Hi there, This picture shows British soldiers visiting the Belgian 9th Line Infantry regiment at their barracks in Brussels in 1939. The picture was taken after February 1939 as the Belgian veteran who kindly gave me this picture did not join until that date. I am also assuming that any such visits would not have taken place after the outbreak of the war in September 1939, and am therefore inclined to date this picture to Feb-Aug 1939. Who could help me identify the regiment involved? Peaked caps and grenades - does this look like the Grenadier Guards? Note that the Belgian and British soldiers have swapped headgear. Would anyone be able to pin down the date and reason for this trip to Brussels? Many thanks, Walter
I was thinking that was a possibility and RIF. I suspect Pre war Regimental Histories or WO 166 files will hold the key.
I'm glad that others have chipped in on this. I'd have expected Air Force contacts in Belgium at a time that Fairey's were supplying Battles and Hawker's Hurricanes but I've not read about Army delegations or joint exercises. Was there any common equipment ? The clothing looks to be standard pre-war Service Dress and in my opinion, the SD cap peaks are not 'broken' enough to be Brigade of Guards. It's not just the height but those buggers always seem to be looking down their noses at everyone.
Peaks are definately not slashed. I think they look a tad untidy to, to be Guards. I'm getting intrigued by this - never thought any of the British Army would have gone to Belgium in 1939.
Some of them have swapped hats, but not all, I think. 2nd row from back, 2nd from right has what looks like a Belgian forage cap and although the collar dogs look like a flaming grenade, I can't place his shoulder tabs as British. Ignoring the collars, the cap badge isn't Lothian and Border Horse, is it ? I can imagine that units went to train with the Vickers tanks but then why with an infantry mob ?
I had a quick look in Always a Fusilier at their very short interwar section and didn't see anything.
Just to add. Grenades or Haystack badge? Lothians and Border Horse? however I dont know if they were there then. J.C
Thank you for your thoughts, everyone. Haven't got a better quality pic I'm afraid and bigging it up doesn't really add all that much clarity either. Point taken about it not being guards though. Walter
Walter Working from the Belgian unit POV but I will mention in passing that I have been researching the Belgian Army for a more recent period but came across the fact that 9th Line do have a regimental website (in Dutch) at http://www.negendelinie.be It gives a history of the unit (now disbanded but its traditions held by Quartier général de la Brigade Medium in the current army structure) but no UK regimental affliliations given. Maybe you could ask someone at that site (edit - went back and see you have visited already!) Then there is http://18daagseveldtocht.wikispaces.com/9e+Linie but from the picture near the bottom looks like you already know about that site as well Best of luck with the hunt. Just trying to contribute something back in appreciation for a lot of help I have had from the folks here. Cheers KRO
A list of possibilities, some closer than ofthers using The History of the British Army Infantry Collar Badge: Grenadier Guards The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers The Royal Fusiliers Lancashire Fusiliers The Royal Scots Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers The Royal Irish Fusiliers Oddly there are no Guards Regiments in the book. Anyone care to start knocking regiments off the list?
http://www.negendelinie.be Maybe you could ask someone at that site (edit - went back and see you have visited already!) With all respect for the very few regimental associations still in existence in Belgium (and that is said without sarcasm), they're often not that familiar with their own regimental history. Then there is http://18daagseveldtocht.wikispaces.com/9e+Linie but from the picture near the bottom looks like you already know about that site as well Ah well - I'm the webmaster of that one. The site is my little contribution to the history of the Belgian army in 1939/40. We have about half a dozen active contributors on this wiki. All the pictures on the page you quote come from the album of the Belgian veteran who was present at the Petit Chateau barracks when the British visit took place. Thanks v much for the list of possible cap badges, Drew. Maybe we should start by knocking the Grenadier Guards off the list on the basis of their height (or lack thereof). Cheers, Walter
I think what we should do next is identify the battalions for each regiment that were around in early 1939. Then knock off the non-starters. I'm quite tempted to look at the war diaries but don't think they start that early.
Any chance it's some sort of international sporting event involving military teams??? Shooting, perhaps? Or one of the military ISDT teams? Even a football tournament of some nature?
Any chance it's some sort of international sporting event involving military teams??? Shooting, perhaps? Or one of the military ISDT teams? Even a football tournament of some nature? That's a very plausible theory. I've asked the veteran who kindly sent me the pictures, but other than confirming that it was a group of a few dozen he couldn't quite remember why they were there. Other option would be the traditional Spring parade that was organised every April in Brussels, but I'm not sure whether foreign troops would ever have been invited to take part in this. For fear of having created nothing more than just a white blob, I've enlarged part of the image: Walter
On a side note, British Pathe has a newsreel of King Leopold reviewing his troops. They date it as 1939 and list the location as possibly Brussels. I watched it on the off chance I'd catch a glimpse of some foreign uniforms but no such luck. KING LEOPOLD REVIEWS HIS ARMY - British Pathé
