UK made uniforms for the AIF

[Chasemuseum]

During the war, AIF uniforms were to be manufactured in and supplied from Australia, however difficulties in supply led to significant shortages for troops on the western front and AIF pattern woolen uniforms were sourced and manufactured in the UK. These were of particularly poor quality and despised by the soldiers. Volume XI of Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918, records this differently.  

 

Examples of typical Australian made tunics will be given as a separate post.

Hoping that this is of interest

Regards

Ross

Page 257 of official history Vol XI

 

Typical example of the UK made tunic, they appear very coarse and dishevelled in photos.

Also note that the soldier is using the Australian leather P1908 equipment belt.

 

 

49 Battalion tunic, after dry-cleaning and pressing it looks better in the photos than it should, but the fabric is of exceptionally poor quality, is extremely coarse and has no warmth

 

 

Detail of the only markings.

 

This tunic was obtained from a colleague in about 1980, he had obtained it from the family of the soldier in about 1976. Unfortunately I do not have a record of the soldiers personal details as these had not been recoded at the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Robert Rytir]

Thank you Ross and looking forward to your Australian made tunic 

 

Rob

[Chasemuseum]

Examples of typical Australian made tunics. Note that the 12th Light Horse tunic has been modified with Map of Australia buttons added. MoA buttons were made in London during the war, and are not uncommon on officers tunics, in this case, I believe that the buttons were put on the tunic well after the war for ANZAC day marches. The soldier in question, only ever served in Egypt and the middle east. Although he enlisted in 1914 he did not serve at Gallipoli, but was retained for duties in Egypt.

 

 

 

This is a 1916 example, originally it had the small fabric belt across the front. The soldier has cut the belt and buckle off and crudely sewn the ends down.

 

 

 

 

12th Light Horse, sourced through the grandson of the soldier in 1974

 

 

 

 

Note that "size 10" is absolutely tiny. It is difficult obtaining mail mannequins small enough to display the uniform. His P1903 belt was cut-down and the buckle sewn in because he was so small. His grandson was also a small person.

 

I should also add that the wool of this tunic is a beautiful quality fabric. The best of any WW1 ORs uniform I have owned other than a tailor made uniform (which was more like the fabric used for an officers uniforms) and much better than the 2nd AIF uniforms.

Cheers

Ross

 

 

 

 

Edited 28 January , 2018 by Chasemuseum
extra comment

[Robert Rytir]

Thanks again for showing your tunics , if I may ask what are the markings with the board arrow in the last photo never seen W T before??

 

Rob

[Chasemuseum]

I have never seen another AIF tunic marked like this one

Cheers

[Robert Rytir]

Thanks again , I have a question were these photo's taken with a flash or natural light and is the colour of the Australian made more brown/tan than English that are green in colour ??

 

Cheers Rob

 

Any more tunic that you would like to share or SD , slouch hats 

[Chasemuseum]

Hi Rob,

The photos were taken with a small Panasonic Lumix DC Vario, a fairly average sort of small digital camera. Natural light, in the shade augmented by the camera built in flash which only activates on the camera automatic settings. The 12ALH tunic is more of a tan colour than a green but a tinge of green is visible under the shoulder straps. I have always attributed the tunic colour to poor colour fastness of the dyes used to manufacture AIF uniforms. Over the years I have owned about 10 OR tunics and directly handled about another 50. There is a lot of minor variation in colour. Compared with the WW2 uniforms - if unissued these have great uniformity in colour and only loose colour slowly with a lot of washing.

 

I do have a some more AIF uniform articles, but only the single UK made tunic, and no other UK made AIF clothing. The UK made clothing was very unpopular and is relatively rare compared to ordinary AIF uniforms. Additionally it was not appropriate to try taking any more photos yesterday, between heat and humidity I was dripping in sweat and I hate handling any item in these conditions for fear of contaminating them.

 

Cheers

Ross

[Robert Rytir]

Ross I really appreciate you taking the time to take the photo's as I collect WW1 uniforms and head wear as well as medals / groups .paperwork , photo well heck everything to do with Aussies in WW1 main focus is AFC and Gallipoli and as there is no books out there the only way to learn about these items is from fellow collectors , I have a  mate who only collects Slouch hats and uniforms for WW1 and he has amassed a large collection but its good to see other collections as well.

