Frank Kelley wrote: Very many years ago now, I do remember reading a regimental history of the Sharpshooters, in respect of the badge shown, the author suggested that it was worn by members of the twenty first battalion and the twenty third battalion "might" have worn it, but, there was no evidence to suggest that they did.
This superb photograph is evidence!
So pleased that 'my' family photo is of such value. Some 8.5 years ago I posted the same photo and two others taken, I believe, during the same session. See my post titled "H C Coppock 32776, 91st coy, 23rd btn IY (sharpshooters)", number #1889. The photo at the top of that post shows my grandfather with another recruit, also wearing a slouch hat with the SS rosette. The photo below shows my grandfather wearing a cloth cap on the slant (not sure what those are called, but my father wore a similar one in the army in WW2).
Perhaps scanned copies of my photos would be helpful to other historians in general and should be added to that regimental history, when I can get to read it!
On another note, alongside my grandfather's badge that he was awarded as president of the Amalgamated Society of Foremen Lightermen (the lightermen's union of the time) in 1916 is a Reconnaissance Corps hat badge in silver (not brass), minus its spearhead. I tried looking this up online. My father was in 1st Recce in WW2 and I have his hat badge separately. So where was this silver badge from? The Reconnaissance Corps wording has blue enamel. I cannot imagine that this had anything to do with the Boer War??
