Cap Badge ID?

Discussion in 'General' started by At Home Dad (Returning), Jan 9, 2009.

  1. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Hallo all

    Here is the only image I have of my grandad before
    he joined 2 Recce and I was wondering if any sharp
    eyes out there can possibly ID his cap badge (*) and
    if his coat & sidecap give any clue to a probable
    time period?

    Sadly, I only have this jpg, no original :[

    many many thanks for any help

    (*) If it helps, he was born West Ham, 1913 and
    was probably a volunteer rather than conscript,
    so perhaps a South East or London Regiment?

    Kind regards
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I know I usually say members images are too big but this one is too small.
    :)
    Could you post it but slightly larger?
     
  3. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Hallo Owen

    Sadly, I doubt I can without super software.
    It pixelates very quickly and loses the shape
    when I try to enlarge

    I know :(
     
  4. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    It's the badge of The Loyal Regiment.

    Dave.
     
  5. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Hallo Dave
    http://www.nmbva.co.uk/loyals.gif

    That would certainly make sense, as they made up the
    bulk of 2nd Recce I believe. Strange though, as it was
    a 'northern' Regiment.


    Being that he was from East London, does the fact he was
    in the Loyals give any further clue regarding whether he
    was volunteer or conscript?

    Thank you for the swift and sure ID!


    Kind regards
     
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    No worries cos Dave got it.
    What was his Army Number?
     
  7. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    Being that he was from East London, does the fact he was
    in the Loyals give any further clue regarding whether he
    was volunteer or conscript?


    Doesn't make a blind bit of difference really, but the majority of post-1940 servicemen were conscripts (some volunteered, but not many) - the Military Training Act had been passed in April 1939 in which all 20/21 year olds had to register for 6 months military training and conscription proper began in October 1939 (where all men aged between 18 and 41 and who were not in "reserved occupations" could be called up... Conscription was by age and in October 1939 men aged between 20 and 23 were required to register to serve in one of the armed forces. They were allowed to choose between the army, the navy and the airforce and,as the war continued, men from the other registered age groups received their 'call-up' papers requiring them to serve in the armed forces.

    Chances are that he was a conscript, but i suppose he could have been "one of the few"..
     
  8. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Hallo Owen,

    I have no Army Number yet, this is all part of the
    great quest to discover a man I never knew but
    met a couple of times when very very young.

    Robert Alexander 'Dusty' Miller.

    The facts I have so far are that he may have been
    at Dunkirk. He joined 2nd Recce Regt (I'm sure it can
    be dated from the photo as he wears black beret of RAC)
    and was POW at some point in Burma.

    I'm hoping to find where & when he was captured, where held
    and when released. You kindly advised me of the War Diary ref's
    and I have the ref number for the Burma POWs index cards starting
    with 'M'.
     

    Attached Files:

  9. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    Strange though, as it was
    a 'northern' Regiment.


    Only two more regiments between them and Scotland!!!:lol:

    (My own grandad ended up in the Loyals for a while too and, though a Lancastrian (a Mancunian living in Bacup), the Loyals "catchment area" was quite a distance from him too, going to show that ,geographically, area was pretty irrelevant.)

    dave.
     
  10. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Hallo Dave

    Fascinatingly helpful as always!

    Would the fact he was 26 or 27 years old in
    1939 lead to any further possible deductions?

    I'll stick with him likely being a conscript for now


    Kind regards
     
  11. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    Well, his age pretty much matches my own grandad's at that time (Born feb 1911). He was married with one kid and was called up on 14th November 1940. If unmarried, or no kids,or slightly younger he'd have been called for earlier.

    Dave


    P.S.
    Hallo Dave
    http://www.nmbva.co.uk/loyals.gif

    That link shows the old pattern badge. This will be the one he's wearing...
     

    Attached Files:

  12. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    So, judging by Richard Doherty's book on
    the Recce Regt, he may well likely have
    been a member of 6th Bn. This is fantastic!
     
  13. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    Just a bit of (possibly silly but deeply thought out) deduction re your grandad being a conscript or volunteer...

    It all depends whether you can confirm his being at Dunkirk or not. (Very) Broadly speaking, the Battle of France was fought by pre-war (serving and reserve) regulars, territorials, early war volunteers ,and conscripts who were born between 1917 and 1919 (or, pushing it slightly - 1920).

    He doesn't fall into this particular conscript bracket so, presuming he didn't see any pre-war service, if he served at Dunkirk, he could only be a volunteer.

    Over to you now!:D

    Dave.
     
  14. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Yes, I've just been doing some quick (not very
    successful) googling regarding the Loyals at Dunkirk.

    There is no evidence he was there, not even family stories,
    just a deduction by me where I cant even remember
    my route which drew me to that possible conclusion.
    So, I'll scrub that one for now. Unless I see that 6th Bn
    were in France. I'll keep googling and perhaps mail the
    Regt Museum in Preston to see if they have any further info.

    One other question: if conscripted, did you have a
    choice regarding the Regiment you were placed with?
    Or was it more 'luck of the draw', accept what you get?

    Kind regards
     
  15. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    Yes, I've just been doing some quick (not very
    successful) googling regarding the Loyals at Dunkirk...

    ... Unless I see that 6th Bn were in France.

    As far as I know, only the 1st Battalion (2nd bde, 1st Div) served in France at this time, getting out on June 3rd 1940.

    One other question: if conscripted, did you have a
    choice regarding the Regiment you were placed with?
    Or was it more 'luck of the draw', accept what you get?



    Usually, a man went to whichever unit needed the numbers - though there are exceptions. I think the only choice (at least in the early days) was which service.

    dave.
     
  16. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    At Home Dad,

    Two contacts for you at Preston, my ex home town.

    Fulwood Barracks, Preston. PR2 8AA. Tel 01772-260362

    Home Page

    Museum of Lancashire.
    Stanley street, Preston. PR1 4YP. Tel 01772-534075

    If you search for Preston Tourism, the site shows all museums.

    The Fulwood barracks museum is definitely worth a visit if they still open to the public.

    Regards and good hunting.

    Tom
     
  17. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    In the recce, as well as the airborne, the solfdier retains the regiment from where he came.Although a para he willstill be a Dorsets or a South lancs ETc.#Sapper
     
  18. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Thanks all, that's great stuff and very helpful!
     
  19. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    [quote
    That would certainly make sense, as they made up the
    bulk of 2nd Recce I believe. Strange though, as it was
    a 'northern' Regiment.[/quote]
    I know or knew a gentleman from East Ham, lONDON, name of George Thompson, he joined 5th Cameron Highlanders and was wounded during the battle of the bulge. It's not unusual for Southerners to go North and vice versa.
     
  20. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    Hallo all

    Have found another 'local', from Poplar,
    who was also 2nd Recce.

    Corporal JOHN ROBERT LANE 6968163,
    2nd (6th Bn. The Loyal Regt.) Regt.,
    Reconnaissance Corps, R.A.C.
    who died on 12 March 1945

    Son of John Thomas Lane and Mary Lane,
    of Poplar, London.

    Remembered with honour
    TAUKKYAN WAR CEMETERY
     

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