Unknown Soldier

Good evening
We have this random unknown picture of a soldier. Its a black and white photo that got added colors. Not sure to what period it belongs.
Jannie

 

Motorcycle messenger? WWI? He has riding goggles on his hat, so he was driving something with no windshield, and jodhpurs say motorcycle to me. (they were old school riding pants among other things.) Someone who knows european uniforms better may actually know what they're talking about.

 

Also an interesting frame (maybe that can also help with approximate dating) My mother has a photo of my grandmother (when she was young) with the exact frame.

 

I like the painted backdrop. That definitely means it was taken by a studio photographer.

@Boland , approximately when was the photo of your grandmother taken? This photo of the uniformed man probably dates to about the same period, since the frames are so similar.

 

Jannie, which country are you in? That would help people find the uniform.
Your name sounds like it could be Dutch or South African?

 

I am South African. We also have pictures of relatives in same type of frames.
Jannie

 

And so does Boland, who is also South African. So I think we can safely say that the uniform is South African too.

 

He has 2 stripes...maybe a Corporal?

 

It looks like the frame is painted to look like faux wood grain. All of the doors in my 1851 house are painted with faux grain.

 

South Africa or another British Colony would explain the exotic (lions et. al.) backdrop.

Debora

 

Maybe during the Boer War (1899-1902)?

 

If he was a motorcyclist, it would be later.

 

Can you tell I’m not a motorcycle buff?

 

Me either, but I've been around enough gearheads to spot a few things.

 

I am far from an expert, but I would think it is WW1 era, uniform seems from that era. And with some research it appears that over 250,000 South Africans served in WW1, either for South Africa or directly for the British. And they were instrumental in removing German troops that had colonized neighboring countries.