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First World War photographs - insignia

Genealogy, Local, General
PinkDalek
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First World War photographs - insignia

#75153

Postby PinkDalek » August 17th, 2017, 2:42 pm

As this interesting board is somewhat quiet, we have two photographs of British relations who served in the First World War. I'd rather not put them up on imgur or wherever but can anyone assist on the following (edit, probably 2c only now to be researched but I'll leave the rest here in case anyone wishes to discuss)?:

1a. One has, on the right shoulder of his uniform, what appears to be RFC. That would make it the Royal Flying Corps (part of the British Army prior to 1 April 1918). However, the first letter is partially obscured.

What if it should read AFC or something similar. He wasn't in the Australian Flying Corps and I'm not getting too far with other possibilities. His uniform shows nothing much else to identify it.

1b. He also holds what we used to call a swagger stick but I think those were for officers, at least in the Sixties. Someone has suggested it may be for an RSM but Wiki says "In the British Army, prior to World War I, swagger sticks were carried by all other ranks when off duty, as part of their walking out uniform. ..." (the prior to puts me off the idea, as I very much doubt the photo was pre war):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swagger_stick

Having got this far I'm 99% certain that it is the Royal Flying Corps as the uniform, including the side cap, would appear to match this gentleman top right:

http://lionels.orpheusweb.co.uk/RFCEgyp ... gypt3.html


2. The other, his younger brother, appears to have (again on his left shoulder and from top down):

a. Wings.
b. VR - presumably Volunteer Reserve.
c. What might be a skull with possibly three lightning bolts each side. The top two are wavy, the bottom four less so. It looks like a spider (with two legs missing).

It is 2c I've yet to identify. Communications/artillery?

I'll leave that one for you Fools, if you are able to reply before I search further.


They both survived the war, thankfully, but the younger brother unfortunately emigrated with his wife to the USA in the Twenties.

TB meant he wasn't there for more than a couple of years and the young wife became a widow.

PinkDalek
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Re: First World War photographs - insignia

#75182

Postby PinkDalek » August 17th, 2017, 5:20 pm

Spoiler ...






c. What might be a skull with possibly three lightning bolts each side. The top two are wavy, the bottom four less so. It looks like a spider (with two legs missing).

It is 2c I've yet to identify. Communications/artillery?

I'll leave that one for you Fools, if you are able to reply before I search further.


If of interest, communications was a good guess. It looks like it was an RFC WW1 wireless operator arm badge. The wireless operators may have been assisting the artillery. The body is apparently a clenched fist rather than a skull.

Similar to this RAF version:

http://www.stewart-aviation.co.uk/images/165.JPG


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