Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Wars and ConflictsΒ  permalink

Bristish Army WW11 Identifying Army Cap

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by jackie005 (U14966231) on Sunday, 21st August 2011

  Could anyone give me some direction?
  
  I have been trying to get my late father's WW11 Army records for the past 12 yrs but cannot make any progress. I've no idea of the regiment or his service number.
  
  At his funeral I was told by someone that Dad lied about his age to enlist.
  The Army Records Office have not been able to find any records under my fathers name.
  
  All I have is one old photo of Dad in his Army uniform but it's not very clear. The photo shows Dad wearing an unusal Army cap with what appears to be two light brown/amber colured buttons at the front. There is a round metal button on his left shoulder but it's impossible to see it clearly.
  
  Dad left Ireland 1938 aged 15 with foster parents, I've no idea where he was until he shows up living in Manchester (UK) 1947 and married my mother 1948. He was no longer in the Army.
  
  Hoping someone can help/advice, I'm happy to email photo if it helps.
  
  Contact me via site or [Personal details removed by Moderator]
  
  Many thanks Jackie.

  Link to this forum: Bristish Army WW11 Identifying Army Cap

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by dmatt47 (U13073434) on Sunday, 21st August 2011

  If you would like to tell us your father's name then we might be able to make some suggestions. There are National Registration records for 1939 and for which a fee is payable and which should show where your father was in 1939 and that might give a clue to the regiment.

  Link to this forum: Bristish Army WW11 Identifying Army Cap

  Report message2

• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by jackie005 (U14966231) on Sunday, 21st August 2011

  
  Thanks very much I appreciate any help you can offer.
  
  My father was Alan/Allen Francis Brennan but he wasn't born until 1925 and I think that he must have been older than 15/16 when he join.
  
  I know from his Irish school records (Raphoe National School) that he left school 1938 before finishing the year.
  
  His foster parents were named McElhinney from Raphoe Ireland.
  
  I do know that he was stationed in Italy during his Service.
  
  I am a member of Ancestry.com but no records for my father on there.
  
  Regards Jackie.

  Link to this forum: Bristish Army WW11 Identifying Army Cap

  Report message3

• Message 4

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by rhmnney (U14528380) on Sunday, 21st August 2011

  jackie005
  
  Just a thought, was he actually in the Army, he may have been in an organization connected with the Army, say NAFFI or such? Uniforms were quite common for related services during WW2, blouse and peak, forage or beret hat. Special Services, or even quasi civilian corps. The variables are many.
  
  If the Army can find no records of him under that name wonder if he used the same letters in his name, such as y in Martyn as opposed to i Martin?
  
  During WW2 I don't remember any of the services with a brass button on either shoulder, not that were not any of course.
  
  The Palestine police were recruited from early entrants in the British Army, then again his records should be able to be obtained if he was ever listed.

  Link to this forum: Bristish Army WW11 Identifying Army Cap

  Report message4

• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by jackie005 (U14966231) on Sunday, 21st August 2011

  jackie005
  
  Just a thought, was he actually in the Army, he may have been in an organization connected with the Army, say NAFFI or such? Uniforms were quite common for related services during WW2, blouse and peak, forage or beret hat. Special Services, or even quasi civilian corps. The variables are many.
  
  If the Army can find no records of him under that name wonder if he used the same letters in his name, such as y in Martyn as opposed to i Martin?
  
  During WW2 I don't remember any of the services with a brass button on either shoulder, not that were not any of course.
  
  The Palestine police were recruited from early entrants in the British Army, then again his records should be able to be obtained if he was ever listed.Β  Yes, I'm sure he was in the Army, I do remember photo's of him in full uniform. I also remember a sheet of about 50 passport size photo's of him in uniform. Oddly enough the only photo I have showsonly his top half and he is wearing the cap and what appears to be a fly fronted army shirt. The cap he is wearing is rather odd, I do remember another one but that was just a basic cap.
  
  
  I'm also sure that I remember one of his badges having 'Manchester' on it, I think it also had a lion and some kind of unicorn on it.
  
  I think he must have been a foot soldier because he suffered from very painful fallen arches which he always said was due to the War.
  
  I'm going to try to email the Manchester Army Museum to see if they can throw any light on this for me.
  
  Many thanks for your response.
  
  Regards Jackie.

  Link to this forum: Bristish Army WW11 Identifying Army Cap

  Report message5

• Message 6

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by jackie005 (U14966231) on Sunday, 21st August 2011

  jackie005
  
  Just a thought, was he actually in the Army, he may have been in an organization connected with the Army, say NAFFI or such? Uniforms were quite common for related services during WW2, blouse and peak, forage or beret hat. Special Services, or even quasi civilian corps. The variables are many.
  
  If the Army can find no records of him under that name wonder if he used the same letters in his name, such as y in Martyn as opposed to i Martin?
  
  During WW2 I don't remember any of the services with a brass button on either shoulder, not that were not any of course.
  
  The Palestine police were recruited from early entrants in the British Army, then again his records should be able to be obtained if he was ever listed.Β  Just checked what a 'Forage Cap' looks like and he's definitely wearing a forage cap! The photo I have isn't very clear but now believe the two brown/amber buttons must actually be two brass buttons, sadly can't see any patterning on them.
  
  Regards Jackie

  Link to this forum: Bristish Army WW11 Identifying Army Cap

  Report message6

• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by raundsgirl (U2992430) on Sunday, 21st August 2011

  This genealogy forum has a section for people trying to find info about Armed Forces:
  
  It's free to join, you only have to register. If you post a picture of him in the uniform, someone will have a go at identifying it. To post the photo you need to scan it at 300dpi then resize it so the longest side is no more than 500 pixels. If you don't know how to do that, don't worry, people will help you. They are a very friendly lot on there.

  Link to this forum: Bristish Army WW11 Identifying Army Cap

  Report message7

• Message 8

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by rhmnney (U14528380) on Sunday, 21st August 2011

  jackie, the Manchesters probably will be able to help you, there may be a number of Manchester regiments, one was a heavy machine gun corps.
  
  If a fly front shirt means open at the neck, that would be tropical uniform if worn in public.
  
  Infantry records used to be at, Infantry Records Preston, Lancs.
  
  Hopefully you will be able to find some information.
  
  The odd cap he was wearing may have been a Dress hat, but generally they were of a colour rather than Karki.
  
  The internet may can give details of the Manchersters, including badges and dress, perhaps that will help you to remember more clearly. (does not take much to jog the memory) (sometimes)

  Link to this forum: Bristish Army WW11 Identifying Army Cap

  Report message8

• Message 9

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by colonelblimp (U1705702) on Wednesday, 24th August 2011

  Jackie, the lion & unicorn sounds like the cap badge of the General Service Corps:
  
  
  
  From June 1942, all army recruits went to the GS Corps for their initial 6 weeks' training in basic infantry skills, before being allocated either to the infantry or to one of the other arms.
  
  Regards
  
  Patrick

  Link to this forum: Bristish Army WW11 Identifying Army Cap

  Report message9

Back to top