Decipher Family Photographs: Cap badges and equipment
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Cap badges and equipment
Cap badges are a good place to start your photo interpretation. All soldiers were required to wear the badge of their unit. This studio portrait of two artillery men shows clearly the cannon on their cap badge, but also their distinctive uniform which unlike most soldiers includes a leather bandolier and spurs. The style of caps themselves can show when a photograph was taken. Stiff parade-ground caps, caps with the stiffeners removed by the soldiers, softer caps with ear flaps for protection in the winter (known as the 'Gor blimey') - these all can point to a particular year. Variations on the cap, and other head-gear such as the New Zealand 'lemon squeezer' hat, give a ready indication to the nationality of soldiers in photographs.
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Decipher Family Photographs
Unlock the clues in your family photographs from the Great War (1914-1918) to enrich your family history and discover new leads to offical documents from: uniforms; cap badges; shoulder titles; medal ribbons; badges (overseas service, unit insignia, weapons proficiency), as well as equipment. Includes links to other websites and offers some suggested reading.
Created by Alun Edwards.