Simplified Service Dress Jackets

[Gardenerbill]

There has been a lively debate around the issue of the Simplified Service Dress Jackets, in the postcards topic, that high-lighted to me a number of erroneous assumptions on the subject that I feel need to be addressed. My attempts to find further information by searching the 'Uniforms, Cap Badges and Insignia' sub forum proved unsatisfactory. With that in mind I thought I should start a topic specifically about the Simplified SD Jackets where hopefully the facts with appropriate reference and links can be placed for future reference. Here is an example of a simplified SD jacket:

 

 

Ideally I would like definitive answers to the following questions:

 

1. When were the jackets made (according to Joe Sweeney, Novemebr 1914 to June 1915).
2. How many were made and by whom.
3. What percentage of jackets issued were Simplified SD.

 

[Gardenerbill]

I will start the ball rolling with refurbished uniforms; the link below shows these were not issued to soldiers in the field but to those on home service ro in the Labour Corps.

 

 

Edited 14 February , 2019 by Gardenerbill

[Grovetown]

23 hours ago, Gardenerbill said:

There has been a lively debate around the issue of the Simplified Service Dress Jackets, in the postcards topic, that high-lighted to me a number of erroneous assumptions on the subject that I feel need to be addressed. My attempts to find further information by searching the 'Uniforms, Cap Badges and Insignia' sub forum proved unsatisfactory. With that in mind I thought I should start a topic specifically about the Simplified SD Jackets where hopefully the facts with appropriate reference and links can be placed for future reference. Here is an example of a simplified SD jacket:

 

Ideally I would like definitive answers to the following questions:

 

1. When were the jackets made (according to Joe Sweeney, Novemebr 1914 to June 1915).
2. How many were made and by whom.
3. What percentage of jackets issued were Simplified SD.

 

 

According to the manuscript of Joe's book - which he was kind enough to share with a few of us for editing before his death - the "pattern number for the simplified jacket is unknown, but probably corresponded closely with 8140/1914 (c. October or November 1914), which was the first iteration of the simplified trouser pattern".

 

The pattern was superceded by Ptn. 8407/ 1915 of June 5th 1915; which is what most people encounter/ think of in terms of a classic SD jacket.

 

So we have the official date range (more or less), although it is known in other circumstances that manufacture may commence before an official introduction.

 

Contracts could be cancelled (were "terminable") with four weeks notice, hence an assertion that production continued to the end of July 1915 following the introduction of the new pattern.

 

Chris Pollendine relates  in Campaign 1915 that the US made 1.3 million jackets (source: Statistics of the Military Effort of the British Empire. An amazing, if rather dense, read, if you can find it). He doesn't give a number for UK makers.

 

Joe again:

 

"All told, between 4 August 1914 and 31 January 1919, 32,549,295 jackets were ordered. Issues of the jacket are recorded as 29,238,992, including 50,000 issued to allies, from 1 August 1914 to the week ending 2 June 1919, with 14,896,002 issued overseas. Remaining in Depot were 1,358,188".

 

His source for these numbers is also Statistics of the Military Effort of the British Empire / History of the Ordnance Services. He notes that Part III gives different numbers - showing total provided as 26,798,933 - and that the numbers don't all add up because of varying time frames given.

With a number for British-made simplifieds, we'd know what the overall % of SDs were simplified.

 

I've had three of these jackets over the years, all of which feature in Campaign 1915.

 

Cheers,

 

GT.

 

 

 

Edited 15 February , 2019 by Grovetown