Thread: Military Pics need help

colini · 27-09-2008, 12:33 PM

Attached is a link to 4 military pics which are causing my a headache..lol
Pics 2-3 &4 i think are the same person..but all in different uniforms
pic 2 shows no markings--pic3 the collar badge i think is the duke of wellington and pic4 is totally confusing me as i cant find anything about white uniforms in the army.
Pic 1--im not use if army or police.. and the things at their feet look like balls and chains and the funny p on the uniform arms...

Also pics 2-3-were taken at a studio in Natal which i think is South Arfica
pic 4 says studio in bangalore

Im not sure if the pics are from the boer war or the first world war---cannot find if action took place in South africa during ww1

Any help would be grateful

http://www.flickr.com/photos/17890883@N04/

mand82 · 27-09-2008, 09:40 PM

pic 4 is the india army uniform,
as the name on the photo "bangalore" gives the clue as bangalore is in india and a few british people was posted there

pic3 is of a african uniform, and has the name of "pietermaritzburg, natal" on it and i searched for it and it came up with

"Pietermaritzburg is a city in the center of South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province. The capital of Kwazulu-Natal, it is famous for its history and architecture. "

David13 · 27-09-2008, 10:16 PM

Hi

I would think that photo's 1,2 & 3 are in South Africa, Pietermaritzburg is in Natal on the Railway between Durban and Ladysmith. Both the uniform style's in photo's 2 & 3 are photo 1.
Photo's I have of sergeants in the South African Constabulary (formed by Baden Powell) shows them with and without breast pockets on their uniform but they are not a dark colour as in your photo's but more likely khaki. I suspect that in your Photo's they are in Dress uniform rather than field service uniform.
The helmets in Photo 1 are a cross between the pith helmet (seen in the Boer war) and the British bobby's helmet.
Photo 4 was taken in India and white was the old british tropical uniform.
I thought the elephant badge would be easy to find but several british regiments used it. A unit of the South African Milatary Police used it pre-1999.
1900 hotel.jpg
This photo I have just scanned from the Black & White Budget magazine dated 22 dec 1900 and shows similar styles of uniform.

Hope this helps

colini · 27-09-2008, 10:47 PM

Thank you very mush Mand & David for the info..most helpful
Cheers for taking the time and searching for the info
much appreciated
colin

David13 · 28-09-2008, 06:47 PM

Colin
Was at the West Middlessex FHS open day and there was a display of Military badges incluing one with an identical elephant for "The West Riding"
Looking on www.militarybadges.org.uk they show it for "THE 76th REGIMENT OF FOOT. / AFTER 1881 :- 2nd Battalion The Duke Of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)"
In the Pietermaritzburg archives there are 2 documents dated 1895 & 96 that reference "The West Riding Regiment" & imprisoment. Access through
www.national.archives.gov.za there are other archives to search through there.
Also on 30/12/1899 from Southampton, 21 officers & 776 men of The West Riding Regiment sailed to South Africa on The Orient. (I only searched 1899). The Boer War shipping lists 1899-1902 are on
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/kevinasplin/home.html

Hope this helps further.

colini · 28-09-2008, 08:19 PM

Hi David

That brilliant info
Thank you very much for finding that out when you were at an open day.
Thanks for the web links i will check them out.
Somebody had said that the badge might be Duke of Wellington Regiment but the were not sure,i have just this minute found a Duke of wellington Association site and the Badge is on their site.....So things are looking better.

Thanks again
Colin

brummieboy · 08-10-2008, 06:04 PM

Colini. Regarding the photo containing the Balls and Chains. The men in the photo are a group of Regimental Policemen ( not Royal Military Police)

The armband is normally white with the letters R.P. in red. On the arm of one of the men seated at the front you can just see the letter R.

What you have is a group photograph of the regiments police force, along with the restraints that were in use in those days. I suspect they are posed outside the guardroom.

Brummie.

p.s. I was a regimental policeman, many years ago.