 

Much appreciated 

Rob

Edited 29 January , 2018 by Robert Rytir

[grantsmil]

On 1/29/2018 at 07:04, Robert Rytir said:

Thanks again for showing your tunics , if I may ask what are the markings with the board arrow in the last photo never seen W T before??

 

Rob

 

Rob and Ross,  The WT inspectors mark appears in at least two of my Australian made jackets, both are from different makers. One is from the National Clothing Manufacturing Company 1916, I do not recall the other.

[Robert Rytir]

8 hours ago, grantsmil said:

 

Rob and Ross,  The WT inspectors mark appears in at least two of my Australian made jackets, both are from different makers. One is from the National Clothing Manufacturing Company 1916, I do not recall the other.

Thanks for the update on the markings BTW what happened to your site ?? As I can not find it any more.

 

Cheers Rob

[grantsmil]

3 hours ago, Robert Rytir said:

Thanks for the update on the markings BTW what happened to your site ?? As I can not find it any more.

 

Cheers Rob

Rob, It got hit by that international ransom-ware attack last year and the site and back-ups were destroyed.

[Waddell]

2 hours ago, grantsmil said:

Rob, It got hit by that international ransom-ware attack last year and the site and back-ups were destroyed.

 

Sad to hear that Grant. It was a very useful site.

 

Scott

[grantsmil]

The WT inspector's

mark as it appears in South Australian made Service Dress Jackets by the  National Clothing Manufacturing Company [est 1908]

 

Edited 2 February , 2018 by grantsmil

[Robert Rytir]

4 hours ago, grantsmil said:

Rob, It got hit by that international ransom-ware attack last year and the site and back-ups were destroyed.

 

Thanks for showing those markings and very sorry to hear about your site being lost are you planing to do some else in the future or to much hard work ??

[grantsmil]

Thanks for your thoughts Rob, it is my intention to re-build.

Ross, here are some British made jackets.  One is severely sun faded and was initially a tan-brown, the other is in nice lightly used condition and is a fine, well made jacket.

I have also included a contemporary image of an Australian and Canadian both wearing British made jackets

[Chasemuseum]

Hi Grant,

who is the maker for the map of Australia buttons ? Stokes or a London maker ?

Cheers

Ross

[grantsmil]

Ross,

The metal buttons are blackened brass made by Gaunt, London on the 3MT jacket.  On the second jacket the buttons are also brass but are unmarked with makers' details.

[Robert Rytir]

Grant are the waist belts WW1 or WW2 ?? are these dated also.

 

Cheers Rob

[grantsmil]

The waist belt on the top image is dated 1906 but I can not decipher the maker details other than the word 'Birmingham', the second image has a waist belt which was Australian made and dated 1941.  Both bandoliers are Australian made and 1916 dated, water bottle carrier is Australian made and 1916, the P03 haversack appears to be either 1910 or 1916 and the other haversack is P08 and dated1916.  The bayonet scabbards and frogs were Australian made and Great War period, I do not recall the dates.  The set-ups were prepared for a school display and there was not the usual attention to period correctness of the equipment.

[grantsmil]

The British made Australian 3MT jacket in a stand alone display. 

The inside white cotton lining pieces are marked with a faded W/|\D mark on the right breast.  The paper label is missing but affixed to the inside middle of the rear skirt. 

The cotton reinforcing on the inside is not a feature seen in Australian manufactured service dress jackets.

[Robert Rytir]

Thanks and keep the photos coming as it is all very interesting to me and I'm learning alot.

 

Cheers Rob

[RobynM]

The heavy lower pockets really stand out don't they.

[grantsmil]

2 hours ago, RobynM said:

The heavy lower pockets really stand out don't they.

 

Yes the lower pockets are one of the several feature that set Australian Service Dress jackets apart for many other nationality's uniforms of the time.  The large lower pockets were intended to carry greater volume than most others, the practical buttoned cuff and vent [to allow the sleeve to be rolled up], the low stand and fall collar which could be worn open and the overall roomy shape were all deliberate designs to give the Australian fighting soldier a comfortable and practical uniform.  It did not conform to the military fashion of the time which tended to favour the more tight fitted look and higher closed collar.