Canadian buttons on cuff rank tunic

[grimble-nibitz]

I have not seen these buttons before. They are a full set on a cuff rank tunic, a staff Captain named Forshaw. Also included is his shoulder rank tunic with other buttons, like Engineer buttons but with no lettering...perhaps just a staff button? Off-track buttons are not well represented here in the US with references and the web has been no help either...thanks in advance!

[Mervyn Mitton]

Very unusual - Union Jack and the 'Sun in Splendour'. You say the tunic had Engineer buttons - perhaps this was

his School or, Univ. ?

[Stuka f]

Try Dennis and give him my regards;

http://webspace.webring.com/people/rz/zekka38/index1.html

[peter monahan]

The button bears the provincial crest of the Canadian province of British Columbia.

[peter monahan]

Not sure - don't think - that he was wearing them as part of a BC regimental set, thought that is possible. I suspect that they are replacement buttons for whatever was originally there - 'they're brass; stick 'em on' kind of thing.

Any info. on Forshaw other than his rank and branch of service?

[grimble-nibitz]

They are definately original to the tunic, all matched and most sewn on period. A couple are reattached. This tunic, the other, a riding crop, sam brown and visor cap all turned up in a Florida estate, together, ribbons indicate Boer War QSA and KSA, and the WWI trio. Three blue OS stripes on the cuff rank and one red also. As its in the US, I wondered about the possibility of Canada...no one on the British medal index matched and maybe Canada is the place to look!

[grimble-nibitz]

The right clue in Canada...thanks to the clever members! Thomas Guy Forshaw, enlisted as a Lt. Sept 26 1914, previous service listed as 1900-01 South Africa, and shows up in a photo (which I can only see described but not pictured) in the British Columbia Regiment. He is listed as a company officer in the 7th Bn., First Canadian Contingent, which is nice. Again, thanks! Quite an interesting officer!

[grimble-nibitz]

Here is the bulk of the lot for those interested.

[QSAMIKE]

According to his enlistment documents he joined in Valcartier Quebec, September 24th, 1914 so therefore could have been with the first contingent. His previous service is stated to be in the Boer War with The North Staffordshire Regiment. He enlisted as a Lieutenant

but it does not say which regiment he was assigned.

The button is also the one that was worn by the British Columbia Provincial Police.

[Stuka f]

Wow! That is a very nice find!

Could I ask your permission to use your picture of the button and the info regarding it on a Flemish button forum?

cheers

|<ris

[QSAMIKE]

Found Him.....

"C" Company, 7th Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade......

Problem was there is a misprint in the book and has his initials as S.G. Forshaw.....

[grimble-nibitz]

Please do use it, I am fine with that...I finally got the British Columbia Regiment Officer Picture to come up and see him, he is identified, its an early shot and he is wearing a 1902 high collar setup. Since these tunics have never had anything but staff tabs, and the named one is dated in 1916, I am assuming he was always on the regimental staff. I found him listed definately on the first contingent roster, and that makes me even happier. The seller thought he was a Brit, and Brits are great...but for us here, the CEF things is pretty cool. I also see where he was seconded into some kind of ordnance work in late 1917. Strange career. Wonder what he was up to in British Columbia, a very long way from his UK birthplace!

[grimble-nibitz]

Here he is, in earlier setup.

[Stuka f]

Thank you and again, congratulations on that nice find!

cheers

|<ris

[peter monahan]

Too smart for my own good! I should have taken the time to look up the BC Regiment!

[Jerry B]

A very good group and great that you could find out his history.

[peter monahan]

Grimble

Just noticed your reference to ordnance work. There are lots of possible explanations but if he was enlisted as an officer that implies some education or professional training and its possible he was involved in mining in BC, with knowledge of explosives, or something to do with chemicals [gas]. If he were i foirestry, BCs other big industry, I'd expect a transfer to the Cdn Forestry Corps instead. Interesting puzzle!

[Paul R]

This is a top notch grouping. Threads like this make me want to start collecting British as a focus. Nice touch with the history.

[Laurence Strong]

Sweet work

Larry

[grimble-nibitz]

Gotta hand it to the UK, so much of their info, photos and etc. are on file, available to whomever wants them, its pretty cheap to get...no crap about privacy concerns on most things, its a well run ship of state, thats why the medals are so popular...named, identified as to unit, issue cards available in seconds for about $5. Love it. But not in DC. You have to wade through volumes of either well or poorly-written unit histories, guess at misspelled names, swallow the lack of info on regular army units and inflated info on state units, and call it a day. But this is America. We do some other stuff pretty well.