Military apparel question

[Maha]

I have an old family photo that I need a little help with.
It’s of two Military guys and one is my Great Grandfather.
Which one exactly? I am not sure.
All it says on the back is Grandfather Henry (My Grandfathers Father)
What I would like to know is…
Can anyone identify the Military Uniforms and from what era?
I have no idea where the photo was taken, all I know is, he was British.
The knowing of the uniforms may even give a clue as to which one he is.

EDIT: I now know he was a Sargeant in the British Army and was serving in Malta. My G/Father was born in Malta in 1907..so looks like the photo was taken in Malta around that time?

[Dragon]

One on the left would be british uniform and either a staff sergent or Flight Sergent

Im guessing he is RAF going from the lightness of the uniform one on the right is most likely bristish army

One on the right could be an officer due to the decorations to his shoulders

Im saying roughly time period would be 1900-1940s but I could be way off

[Maha]

One on the left would be british uniform and either a staff sergent or Flight Sergent

Im guessing he is RAF going from the lightness of the uniform one on the right is most likely bristish army

One on the right could be an officer due to the decorations to his shoulders

Im saying roughly time period would be 1900-1940s but I could be way off

Thanks for that Dragon...the period may be a little off

The one on the left looks more like my Grandfather at around the same age.
As for the era/period?...G/Father was born early 1900's, he died early 90's aged 86yrs...so perhaps the photo is late 1800's?

[munster]

I'm picking 1920's or 30's. WWI they still had leather strapping all over their uniforms and were much more formal looking than those.

One of left is definitely a Staff Sargent (Army Rank), one on right has three stripes of a Sargent on his sleeve, but I can't see if the Staff Sargent Crown is there also. Fancy Epaulettes could be Navy, which would fit with the Dark blue uniform maybe. Dude on left looks like he's wearing a Khaki uniform to me.

[Usarka]

^sounds about right.

I would have guessed 20's. Here's a photo off wiki that's supposed to be in WW1 - apart from the bandoliers the uniforms don't look miles apart....

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Wn21-45a.jpg/512px-Wn21-45a.jpg

[tnarg]

Could be late 1800's. Could be around the times of the Boer war. Have a look at these photos. Very similar.

http://militarianz.freeforums.org/new-zealand-boer-war-uniforms-hats-and-equipment-t1650.html

[Woodman]

Whats with their shoes? look like dress shoes to me.

[Maha]

Could be late 1800's. Could be around the times of the Boer war. Have a look at these photos. Very similar.

http://militarianz.freeforums.org/new-zealand-boer-war-uniforms-hats-and-equipment-t1650.html

Good spoting Grant, the chap on the left has his belt undone...that link show a soldier in a very similar uniform with a belt also.
I'm just checking on G/fathers birthdate, might help with nailing which war at least.

Saw you and Andre' on Monday having a smoko break.:shifty:

[Maha]

Whats with their shoes? look like dress shoes to me.

Maybe a semi formal occassion? stand at a bar having a drink, officers quaters?

[nighthawk]

The chap on the left may be a Guardsman late 1900's both men hold the rank of staff sergeant, according to my elderly father

[Maha]

The chap on the left may be a Guardsman late 1900's both men hold the rank of staff sergeant, according to my elderly father

I edited the first post..

EDIT: I now know he was a Sargeant in the British Army and was serving in Malta. My G/Father was born in Malta in 1907..so looks like the photo was taken in Malta around that time?

[Grashopper]

Have been trying to find something on Google about where the photo might have been taken, but got nothing so far. (You probably already did that, but what can I say, I love a good mystery :) )

That building in the background is quite distinctive though. could be a town hall, country house or even a hospital. Not sure about Malta though. Maltese buildings quite often have a flat roof and also straight beams over the windows even if the window itself is rounded on the top.

Someone with a bit more clue about historic architecture might have an idea.

[ellipsis]

Have been trying to find something on Google about where the photo might have been taken, but got nothing so far. (You probably already did that, but what can I say, I love a good mystery :) )

That building in the background is quite distinctive though. could be a town hall, country house or even a hospital. Not sure about Malta though. Maltese buildings quite often have a flat roof and also straight beams over the windows even if the window itself is rounded on the top.

Someone with a bit more clue about historic architecture might have an idea.

...all of the Pink Bits on the map had as much British architecture as they could build, Malta would not have been different...no comment on where it may have been...but the military might of Britain then was not dwindling...Malta would have been a fairly close to home posting for many in the British armed forces...

[Ixion]

I am no expert so i offer no guarantees, but I do not think the following is too far wrong.

Both men are sergeants, the one on the left a staff sergeant, company sarnt major, colour sergeant, all meaning much the same thing. The crown above the chevrons which indicates this is cloth not brass so he's not RSM.

The man on the left is wearing Foreign Service (khaki) frock dress , 1902 or later. Foreign Service indicated pretty much anywhere outside Britain, so would include Malta.

The man on the right is wearing walking out blues . This is post 1904 when the twisted cord epaulettes were introduced (so the picture cannot be earlier than 1904). This dress was obsoleted in 1910 but it would take a few years to draw down QM stores and wear out issued dress.

It's almost certainly pre 1913 when the general change to khaki (WW1)pattern occurred .

The man on the right isn't wearing Foreign Service blouse, which indicates either that his regiment arrived before 1902, or that he is from one of the specialist branches such as engineering or artillery which often changed much later than infantry. My wild guess would be Coastal Artillery, but on no evidence whatsoever

So, overall, I would say, taken outside the British Isles, sometime between 1905 and 1911 ( the blue tunic looks well worn, and I would expect most twisted cords to be gone by a year after their abolition) .

Hope this is some help

[Maha]

Thanks Les, taking into account that my G/Father was born in Malta in 1907...could actually mean, that the photo was around that same date/place?
On a side note, I have beleived my G/Father grew up in Kent, I know he left from there to come to NZ as a young man.

[oldrider]

Hey Maha, the man on the left (as we look at them) appears to be wearing an ear stud, in his "right" lobe! ... very avant-garde for the times!

If it meant then what it means today, your grandfather must be the one on the right ... or you wouldn't be here! :lol: ... :facepalm:

[Katman]

Don't know what it is about the photo that makes me ask but..........

Any chance that it's a father and son photo?

[Mom]

Hey Maha, the man on the left (as we look at them) appears to be wearing an ear stud, in his "right" lobe! ... very avant-garde for the times!

If it meant then what it means today, your grandfather must be the one on the right ... or you wouldn't be here! :lol: ... :facepalm:

Looking at the pic, I am quite sure it is the man on the right. Hair style :pinch: and nose has me convinced.

[Maha]

Looking at the pic, I am quite sure it is the man on the right. Hair style :pinch: and nose has me convinced.

I get that from the other side, didn't stand a chance were thats concerned....:facepalm: