German or British Soldier ?

Discussion in 'Prewar' started by redtop, Oct 24, 2020.

  1. redtop

    redtop Well-Known Member

    Realise it is WW1 but thought I would try here first

    Trying to find out any information about this Soldier James Todd. My neighbours Grand Father (her father was WW2 German POW)
    The mystery is she knows he was at the Somme but does not know on what side or Regiment despite his name
    The Photo seems a bit strange The L/Cpl Stripe, Crossed Rifles?, and wound stripe almost appear to be stuck on .And Uniform seems to be too long in the Arm also thought the picture might be a mirror image as I thought the crossed Rifles would be on the Right Arm.
    Is that a Pickelhaube Helmet or British Cavalry ?

    .
    upload_2020-10-24_12-52-44.png
     
  2. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    He’s as British as brexit ! Lance Corporal , 2 long service chevrons , skill at arms badge cant make out the cap badge
     
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  3. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    It looks to me as if the Pickelhaube indicates that the photograph is that of a Imperial German soldier in dress uniform.

    That Pickelhaube badge will probably indicate which of the German Lander (individual German state) the regiment is associated with.

    Having said that, the left arm insignia looks British but under what circumstances would a British soldier have his headdress as a Pickelhaube.

    As said the British aspect of the uniform look to be stuck on.

    Stefan and Itdan are likely to solve the query.
     
  4. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

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  5. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

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  6. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

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  7. redtop

    redtop Well-Known Member

    Just a wild idea, if a Soldiers uniform was in poor state owing to condition in trenches (If pic was 1914/18) and he wanted to send a picture home ,may be studios had a selection of uniforms with stick on badges? the crossed rifles and War wound/long service stripe look about to fall off and the L/Cpl stripe has a shadow beneath showing it not fully attached.
     
  8. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Was the insignia removable for laundering at that time ? This is my great grandfather, prior to 1910, I believe. R.G.A apparently had a rounded finial.

    Harrison Photos 004.jpg
     
  9. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Looks like Rifle Brigade cap badge.
    Chevrons are dark which tallies with RB ( & the KRRC.)
    Pre-WW1 I'd say.
     
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  10. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    That was what I thought.
    Screenshot 2020-10-24 at 15.00.20.png
     
  11. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    Not EVERY helmet with tip is German ;-)
    And actually I have no idea about uniforms - but this happens to be the right era and the right continent
    For example:
    „Waterproof Tropical Helmet Made in England“
    Link chain made of brass
    Manufacturer (among others) Abercrombie and Fitch
    ca 1860 to 1890
    pith 2.jpg
     
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  12. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Last edited: Oct 24, 2020
  13. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  14. Pat Atkins

    Pat Atkins Well-Known Member

    Badges of rank, skills, etc. were typically attached like that in India and tropical stations, I believe.
     
  15. redtop

    redtop Well-Known Member

    Only other similar Cap badges I can find are London Regiment but they would be unlikely to have what appears to be tropical dress so Rifle Brigade seems best bet though the open areas under the cross arms seen a bit bigger ,could be an illusion with the brightness of the white helmet background. .
    upload_2020-10-25_14-21-30.png
     
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2020
  16. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

    Badge & tunic buttons seem to be darker than brass or silver, so could be black in colour as worn by many rifle regiments of the British Army.
     
  17. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    I will have to do some research but crossing my mind is...is there something Germanic connecting the two military organisations?

    After all we were "friends" until Kaiser Will had aspirations above his station and then the three cousins fell out leading to the Great War.
     
  18. JDKR

    JDKR Member

    I see from Wikipedia that the 1st and 2nd Bns RB deployed to S Africa in 1899 for participation in what became the Second Boer War. This would match the tropical white uniform and wound stripes, and those look suspiciously like ostrich feathers bottom left.
     
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  19. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    Where are you seeing wound stripes? in cloth insignia all I can see are Lance Corporal, Marksman and 2 (I think) Good Conducts Chevrons (5 years)
     
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  20. redtop

    redtop Well-Known Member

    AB 64 you are right about the Good Conduct Chevrons
    I most likely prompted that in a former incorrect post
     

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