Miltary Uniform

[trust02]

Hi,

Can anyone identify this uniform?

The person wearing it was born 1867 in Bethnal Green, Middlesex, UK. The photographs were taken around 1911 - 1914 in the UK.






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Many thanks

[Pam Downes]

Hello trust02,

Welcome to British-Genealogy.

Military stuff is not my forte, but can any clues be found from the person's census records/marriage certificate/birth certificate(s) of any children?

If you'd like to give us a name and any census references you have (to ensure that we're looking for the same person), then our members will see if they can make any other suggestions.

Pam

[gortonboy]

Hi,,,Can you post his full name,,,and when and where born ?

[trust02]

Hi,

His name was Charles William King born 6th May 1867 at 18 Durant Street, Bethnal Green. He was a boot and shoe maker. He was my great grandfather.

I should explain, I am no beginner at this. I have been researching the King family history since 1995.

I have his birth, marriage and death certificates but there is no clue as to his military history there.

He appears in all English census returns from 1841 to 1911 but there is no clue as to his military history there.

There is no clue in the birth or marriage records of his children.

I was hoping that some British military expert may recognise the uniform. I think it must pre WW1 as he would have been 47 in 1914. He is wearing what I think is a campaign medal ribbon in one of the photographs and has some form of badge or insignia on his left arm in one photograph and on his right arm in the other photograph.

Here is another photograph of him seated wearing a medal and some insignia on his collar that I have not been able to identify.


Many thanks,

Steve

[simmo1]

Hi

Sorry I cant help with the collar badges, not my area!
Stripe on left forearm is good conduct stripe - https://www.google.com.au/search?q=g...tm%3B127%3B216
I was thinking the medal was a MSM, but the suspender is wrong - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritor...United_Kingdom)
Pity his shoulder is cut off, it may have shown more.
Certainly pre-WW1 uniform on photo above and top, 2nd photo on top ones could be WW1?

regards

Robert

[trust02]

Hi Robert,

Many thanks for your reply. Very interesting.

Here is the only other photograph I have of him in uniform.

Steve

[elsinore]

Hi Steve,

If you search "Welsh Infantry Brigade collar badge" you'll see an image of what looks very much like your GGF's collar badge. There may be others though, as I found this on a commercial website with 383 results! I'll pm you the link if you need it.

If right, it should help you to find any military records that exist.

Peter

[Pam Downes]

Hi Steve,

If you search "Welsh Infantry Brigade collar badge" you'll see an image of what looks very much like your GGF's collar badge. There may be others though, as I found this on a commercial website with 383 results! I'll pm you the link if you need it.

If right, it should help you to find any military records that exist.

Peter

Not quite sure how you 'got there' Peter but because when you look carefully at the collar badge in the last photo it almost shouts at you 'three feathers'.

The first result I got by following your instructions was to a commercial site which said that the Welsh/Welch Infantry Brigade was formed in 1948 from the Royal Welch Fusiliers, the South Wales Borderers, and the Welch Regiment.

But . . . .
how do you marry a soldier in possibly a Welsh regiment to Bethnal Green?

Steve - I wonder if the Welsh/Welch Regiment/Brigade would be able to confirm from any of the earlier /full length photos if it's 'them'?

Pam

[elsinore]

Hi Pam.

Having ploughed on through that commercial site's 383 collar badges, I found another identical image but with the appellation Welch Regiment.

This would appear to be the correct description, as the Welch Regiment, so named, was formed in 1881. This would fit better with Steve's GGF's age.

My limited research into military history is confined to my own ancestors. I have found that there is frequently no apparent connection between residence and regiment!

What a good suggestion to try Welch Regiment for verification (Why didn't I think of that!).

Peter

[Lesley Robertson]

It would be nice to have a better view of his cap badge - maybe just his head & shoulders?