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Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: Mad Lord Snapcase on 14 March 2021, 01:07:43 PM

Title: Help identifying this photo
Post by: Mad Lord Snapcase on 14 March 2021, 01:07:43 PM: My next door neighbour believes one of her relatives is in this photo. She has no idea of date, regiment or location. Can anybody help with any information?

(https://i.imgur.com/LZ5QgqB.jpg)
Title: Re: Help identifying this photo
Post by: Plynkes on 14 March 2021, 01:28:07 PM: No idea, but what a wonderful photo!

"Those bloody Afrikanders with their hiding behind rocks and shooting at us with Mausers, damn them! But they won't know what's hit 'em when we deploy our war-bears, lads!"

The 'Austrian' field service caps put the date at 1895ish to 1902. That's about all I've got, I'm afraid.
Title: Re: Help identifying this photo
Post by: Mad Lord Snapcase on 14 March 2021, 01:33:17 PM: Quote
The 'Austrian' field service caps put the date at 1895ish to 1902. That's about all I've got, I'm afraid.

Many thanks, Plynkes. That's a good start, at least for the date.

I was wondering if that is a Light Infantry cap badge I can see? Maybe a bugle at the bottom?
Title: Re: Help identifying this photo
Post by: Plynkes on 14 March 2021, 01:39:45 PM: Could be, but it is just too indistinct for me to be confident about that. Could also be an Irish harp, or Prince of Wales feathers.
Title: Re: Help identifying this photo
Post by: Mad Lord Snapcase on 14 March 2021, 01:41:16 PM: Quote from: Plynkes on 14 March 2021, 01:39:45 PM
Could be, but it is just too indistinct for me to be confident about that. Could also be an Irish harp, or Prince of Wales feathers.

OK thanks anyway, I will pass on the info about the date.
Title: Re: Help identifying this photo
Post by: Ranthony on 14 March 2021, 02:07:12 PM: I thought it was light infantry immediately, looked up bear mascots for the light infantry and found this pic...

Canadian light infantry visiting two bear mascots in London in the 30's.
Could be a regiment now amalgamated into something else that had a history of bear mascots (canadians furnished our guards with black bear fur for bearskins)

Here's another with a Canadian unit, officer has the same badge.
Title: Re: Help identifying this photo
Post by: Mad Lord Snapcase on 14 March 2021, 02:47:33 PM: Quote
Canadian light infantry visiting two bear mascots in London in the 30's.
Could be a regiment now amalgamated into something else that had a history of bear mascots (canadians furnished our guards with black bear fur for bearskins)

Thanks, Ranthony. I will check with my neighbour and see if she thinks there was a Canadian connection. Thanks again for the info.
Title: Re: Help identifying this photo
Post by: Captain Blood on 14 March 2021, 02:53:37 PM: Amazing photo. It has a Boer War feel to me. Could be wrong, but something about it reminds me of a couple of Boer War ‘posed’ pics I’ve seen. Yes, Canadian makes sense with the bears - assuming they’re not Swiss ;)

The lad sitting front centre looks all of about 13 years old... When did they phase out drummer boys?
Title: Re: Help identifying this photo
Post by: RichBliss on 18 March 2021, 05:40:47 PM: The bear on the left of the photo is a sun bear which are native to Southeast Asia. So perhaps a Regiment stationed in Burma or possibly India
Title: Re: Help identifying this photo
Post by: Codsticker on 23 March 2021, 04:26:20 AM: Possibly Canadians in South Africa but according to the Canadian War Museum most Canadian units wore stetsons.
Title: Re: Help identifying this photo
Post by: sjwalker51 on 23 March 2021, 08:15:25 PM: If on FB, I’d post on the Victorian Military Society Group - they’re great at identifying stuff like this.
Title: Re: Help identifying this photo
Post by: NurgleHH on 24 March 2021, 11:19:36 AM: The dog on the left site looks like a king charles cavalier spaniel, not typical for canadians. More british. Maybe south african boyscouts???