Military uniform - advice needed

Meursault

Hi All,

I was hoping someone might be able to identify the uniforms in the photos below. My guess is that they are either world war 1, or else Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)?

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

source

Meursault wrote: »

Hi All,

I was hoping someone might be able to identify the uniforms in the photos below. My guess is that they are either world war 1, or else Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)?

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

Photo 1 looks like a police style uniform (only going by the whistle chain)

Photo 2, the cap badge looks like that of the fusiliers or grenadier guards.

Munster Fusiliers
https://www.nam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2017-12/140962_full.jpg

Grenadier guards
http://britishmilitarybadges.e2ecdn.co.uk/Products/0abteyet5664478.jpg?w=547&h=547&quality=85&scale=canvas

RIC cap badge as far as I recall was a harp with a crown above it.

I will note that I'm no expert and I'm guessing based on the pictures and my own search into an old photo. My bet would be the Munster Fusiliers given the Fermoy connection to the photo.

I'm open to correction from someone more knowledgeable.

Meursault

Thanks for the response Source. Well spotted on the Kilworth, Fermoy details.

Any significance to the stick and rug on his lap in photo 2??

tac foley

They are much earlier than WW1 - think late 1880'/early 90s. The 'stick' is a swagger stick, but the significance of the sheepskin is lost on me.

Meursault

tac foley wrote: »

They are much earlier than WW1 - think late 1880'/early 90s. The 'stick' is a swagger stick, but the significance of the sheepskin is lost on me.

Thanks tac,

That makes sense for the police uniform. I assume this is the RIC uniform?

For the other photo (of the gent with the cap) can you confirm if this is an Irish Fusiliers uniform?

tac foley

The only badge that looks like this is the prowling tiger and crown of the Munster Fusiliers. I'm open to other opinions, of course.

BowWow

Would the sheepskin be a saddle pad for under a saddle? Whip in hand?

tac foley

Fusilers are riflemen - infantry, not cavalry, or even gunners. In that period of horse-drawn artillery, the task of riding a horse team towing a light field gun was part of the Gunner's MOS.