WWI German and British uniforms

[FatBoyGeorge]

Hello all.

I'm looking for some info on the uniforms in the photo below, to which there's a bit of a back story.

As you look at the photo, the guy front right is my paternal great-grandfather (Frederick Charles Auth), centre is my great-great-grandfather and front left is my great-uncle. They came as a family from Germany to Britain shortly before WWI for unknown reasons. The story is that at the outbreak of WWI my great-grandfather fought for the British cavalry and his brother fought for the German Navy. Family dinners must have been interesting.

Does anyone have any knowledge of the two uniforms in the photos? To me, my great-grandfather's cap badge looks like the Prince of Wales feathers.

 

[Chef]

Could be 10th Royal Hussars, cap badge:



Wiki notes:

10th Royal Hussars - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Ravers]

Very interesting. I have similar family history. Great Great grandparents came to Britain in 1883 from Frankfurt. Their son (my great grandfather) served in the British Army, while his cousins served in the German Army.

I’m no expert but your great uncle’s uniform looks nothing like any German Navy uniform I’ve ever seen. The high collar is pointing me towards marines?

Or possibly some sort of merchant navy?

 

[AlienFTM]

Could be 10th Royal Hussars, cap badge:



Wiki notes:

10th Royal Hussars - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Being Prince of Wales (Albert) Own, 10th seems to me to be the logical choice for a German.

 

[FatBoyGeorge]

Could be 10th Royal Hussars, cap badge:



Wiki notes:

10th Royal Hussars - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Thanks. The unit history fits what limited info we have.

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[Ravers]

 

[Gluteus Maximus]

Your great uncle is wearing a Brodrick cap so the photo is from 1902 to 1907. The cuffs, collar and cap 'wings' will be all in white so look for that facing colour. The cap badge is unclear. Your grandfather is dressed as a cavalry private with shoulder chains, spurs and puttees wound down. But dressed in khaki he's probably a Yeoman, Cheshire and Wiltshire come to mind with the feathers. Other flavours may be available....

ETA 10th Hussars would be good!

 

[Glad_its_all_over]

Your great-uncle's uniform looks more like the dunkelblau formal Rock worn by various German national contingents' grunts. Do you know whereabouts in Germany the family originated?

 

[FatBoyGeorge]

Being Prince of Wales (Albert) Own, 10th seems to me to be the logical choice for a German.

Hadn't thought of the German royal family connection. Certainly puts another perspective on it.

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[FatBoyGeorge]

Very interesting. I have similar family history. Great Great grandparents came to Britain in 1883 from Frankfurt. Their son (my great grandfather) served in the British Army, while his cousins served in the German Army.

I’m no expert but your great uncle’s uniform looks nothing like any German Navy uniform I’ve ever seen. The high collar is pointing me towards marines?

Or possibly some sort of merchant navy?

Must have been a very interesting time. Thanks for the heads up on the uniform. I'll take a look.

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[FatBoyGeorge]

Your great-uncle's uniform looks more like the dunkelblau formal Rock worn by various German national contingents' grunts. Do you know whereabouts in Germany the family originated?

Trying to find out. Will get back to you.

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[Ravers]

Are you 100% sure the bloke on the left is the German Navy uncle?

I’m wondering if one of the other men at the back could be him.

The more I look at the guy on the left, the more I think that’s a British uniform.

For comparison:

Border Regiment, Lonsdale Battalion:

 

[kelvin_273]

Hello all.

I'm looking for some info on the uniforms in the photo below, to which there's a bit of a back story.

As you look at the photo, the guy front right is my paternal great-grandfather (Frederick Charles Auth), centre is my great-great-grandfather and front left is my great-uncle. They came as a family from Germany to Britain shortly before WWI for unknown reasons. The story is that at the outbreak of WWI my great-grandfather fought for the British cavalry and his brother fought for the German Navy. Family dinners must have been interesting.

Does anyone have any knowledge of the two uniforms in the photos? To me, my great-grandfather's cap badge looks like the Prince of Wales feathers.

View attachment 472052

Could be an interesting project for @NSP s colouring thread.

 

[Glad_its_all_over]

Are you 100% sure the bloke on the left is the German Navy uncle?

I’m wondering if one of the other men at the back could be him.

The more I look at the guy on the left, the more I think that’s a British uniform.

For comparison:

Border Regiment, Lonsdale Battalion:

View attachment 472068

You are bang on the money, there, shippers. I think you're absolutely right. That's a big Broderick cap your man's wearing and the badge looks - perhaps - a bit like a Maltese Cross. If they wore plain rather than peaked cuffs, perhaps the Wiltshire Regiment?

 

[AlienFTM]

Can I say at this point, "Arrse at its best"?

 

[FatBoyGeorge]

Your great-uncle's uniform looks more like the dunkelblau formal Rock worn by various German national contingents' grunts. Do you know whereabouts in Germany the family originated?

All we know is they could have come from Frankfurt.

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[BuckFelize]

They're both British uniforms. The donkey walloper is either 3DG or 10H. He's wearing what looks to be a two-clasp QSA. He could be one of the Welsh IY regiments, as the POW feathers badges were similar. The side cap should identify whether he's a dragoon or hussar. Unfortunately I've mislaid my copy of 1900 dress regs, so cannot really help.

The bloke wearing the Broderick cap I have no idea except his facing are white. I might be able to narrow it down. Wait out.

 

[Provost]

Your great uncle is wearing a Brodrick cap so the photo is from 1902 to 1907. The cuffs, collar and cap 'wings' will be all in white so look for that facing colour. The cap badge is unclear. Your grandfather is dressed as a cavalry private with shoulder chains, spurs and puttees wound down. But dressed in khaki he's probably a Yeoman, Cheshire and Wiltshire come to mind with the feathers. Other flavours may be available....

ETA 10th Hussars would be good!

It was an odd piece of headgear. Obviously not popular as it didn't last long in the British Army. I think it was copied from Imperial Russian or Prussia who wore something similar.

I'm almost certain that it was adopted much later by the Auxiliary or National Fire Service, but I am unable to find a single photograph in evidence of this.

ETA: As you were. Here's a couple of snaps taken in the late 30s. The scarcity of pictures might suggest that they were as popular with the AFS as they were with the army.

 

[CanteenCowboy]

Hello all.

I'm looking for some info on the uniforms in the photo below, to which there's a bit of a back story.

As you look at the photo, the guy front right is my paternal great-grandfather (Frederick Charles Auth), centre is my great-great-grandfather and front left is my great-uncle. They came as a family from Germany to Britain shortly before WWI for unknown reasons. The story is that at the outbreak of WWI my great-grandfather fought for the British cavalry and his brother fought for the German Navy. Family dinners must have been interesting.

Does anyone have any knowledge of the two uniforms in the photos? To me, my great-grandfather's cap badge looks like the Prince of Wales feathers.

View attachment 472052

Seeing the chain mail epaulets I immediately thought “chainy tenth”, which for some reason I knew as the nickname for the 10th Hussars. I presume it’s something I’ve read in a George MacDonald Fraser book somewhere.

 

[BuckFelize]

You are bang on the money, there, shippers. I think you're absolutely right. That's a big Broderick cap your man's wearing and the badge looks - perhaps - a bit like a Maltese Cross. If they wore plain rather than peaked cuffs, perhaps the Wiltshire Regiment?

I think you're Bob on with the Wiltshires. I can't think what else it could be. Either that or it's one of the VF battalions. I don't think they wore the short-lived Broderick though. The RM were still wearing them during the Great War, but they were not popular with the army.