Help need to identify this uniform

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Everyone,

Foe some time now my wife and I have been researching her family's military history. We do a lot of this type of research and have two complete computer work stations side by side in our home office. I looks a lot like the bridge of the Star Ship Enterprise. Anyway we have been unable to identify the uniform of this fellow. The photo was taken around 1900 from what we have gathered from family records. His last name is.... wait for it..... "Smith"!

From what I can make out there are stripes down the legs of the pants and there seems to be some sort of hanger on his left side. It seems to be a strap that is attached to the belt and ends in a loop. The belt has a hook arangement with no insignia. Any ideas? We do know he was British and later on he was killed in a munitions factory explosion. A rather ironic end for a soldier.

Cheers

Brian

[Graham Stewart]

Brian,

What we need is a scanned shot and then a blow up and in particularly the head and shoulders as luckily for you he's wearing collar badges. At the moment all that I can tell you is that his uniform and riding whip gives me the impression he has something to do with horses, so he could be cavalry or army service corps, but definatley not artillery, engineers or infantry.

Graham.

[Brian Wolfe]

Brian,

What we need is a scanned shot and then a blow up and in particularly the head and shoulders as luckily for you he's wearing collar badges. At the moment all that I can tell you is that his uniform and riding whip gives me the impression he has something to do with horses, so he could be cavalry or army service corps, but definatley not artillery, engineers or infantry.

Graham.

Thanks Graham,

I'll try to figure out how to use my scanner and photoshop programs this coming weekend and post a blow up.

Cheers

Brian

[leigh kitchen]

Going by the thin band around the pillbox & what look like white facings, I'd say 13th Hussars.

[zipperheads9]

Should the center of the lower arm br buff as well the area inside the piped rea. He also has a Good Conduct Stipe.

Woud be bice to see the stripes on pants as well. I amnot arguing it is not hussars , just trying to eliminate anything else.

Mark

[leigh kitchen]

The area within the trefoil piping would be dark blue I think, the same as the colour of the tunic, I'll try to dig out some photos & some more information about the unit, Id've thought Graham would solve this one.......

[leigh kitchen]

Lloks like he's wearing collar badges, any chance of darker close ups of those please?

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Leigh,

Here is the best I can get with the equipment I have.

When I sent this photo to my Photo Shop program it looked as if the collar badges were flaming bombs to me.

Thanks for all of your help in this family mystery. Oh yes, what would the time period be? My wife thinks it would be around 1900.

Cheers

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

Should the center of the lower arm br buff as well the area inside the piped rea. He also has a Good Conduct Stipe.

Woud be bice to see the stripes on pants as well. I amnot arguing it is not hussars , just trying to eliminate anything else.

Mark

Hi Mark,

Here is a photo close up of the stripes. On closer examination it would appear that there are two light coloured stripes with a dark stripe of the uniform material between them.

Thanks for your assistance in this puzzel.

Cheers

Brian

[seanus]

Hi,

I believe it is the uniform of a Private in the Army Service Corps prior to the introduction of the khaki service dress of 1902. In walking out dress.

The cap has a white band with central blue stripe, something no arms corps unit had.

The facings are all white as are the trouser stripes.

The Corps was mounted hence the cap and riding crop.

Plenty of Commonwealth and unusual uniform information available at my website

www.uniformsotw.co.uk

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi,

I believe it is the uniform of a Private in the Army Service Corps prior to the introduction of the khaki service dress of 1902. In walking out dress.

The cap has a white band with central blue stripe, something no arms corps unit had.

The facings are all white as are the trouser stripes.

The Corps was mounted hence the cap and riding crop.

Plenty of Commonwealth and unusual uniform information available at my website

www.uniformsotw.co.uk

Hi Seanus,

Thanks for the information. I'll check out your website.

Cheers

Brian

[Peachy Carnehan]

Yes I agree - Army Service Corps. I have several similar photos in my collection.

[Brian Wolfe]

Yes I agree - Army Service Corps. I have several similar photos in my collection.

Many thanks for that conformation.

This has been a puzzel in my wife's family for years, the GMIC memberdhip has been a great help with the family research.

Cheers

Brian