Victorian ID card/tag ?

[Tony]

Hello,

Could this be some kind of early ID card or tag? I believe pieces of paper were used during the Boer War and before that a soldier used whatever he liked if anything at all.

This looks like some kind of calling card with the soldier's name and signed by the Capt. / Adj. in July 1889.

Any help or ideas are much appreciated.

Tony

[William1]

Tony

I don't know what this is - it may be an unofficial ID card. The official version used in the Boer War was called the "description card", and was printed on linen and sewn into an interior jacket pocket - see my Boer War serge topic. IIRC there were lines for name number and corps; can't be sure (even though I used to own one) but there is a picture somewhere in one of the With the Flag to Pretoria volumes.

Regards,

W.

[Tony]

Hello William,

I'll call it an unofficial ID card from now on.

About the Boer War description card, we had something similar sewn into the flap of our jacket pocket as well as the usual ID tags. We called it a zap number, don't know if everyone called them that or not and I have no idea if they're still used.

Tony