Can you identify these uniforms.

Identification Wizard

This is a free service offered to help identify Australian uniforms, badges and medals. It extends to uniforms, badges and medals of other countries if the person involved served in Australia or with Australians.
It works this way. Person A supplies a photo. I put it here on this page with what is known of the subject. YOU are invited to help identify the item/s.

Photos with a bright blue border are thumbnails. Click to enlarge. Click Icon to SUPER enlarge.

First congrats on the site I have found it very useful and informative on a number of occasions.

I am doing the family history and have come across a photo attached and I was wondering if you or someone looking at your site may have seen the uniform before?

I think that the photo is of a relative of mine called Joseph Ridley and was taken in the 1890's, at this time he lived around Bena in NSW.

In the photo he appears to be wearing medals for the Sudan, but I have no record in the family of him going and I couldn't see his name on the AWM nominal roll for the Sudan.

Any help or suggestions appreciated.

Thanks

Geoffrey Moore

This badge or button appears on a brass ashtray brought home from WW1. The nurse who brought the ashtray back to Australia served in a British Hospital at Salonika, Greece. Apparently the British specifically asked for Australian nurses for their hospitals. She went over in the HMS Mooltan in 1917 and came home in 1919. The ashtray has a fluted edge (not shown) and the words "Balkans 1919" on it below the button. Can you identify?

The button shown is a standard pattern for various artillery regiments of the time. Countries that had worn such pattern, with a slight difference, ranged from various Balkan States to France, Spain Italy and others. It was even worn in some South American countries.

However, I'm enclosing a scan of an Bulgarian Artillery officers version of a similar button, as well as three others from Chile to show the similarity in patterns. One of the Chilean (A) is close and was made in Germany (Austro-Hungary), who also had supplied the Turks. In button design, the officers' buttons always varied from those of the Other Ranks by the quality of make and finish and sometimes in differences in design. The Bulgarian shows the rim as being 'roped' or 'cabled', while the one on the ashtray has a plain rim, similar to the Chilean 'A". That was another way of rank distinction. Even the cannons and grenade differ, which in some countries is the result of different dies by different makers. Unfortunately, the back of this button would have been removed prior to soldering and therefore there is no chance to note the maker and country of origin.

I'm not saying that the one on the ashtray is definitely a Bulgarian but it is a strong possibility or that it had belonged to one of the Germanic/Austro-Hungarian States. In my many years of button collecting and research I have never came across information on whether the Ottoman Army had different buttons for its Artillery Regiments, but I believe that all Other Ranks had worn the standard 'crescent and star' pattern. I stand to be corrected on this if anyone has any other records.

Regards, Denis A. Darmanin (Valletta - Malta)

Could you please help with any information on this uniform. I'm believe it's my Gr/Gr Grandfather in Sydney around 1889-1912 The story goes Joseph Pedro Flores was born in Azores in the 1870's.

He was supposed to have been a volunteer from New England, Maybe jumped ship off the Almirante Barrosso May 1889 Sydney. I am unable to find any information about uniform or event of Brazillian ironclad battleship visiting Sydney. Any help would be a god send. Clinton Joseph Jones

Dear Ted,

As you suggested I sent this picture to various places, one of them being regiments .org in Britain. Mr. Ted Mills replied . The Glengarry cap was the undress of many units in the 1870's. The chevron is for Lance Corporal , the stripes are for Good Conduct and Long Service. The medal is the India Service and should be silver not gold. Therefore I believe you were correct that the picture is John Quin the father of Edward. Thanks for your help. I will let you know if I find the regiment. sincerely Carolyn Rains 13 Mar 2003

Dear Ted,

Can you help identify the uniform my Great- grandfather is wearing. My grandfather told me he fought in the Boer war.

His name is Edward John Quin born in India, came to Australia in 1879 eventually settled in Broken Hill aged 30 yrs in 1900.Yours sincerely Carolyn Margaret Rains nee Quin.

If you can help identify
- Unit
- Medal
- badges of service?

Edward John Quinn

This looks very much like it was based on a photograph, and painted by someone who didn't know what colours it should be (e.g. the gold square behind the cap badge would always be black material). The row of good conduct stripes on the right arm suggest that this is a British regular, probably before 1881. He's probably an infantryman in an ordinary red-coated regiment. The facial hair would also be a bit old fashioned for someone who was 30 in 1900. Is it possible that Edward John Quinn painted the picture rather than being the subject? Perhaps it's his father.

Subject: Harold Joseph John WILLIAMS
Born:-18th September 1877 Died:-1958

Can you identify the uniform or Unit?

Harold Joseph John Williams

This is a late-nineteenth century artillery uniform, as shown by the grenade collar badges and the 'ball' (as opposed to spike) on the helmet. He is a private. The helmet suggests either British regular on foreign service, or of course Australian either permanent or militia. However, the fact the helmet doesn't seem to have a badge on the front would eliminate most Australian artillery units.

Could maybe tell more if there was a higher quality scan.

My best guess for the uniform is ARTILLERY, as you can see the "flaming grenade" badge on his collar and the home service helmet has a ball, whereas infantry had a spike. The Engineer Corps have also worn the grenade badge at times. The uniform was in use from about the 1890's. The defence forces at the time were Colony based, i.e. each colony (state) had its own defence force, and the National Archives has muster rolls for a lot of the colony units, but they are not indexed. So the best bet is to work out where he was at the time and check the units around that area. Cheers Tom Corfmat Secretary Victorian Colonial Infantry Association Inc.

Being much involved in military history, especially uniforms, one particular subject has been the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery and the later Royal Malta Artillery.

As both were regular Artillery Regiments, their lace and cord facings were yellow or gold, which in the old sepia photos are always lighter and distinctive on the dark blue of the Gunners' uniform. The Williams' photo has a darker lace on the Austrian Knot, collar lace, etc, which compares to the red of the Volunteer or Permanent Artillery. I cannot positively ascertain this fact but believe its quite likely. Neither can I exclude him from being an Engineer, although the same rules apply.

As to the helmet, the order of dress varied. The ball fenien is set of a ventilator and although wearing a tunic, it is not the Full Dress for Ceremonial Parade purpose and therefore the helmetplate is rarely worn. It must be kept in mind that this is a cabinet photo and subject to some licensing. However, he is wearing what was termed as a Walking Out Dress which would be accompanied by a swagger stick or cane.

Regards, Denis A. Darmanin (Valletta - Malta)