This is my Great Uncle (my Nan's brother) Alfred Boniface, and he served somewhere during WWI. I don't have a service number or even a firm date for these pictures although various family members say they think they date to around c.1918. 
Now family legend say he served in South Africa during the Boar War. That's clearly wrong as he would have been just a child at the time so I'm guessing they mean WWI. Some of the pictures - such as the picture of the marching unit below - seem to have a more tropical look about it. 
I know very little about the British Army's activities outside of Europe during this period and with so little to go on these pictures remain something of an enigma and I hate a mystery. So the question is can anyone identify the regiment and maybe make an educated guess as to where he was stationed?
Hi Lee, I'm not an expert, but there was a Boer revolt in 1914 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maritz_Rebellion which could explain why he was there. You need to get that cap-badge blown up!
ReplyDeleteThere is a very good government site with British WW1 service records on it; must be worth a look!
So maybe there's an element of truth in the family story after all. Thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteHi BigLee,
ReplyDeleteAfter researching my own relatives who served in the British Army I found these two sites very helpful.
ancestory.co.uk/search
Enter your relatives name and click on military and you can view info relating to him.
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/about.asp
when you get to that screen you will see under Army for Campaign Medal Card Index WW1, click search enter your details and you will get information.
I enter your relatives info and 12 results came up as serving in different regiments.
a little research into each regiment should give you some info.
Hope that helps
The Cap Badge looks like the Royal Artillery.
ReplyDeleteCap Badge
ReplyDeleteThe second picture looks more like Second World War era (or even post-war) jungle battle dress with '39 pattern webbing.
ReplyDelete