[size=6]I am doing some research on my Great Uncle, William H Jeffcott, Private, DCLI who was killed 90 years ago and is buried near Bois-Grenier. While visiting the Fleurbaix area earlier this month, and commemorating the grave of Uncle Will, my father and I visited the Mayors office in that city. We met there a man who helped us with the proper locaton of the Cornwalls in that area. This gentleman spoke very little english but made it clear that he had found a certain metal tag, as a youth, and has been trying to find the family of the tag's owner ever since. I attach a file showing this tag. There is no number on the reverse. It is his impression that the soldier was serving with Canadian forces, who were numerous in this area. There is no record of the soldier's grave in the CGC database.

So, I ask the following:

1. Is this indeed a "dog tag" ID tag, or was it a tag to identify a person's equipment?

2. By this tag, is it possible to be certain that Lt. Stead was serving with Canadian forces?

3.

Thanks to all of you.Click to view attachment

It's a "private purchase" wrist tag of an officer of the Machine Gun Corps. This was a supplementary tag worn alongwith the issue "dogtags". There will be no number as, prior to 1920, officers weren't issued with numbers.

I haven't looked into the name, but there's no clear evidence that he was serving with the Canadians, but was part of the MGC. Why does the man think that he was? Many other units were in the area too.

Dave.

There's no sign of him in the MGC listings in ODGW either. Not all that surprising really - thousands of ID tags were lost/discarded without the owner becoming a casualty.

D.

I've found his MIC details - 2nd Lt Robert William Stead.

Stead MIC

Les

Private Robert William Stead 1466 1/6 KLR trans 22397 MGC
Admitted 15 Field Ambulance 6/5/15 (contusion). Discharged to duty 15/5/15. Appointed paid L/Cpl 28/8/15. Attd 165 Brigade MGC Company 20/2/16. Promoted A/Cpl while attd 29/3/16. Discharged to TF 18/5/16 and re-enlisted in MGC 19/5/16 with new number 22397. (1/6 KLR Casualty Ledger)
Served :
Liverpool Regiment 1466 Private
Machine Gun Corps 22397 Lance Corporal
Machine Gun Corps Second Lieutenant 28/01/1918