27-09-2008, 12:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
colini New Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4	Military Pics need help Attached is a link to 4 military pics which are causing my a headache..lol Pics 2-3 &4 i think are the same person..but all in different uniforms pic 2 shows no markings--pic3 the collar badge i think is the duke of wellington and pic4 is totally confusing me as i cant find anything about white uniforms in the army. Pic 1--im not use if army or police.. and the things at their feet look like balls and chains and the funny p on the uniform arms... Also pics 2-3-were taken at a studio in Natal which i think is South Arfica pic 4 says studio in bangalore Im not sure if the pics are from the boer war or the first world war---cannot find if action took place in South africa during ww1 Any help would be grateful http://www.flickr.com/photos/17890883@N04/
colini New Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4

27-09-2008, 09:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
mand82 Committed Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: essex,uk Posts: 58	Re: Military Pics need help pic 4 is the india army uniform, as the name on the photo "bangalore" gives the clue as bangalore is in india and a few british people was posted there pic3 is of a african uniform, and has the name of "pietermaritzburg, natal" on it and i searched for it and it came up with "Pietermaritzburg is a city in the center of South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province. The capital of Kwazulu-Natal, it is famous for its history and architecture. " Last edited by mand82; 27-09-2008 at 09:44 PM.

27-09-2008, 10:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
David13 Regular Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bucks Posts: 38	Re: Military Pics need help Hi I would think that photo's 1,2 & 3 are in South Africa, Pietermaritzburg is in Natal on the Railway between Durban and Ladysmith. Both the uniform style's in photo's 2 & 3 are photo 1. Photo's I have of sergeants in the South African Constabulary (formed by Baden Powell) shows them with and without breast pockets on their uniform but they are not a dark colour as in your photo's but more likely khaki. I suspect that in your Photo's they are in Dress uniform rather than field service uniform. The helmets in Photo 1 are a cross between the pith helmet (seen in the Boer war) and the British bobby's helmet. Photo 4 was taken in India and white was the old british tropical uniform. I thought the elephant badge would be easy to find but several british regiments used it. A unit of the South African Milatary Police used it pre-1999. 1900 hotel.jpg This photo I have just scanned from the Black & White Budget magazine dated 22 dec 1900 and shows similar styles of uniform. Hope this helps
	David Families: Wood (London), Ross (Scotland, Ireland, Liverpool), Larrance, (Hampshire, London), Heaton (Durham, Devon, London)

27-09-2008, 10:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
colini New Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4	Re: Military Pics need help Thank you very mush Mand & David for the info..most helpful Cheers for taking the time and searching for the info much appreciated colin
colini New Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4

28-09-2008, 06:47 PM	#5 (permalink)
David13 Regular Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bucks Posts: 38	Re: Military Pics need help Colin Was at the West Middlessex FHS open day and there was a display of Military badges incluing one with an identical elephant for "The West Riding" Looking on www.militarybadges.org.uk they show it for "THE 76th REGIMENT OF FOOT. / AFTER 1881 :- 2nd Battalion The Duke Of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)" In the Pietermaritzburg archives there are 2 documents dated 1895 & 96 that reference "The West Riding Regiment" & imprisoment. Access through www.national.archives.gov.za there are other archives to search through there. Also on 30/12/1899 from Southampton, 21 officers & 776 men of The West Riding Regiment sailed to South Africa on The Orient. (I only searched 1899). The Boer War shipping lists 1899-1902 are on http://hometown.aol.co.uk/kevinasplin/home.html Hope this helps further.
	David Families: Wood (London), Ross (Scotland, Ireland, Liverpool), Larrance, (Hampshire, London), Heaton (Durham, Devon, London)

28-09-2008, 08:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
colini New Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4	Re: Military Pics need help Hi David That brilliant info Thank you very much for finding that out when you were at an open day. Thanks for the web links i will check them out. Somebody had said that the badge might be Duke of Wellington Regiment but the were not sure,i have just this minute found a Duke of wellington Association site and the Badge is on their site.....So things are looking better. Thanks again Colin
colini New Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4

08-10-2008, 06:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
brummieboy Advanced Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Redditch Worcestershire Posts: 177 Total Awards: 1	Re: Military Pics need help Colini. Regarding the photo containing the Balls and Chains. The men in the photo are a group of Regimental Policemen ( not Royal Military Police) The armband is normally white with the letters R.P. in red. On the arm of one of the men seated at the front you can just see the letter R. What you have is a group photograph of the regiments police force, along with the restraints that were in use in those days. I suspect they are posed outside the guardroom. Brummie. p.s. I was a regimental policeman, many years ago. Last edited by brummieboy; 08-10-2008 at 06:06 PM. Reason: addition of ps.