Photo of a Rumanian Army officer with beard

I have an original photo taken by a German soldier, dated 10 May 1941, that shows an officer with a long beard, wearing some sort of medal.



Was such a prominent beard accepted/tolerated in the Army?

Gen. Dénes

A veteran or a military priest?

What's the object in his right hand? Is that "une trompette" (in french)- musical instrument? Under his left hand he has a sword. What does it mean?

As for the priest... i do not think that army chapelains were so old!!!! Army need young priests to be beyond the lines. In all the photos with Romanian Army chapelains that i saw till now were quite young.

BM

This post has been edited by Bernard Miclescu on April 20, 2008 06:41 pm

It seems he is an NCO (that’s why he carries a sword), the bugle-major of an infantry regiment, most probably the 6th Guard Dorobantzes Regiment “Mihai Viteazul”. I saw several pictures of the late 1930s, in which the drum-major of this unit had an impressive beard.

Ion Missir in 1917.

source: sivispacem

Hi Guys,

The British Army hasn't allowed beards since the 19th Century - with one exception. If my memory serves me correctly, only two pioneer sergeants in each regiment are allowed to wear beards. Perhaps this man (I cannot see the photo) is a pioneer carrying an axe?

Sid.

Sid,what about auxiliary troops.Ex indian troops?
I saw many photos of Siks with beards.

Hallo C - 2,

Indian Troops, I believe would come under the classification of

Commonwealth & Dominian Troops and not British Army per se.

Kevin in Deva.

"They" wore british uniforms....
Funny to hear that.

Hallo C-2

They all swore allegiance to the British Crown, followed the basic Rules in the Kings or Queens Military Regulations, and had their own traditions and music, and even though they wore "British" uniforms, they were distinctly different in cut and style with their own hat / cap badges and buttons.

Many of the Indian Regiments had British Officers, the senior NCO ranks being British but the lower NCO and Privates being Natives.

The Gurkha's from Nepal never learned English, all orders were in their native tounge
and the British officer had to prove he was worthy to command them. As they were not inclined to follow somebody who they did not respect.

These Indian Commonwealth Regiments were a great source of manpower for the British, many being transfered en-mass via the Suez canal to fight in France and Flanders in WW1.

Kevin in Deva.

Hi C-2,

NCR is right. The Indian Army had a different military establishment to the British Army. The British Army owed its alleigance to the monarch as King or Queen, whereas the Indian Army owed its alleigance to the Emperor or Empress of India, the title the British monarch held in his or her Indian domains.

Indian Army regiments followed many native traditions, which is why various forms of turban and facial hair, such as beards, were worn. I think adult Sikh men have to wear a full beard for religious reasons. It was therefore necessary to allow them to wear beards if the British wanted to recruit them.

Cheers,

Sid.