Uniform Identification

[Cavanaghs]

Hi,

The attached photo is of my grandfather who was born at the end of 1903 so was too young to serve in WWI. I think you can see just how fresh-faced he is in the photo. So why do we have this photo of him in uniform? Was he some kind of cadet? What is the badge on his cap?

The Photographer's name appears to be Swallows of Richmond (Yorkshire?). He lived in Hartlepool so the location is also surprising.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[AllanUK]

The cap badge denotes that he was in the Durham Light Infantry. If you look closely at his shoulder, you will see a metal 'T' -- this stands for Territorial Force. As you say, he would have been too young to serve in WW1 unless he lied about his age and got away with it. Are you willing to post his name to enable possible searches?

[Andy J2022]

The chances are that he did his basic infantry training at Catterick Garrison, and so a photographer from nearby Richmond would be unsurprising.

[alan o]

The cap looks to be an inter-war pattern which ties in with service as a Territorial in the 20's.

[Cavanaghs]

His name is Albert Edward Gilmour.

The T reassures me that he did not serve. Surely!? Could he have been doing training in Catterick and they offered a trip to the photographers as a perk? Or of course he could have paid for it himself.

Are records kept of territorial soldiers in the DLI? Did they routinely train very young men in preparation for service though the war may well have ended before they were of age?

I would be surprised if he was a territorial soldier in the 1920s because he did not serve in WWII, not only because he was in a reserved occupation but because he was a conscientious objector. That's what I've always been told! If he was a trained territorial he would have been recruited anyway though, wouldn't he?

[Andy J2022]

His name is Albert Edward Gilmour.
 Could he have been doing training in Catterick and they offered a trip to the photographers as a perk? Or of course he could have paid for it himself.

It is more likely that the photographer made a routine visit to the Camp for each recruits course and offered a cheap or free sitting, knowing that the soldier's family would want to order copies - much like the way school photographers work today.

[Cavanaghs]

Of course! Thanks!

[alan o]

In 1917-18 the brass titles were replaced by cloth so it dates after 1919 so it must date from the 1920s rather than WW1.  Territorial soldiers were volunteers so he clearly was not a conscientious objector at that time in his life or you have misidentified him.

[Cavanaghs]

Where are "cloth titles" that replace the brass titles? The T ?

I don't doubt your dating, I'm just surprised he volunteered in the aftermath of the war. I can understand the enthusiasm during the course of the war but I would have thought this would have ebbed when soldiers started to return.

Now I'm wondering at what point he became a conscientious objector!