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Uniform around 1901 - English or Canadian?

Uniform around 1901 - English or Canadian?

Posted: 12 Jan 2015 4:47PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Richards
I think the attached photograph shows my great grandfather Frederic Levaise Richards. He was staying with his wife and her parents in Greenwich on the night of the 1901 census and was described as Lance Corporal, Army Service Corps, place of birth Canada. The marriage certificate (29th December 1900) states that his father is Henri Levaise Richards, Silk Merchant. A note on the back of a photograph of my grandmother, born 12th January 1902, gives a number for him of 22269 or possibly 22267.

This is absolutely all the information I have, although I wonder whether he may have been sent overseas (perhaps to South Africa?) before January 1902. Another possibility, though, is that he was on duty in this country(family legend suggests he was at Woolwich Arsenal but I don't know how likely this is) and was killed there or went AWOL. My grandmother said her father ran off to South America with an actress but whether this was the man she had in mind is not clear as we do have another candidate who was certainly the father of her younger brother!

I would be really grateful for any advice about how to follow up these few clues. A brief study of Boer War casualties has not come up with anything conclusive and I cannot trace death records that match, but it would help to know whether he was in the British Army or whether he was serving in a Canadian unit as this would give me more idea about how to proceed..
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Re: Uniform around 1901 - English or Canadian?

Posted: 13 Jan 2015 11:37PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 13 Jan 2015 11:39PM GMT
The photograph doesn’t help much, the collar badges aren’t clear enough to identify and his regimental or corps cap badge is out of sight on the left side of the cap.
All I can say is he may be an Army Service Corps soldier but could also be a member of Army Ordnance Corps.

I know it's a b&w picture but there is some pale coloured piping on cap.
The colours (cap parts and piping) of the field service cap worn by this soldier varied depending on service branch, regiment etc., [*] but I’ve not found one positively identified as Army Service Corps 1897-1902; the cap was only in use from c1897 until the introduction of the khaki peaked service dress cap in 1902, so dates the picture within 5yrs.

[*] There are publications that comprehensively identify these caps, some on the web, however, be aware there were colour variations between the earlier ones and those re-introduced from 1937 so web images may be misleading.

I have identified a record from the National Archives, Kew in document series WO97 Royal Hospital Chelsea pension records (1760-1913):

Driver, No T/15592 Frederick Richards, age 19yrs 6mths, attested into the Army Service Corps at Woolwich 9th March 1900, stated born in Montreal, Canada he was a clerk by trade. Originally giving his NoK as his parents living at 14 Rue de Marcheu (?) Montreal, it was changed to his wife when he married Jessie Merrett, 29 Dec 1900, at Greenwich Registry Office.

He was dismissed from the army in 1902 and the reason led me to other records, 3 aliases and that he previously served with the Royal Navy.
I’ve not posted the full information as you may not want it in the public domain

The army record Ref WO 97/5769/78 is available online, for details see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-perso...

The other records should be obvious from his army file.

Any problems contact me directly at jeffp DOT h AT bt internet DOT com
(remove all spaces and replace upper case text with obvious symbols)

Re: Uniform around 1901 - English or Canadian?

Posted: 18 Jan 2015 5:36AM GMT
Classification: Query
Just a bit larger photo for you to use.
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Re: Uniform around 1901 - English or Canadian?

Posted: 18 Jan 2015 9:11AM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you, that is very kind - my scanner, although quite new and far from cheap, is very feeble! It was chosen for its printing qualities rather than for scanning but may not have been the best idea.
Luckily I was able to follow up Jeff's suggestion so now know much more about my great geandfather, not all of it good.
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