Landships II

CharlieC · Legend

Help with a uniform

Ironsides · Legend

Hi Charlie, Dont know Zip either but he does seem to have an "Australian Commonwealth Military Forces" cap badge, the collar badges may give a clue but the resolution is a bit too low.... my feeling is 9th Batt though...

Is the right hand man wearing Puttees at first I thought so, but now I'm not so sure? the Slouch Hat and Service cap were issued to each man.

Cheers smile

-- Edited by Ironsides on Sunday 11th of May 2014 07:29:10 PM

Rectalgia · Legend

Agree with Ironsides - the cap was normal AIF issue in the early days, the AWM photographs collection is full of examples, including groups of troops with mixed headwear (including garrison/field service caps as a third type), most likely the same battalion then. Collar badges - unfortunately regular army and militia members joining the AIF seem to have kept their old badges for a time (until they were given a full issue of the General Service ('Rising Sun') ones or embarked anyway. I thought maybe the Artillery/Engineers 'bursting bomb' but probably not - have only seen images of 'Other Rank' Kiwis of the era wearing those. The buildings in the background reminded me of bunded magazines at first but they seem to be just light weatherboard construction looking more closely, and rather too close, I would have thought - possibly just exceptionally dreary barracks?

Ironsides · Legend

There are two documents that I have both from The State library of Victoria:

"Orders for Australian Imperial Force" a 1916 reprint with amendments from 1915.

and

"Hints for soldiers of the Australian Imperial Force" nominally 1916

both include useful references to the issue of clothing and kit.

If Stans mate is wearing gaiters and its difficult to tell, but the ruck's in his breeches would suggest it, hes "Mounted Service".... Stan himself is "Dismounted Service" as neither MS or DS received both types officially(according to the above references).

This 9th Battalion history also includes a pic of "oval" collar badges with a photo of them being worn circa 1914.

According to "hints" service caps were issued after one month of training.

Regards smile

CharlieC · Legend

One of the uniform gurus on the 14-18 forum came up with the detail - the guy on the left is wearing a British issue "simplified" SD jacket made from Dec 1914 to June 1915. The other guy is wearing a standard issue British SD jacket. It is known the guy on the left was medically evacuated from Gallipoli to the UK in Aug 1915. He was made up to acting corporal in April 1916 so the likely window that the photo was taken was late 1915 to early 1916 in the UK.

Thanks for everyone's contributions.

Regards,

Charlie