Help Identifying

[Irene]

Hi,
I may have an answer to your identity puzzle. The subject interested me because of my husband's genealogy research and military family background. When I showed him the photo he immediately said "Corporal (becouse of the two chevrons on the sleeve) and probably Horse Artillery". After a short 'Google' search we found this site.

< http://www.fortgarryhorse.ca/fgh.html>

The very last photo at the bottom of the screen shows men in uniforms just like this one (right down to the awkward looking tunic -- perhaps all that time on horses?). I'd post it as a jpg, but can't figure out how to. They adopted the maple leaf cap badge in 1915, which fits your time line. Also the border in the prairies at that time was pretty fluid re: Can/US. This is a frame of their site and if you go to <www.fortgarryhorse.ca>, there is a "Roll of Honour" for those years. Your client may recognize a name. As far as firearms go, I think they followed the Brit tradition and only wore them for combat??

This is my first foray into forum posting. I have been watching, reading and learning for awhile. All of you do such great work and the descriptions are such a wonderful teaching tool. Thanks!

Hope this helps,
Irene

[thomasgeorge]

Irene, Many thanks to you and your husband! The pieces are beginning to fall into place and the site link you posted was most helpful. The Grandmothers family, according to my client who called me last evening, were from Manitoba. She had a brother but little else is known about him, except that he fought in WW1 and thats about it. The photo plus the timeline info pretty well convinces me that he was Cavalry, definately Canadian and with the info you folks dug out, my client should be able to dig out the rest. I suspect no sidearm was worn unless the soilder was in a combat area, explaining its absence in the photo. I will pass the site info on to the client this morning and extend a big "Thanks" from him as well! Again, thank you . Welcome to this site and keep posting! You folks are a valuable resource! Tom

[Irene]

Thanks for the welcome. Glad to be able to help. I think you are right on with the identity and the family should be able to do the rest. Winnipeg, Manitoba was where the Fort Garry Horse originated and they fought in WW1 with great bravery. This has been a learning experience for me too. I never knew we even had 'Cavalry' in Canada. Re: the sidearms, my husband says "only officers got them, enlisted men were only given rifles."
Irene

[thomasgeorge]

Interesting about the sidearms. In the US cavalry, Troopers and Officers carried sidearms as well as Carbines. Thanks again...Tom

[Ed_L]

Glad you finally got some good info Tom. Ask, and you shall receive!

Irene,
Welcome to the site. Looking forward to seeing some of your work.

Ed

[Irene]

Tom,
Just got some additional information that may help your client track down grandmother's brother, if they have a surname. This site lists all soldiers from Canada WW1 and they are scanning in their Attestation papers which are available online. It's a work in progress, so all depends on which letter of the alphabet they have reached. < http://www.archives.ca/02/020106_e.html>.
If he died overseas <http://www.cwgc.org/> lists soldiers, regiments and gives information on how they died and where they were buried. I hope they are successful.

Ed,
Thanks for the welcome, too. I hope to send something as soon as the latest phase of our house renovation is finished. Sure wish I could use the magic of Photoshop on it instead of the real tools.

Irene

[thomasgeorge]

Thanks ! I'll pass the links along to my client. Tom

[Doug Nelson]

The photograph appears to be that of a lance corporal in the uniform of the Canadian Mounted Rifles. Judging by the cap badge and collar dogs he had enlisted in 2 Regiment C.M.R. This regiment's recruiting base was in Victoria, B.C. in 1915. The unit was sent overseas. Once in Britain, the unit was dismounted and the name changed to the 2 C.M.R. Battalion of the 8th Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Division of the C.E.F. It served in France from 1916-early 1919, before being returned to Canada and demobilized. The photograph was probably taken somewhere in Canada prior to embarkation for Europe.

I hope that this information will be of use to you.

Garth Clarke, CA
Staff Archivist
Red Deer and District Archives
P.O. Box 5008
Red Deer AB T4N 3T4
Telephone: 403.309.8403
FAX: 403.342.6644
E-mail: archives@city.red-deer.ab.ca

[thomasgeorge]

Thanks, Doug. I'll pass this along to my client. I much appreciate the help! Tom