Serbian Hat.

British soldiers with waistcoats attending to horses:

https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/british-army-horses-during-first-world-war


The photo was possibly taken at a summer training camp before WW1 started in Aug 1914:

https://www.porthcawlandthegreatwar.com/1912---1914.html

Notice more soldiers wearing waistcoats.


Tony

For what it's worth, agree with this 100 %

T

[majm]

A Forage cap is worn on the right-hand side of the head, so I think this man is bare-headed.

The rifle appears to be a Lee-Enfield Mk 3 (hardly any barrel protrusion beyond the woodwork), used during WW1.

Added: 'un-British embroidered decoration on the waistcoat (his left side)' - I think this is just a crease in the photo, it continues down over the horse's flank.

[ShaunJ]

Is it possible to tell whether it's the Boer War, WWI, post WWI, or one of the other conflicts around that time period?

I did address that in reply #4

[tonepad]

Looking at the Rifle Holster, the type on the original photo is consistent with the Yeomanry.
Regular cavalry like the Hussars used leather bucket holsters.

https://www.hungerfordvirtualmuseum.co.uk/index.php/10-themes/654-berkshire-yeomanry

https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/20th-hussars


Tony

[kob3203]

After looking at many photos of Lee Enfield rifles I've only just realized that the mounted chap has a very short sling on his rifle. It's attached to two points near the front instead of the usual front and rear. Every photo I've seen has either no sling or a long sling attached at front and rear.

Edit: Ah ! I've just noticed that the "mounted tpr offside home 1914" picture on tonepad's Hungerford Museum/Berkshire Yeomanry link (previous post) has a rather similar short sling, the only matching one I've seen. Here's the direct link