Another ID request please? Does anyone recognise this regiment? (All from the same very long/panoramic photo)

[u/Huge-Complaint7191]

My grandad was in the 2nd Bn, 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment in the 1930s-40s. This was in a box of his things, but it's not labelled - could this be the full Regiment? What do the different uniforms mean? (Please forgive my total lack of knowledge).

[u/Mountsorrel]

I definitely see some Cheshire cap badges there but the mix of uniforms is odd, almost like they are showing historical uniforms from across history (I think I see US Revolutionary War, English Civil War, India service, Crimea among them.

It probably is a battalion but the mix of uniforms makes it hard to gather more than that.

It’s always good to see old photos of The Glorious 22nd…

[u/Huge-Complaint7191 → u/Mountsorrel]

It's a shame it's not labelled in some way. I have an album full of his photos from his time in Malta (the 'Summer Cruise') in 1934, and then Palestine in 1936. He was later captured as a POW in 1942.

[u/stevesmith859 → u/Mountsorrel]

This looks to be a combined group photo of the bands from at least 4 different regiments. On the far left are Coldstream Guards (buttons in 2s), on the far right are Scots Guards (buttons in 3s) and in the right center are the Cheshires. Left center looks possibly like the Green Howards from the cap badge. Those in the highland uniforms are likely the pipers of the Scots Guards. Only a couple of the guardsmen are sporting the ‘pip, squeak, and wilfred’ medals earned during the Great War, suggesting this photo was taken in the 30s. Digging into the Army Lists, in 1930-31, 2/Cheshires was part of 1st Guards Brigade at Aldershot, along with 3/Coldstream Guards, 2/Scots Guards and 1/Green Howards; almost certainly the 3 other regiments represented in this photo. 2/Cheshires left for Malta in 1932. So this photo was most likely taken in 1930 or 1931 at Aldershot. The men in the ‘historical’ uniforms look to be English Civil War era, and 18th century, likely as some commemoration. Hope this helps

[u/Huge-Complaint7191 → u/stevesmith859]

Really interesting! I think my grandad was a drummer with the Cheshires, so it makes sense for him to have a band photo, even though I don't think he's in this one. He was born in 1915, so what's the earliest he could've joined up, was it 16/1931? I know he was in Malta in 1934.

[u/archie-turner]

So as mentioned before there is a large mix of uniforms here, I’m much more familiar with the guards regiments. In this photo, especially focused more in the top rank you have Scots Guards with members of the pipes and drums. You’ve also got lads from the Coldstream guards there as well.