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Photo taken in uniform before WW2
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Aileen | Report | 27 Aug 2005 12:15 |
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Was it common practice to get a professional photo taken in uniform before someone was ready to go to war (WW2)? The reason I ask is that I was given some photos of ancestors and amongst them was a photo of what looks like my dad. I know he was called up on several occasions but the job he did excluded him from taking part. I didn't realise that he had got to the point of actually being kitted out though and of course there's no one left to ask now. Aileen |
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Jennifer | Report | 27 Aug 2005 12:39 |
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I have some professional photos of some of my great uncles & grandfather taken in their uniforms. (Slightly different to your situation as this was pre 1st WW). Obviously I don't know if they were taken before they were 'shipped off' abroad, but would think it's a strong probability, simply because, looking on the very black side they & their family didn't know if they would survive to come home. I never knew any of my great uncles & can't remember my grandfather - only 5 when he died, so it's nice to have the pictures. Luckily all of them survived the war. |
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Shirley~I,m getting the hang of it | Report | 27 Aug 2005 12:42 |
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My dad too was exluded as he was on'Essential War Work'. He worked at the Woolwich Arsenal as a Shell Turner. He never got a far as being kitted out,as you only got kit when you reported for duty. He would have beeen rejected before that I think. My dad did join the territorials tho in the early thirties & had his kit for that. Is it poss you dad did something similar? Shirley |
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Researching: |
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KathleenBell | Report | 27 Aug 2005 13:15 |
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Did your dad have any brothers? It could be that his brothers looked very much like him when they were younger and the photo may be of one of them. Kath. x |
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Fiona | Report | 27 Aug 2005 13:21 |
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I have a photo of my gg uncle in his uniform, he died in France in 1917 so yes they had photos taken before they went anywhere. |
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Aileen | Report | 27 Aug 2005 15:11 |
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Thanks for your replies. My dad did have brothers but I know it's him in the photo. Also I did hear that he was all set to go to war when his workplace granted him special dispensation at the last minute because of the type of work he did so I reckon he would have been kitted out. I guessed that the that the photo was something taken as a keepsake in the event of a fatality but wondered if it was a personal thing or something every soldier had done by law. Aileen |
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Unknown | Report | 27 Aug 2005 15:22 |
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I think it was a traditional thing - if you had to have your photo taken, it would have been done by the army and they would have done a mugshot type thing. I have a photo of husband's grandfather and brothers in uniform. I think it was partly a keepsake to remember them when they went abroad, partly patriotic - to show the neighbours your lad was doing his bit, and also an occasion on which the man looked really smart. Nowadays we take photos all the time, lots of informal snapshots, etc. But then, especially WW1, photos would have been formal portraits to treasure. nell |
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