35 quarterings tattooed on soldier's chest

[m***@le.ac.uk]

There's a remarkable picture of a soldier with a full armorial achievement of 35 quarterings, with helm, crest, mantling and motto, tattooed across most of his chest, in this BBC article on WW1 tattoing:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-28359624

The picture looks strangely distorted to me, and it's black-and-white, but does anyone recognise the arms? The caption says the soldier is French, and I know nothing about French heraldry, but a bit of googling suggests the first arms might be Vauclerc.

Matt Tompkins

[Derek Howard]

Post by m***@le.ac.uk
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-28359624
The picture looks strangely distorted to me, and it's black-and-white, but does anyone recognise the arms? The caption says the soldier is French, and I know nothing about French heraldry, but a bit of googling suggests the first arms might be Vauclerc.
Matt Tompkins

I must credit John Tunesi of Liongam, who has suggested on the Heraldry Society of Scotland forum that:
"The arms in the first quarter are those of Radcliffe (Argent two bends engrailed sable). The other quarterings look very much at first glance (I have not checked this for there seem to be some additional quarterings) a scheme of quarterings as borne by the Radcliffes, of Ordshall and Foxdenton in Lancashire.

I think the gentleman is undoubtedly a British soldier wearing a forage cap. The BBC in all probability assumed that he was French by virtue of the motto 'Caen, Cressie, Calais' displayed upon the scroll under the arms. Again, this motto is that of the Radcliffes, of Ordshall, etc."

Derek Howard

[m***@le.ac.uk]

Post by Derek Howard

Post by m***@le.ac.uk
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-28359624
The picture looks strangely distorted to me, and it's black-and-white, but does anyone recognise the arms? The caption says the soldier is French, and I know nothing about French heraldry, but a bit of googling suggests the first arms might be Vauclerc.

"The arms in the first quarter are those of Radcliffe (Argent two bends engrailed sable). The other quarterings look very much at first glance (I have not checked this for there seem to be some additional quarterings) a scheme of quarterings as borne by the Radcliffes, of Ordshall and Foxdenton in Lancashire.
I think the gentleman is undoubtedly a British soldier wearing a forage cap. The BBC in all probability assumed that he was French by virtue of the motto 'Caen, Cressie, Calais' displayed upon the scroll under the arms. Again, this motto is that of the Radcliffes, of Ordshall, etc."

Thank you very much, Derek (and John) - that is clearly the answer.

My original post was going to say that I thought the achievement and quarterings somehow seemed more English in style than French, but I doubted that I knew enough about French heraldry to justify the comment so I deleted it.

Matt