TOPIC:

Hello there, I was sorting out my WW1 photographs and ephemera when I noticed the attached photograph, clearly not WW1. The two soldiers look like they could well be brothers.
I would be interested in what can be established from the photograph? Both are Sergeants, both have the same medal ribbon. Are they mounted infantry (bandoliers)? Anything obvious that I am missing here? Shoulder titles are visible but I really can't make sense of them. The chap on the left, the title appears to end ***TER (Manchester?), on the right, starts CH*** (Cheshire?). Their faces are clean, hands are filthy.

The studio is Deale, Bloemfontein, Orange River Colony.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, Alastair

Alastair,
Inverted stripes on the lower left sleeve could indicate 'foreign service'. In the case of the subjects '3 years'. The bandolier pattern was typical of those issued to Canadian Mounted Infantry and Australian units ?

Regards,
DavidW

Alistair
The bandoliers shown are the standard Mounted Infantry pattern in .303". The inverted stripes shown are not a mark of rank; they are Good Conduct stripes - awarded for Regular soldiers of Private-L/Cpl. rank for 2.6,12 years of "undetected crime". I cannot discern any shoulder titles. The medal ribbons certainly appear to be that of the QSA.
These photos can be very frustrating to research - unless names are shown (on the reverse?).
Regards
IL.

Photo......

Thanks chaps, I should have known better ref the inverted stripes!

Another interesting thing that I just really noticed is the "Trench Art" style swagger stick...... Two Bullets at the tom and one at the bottom......

Mike