Uniform found in loft !

[RNCVR]

Froggie I noticed in the top & bottom Queens Reg't photos you have posted - their tunics, some dont have the two bottom pockets in the top (4th Bn) photo, & none of them seem to have those bottom pockets in the last (2nd Bn) photo.  Is there a reason for this, are there two different types of tropical tunics on issue in that time frame?

 

The 1926 photos they dont seem to have bottom pockets either.

 

Thanks, Bryan

[FROGSMILE]

18 minutes ago, lucycutler said:

Lovely photos, thank you.  Pity we don't have the helmet that goes with the uniform! 

In the photo with the silver cups in front, you can see what I meant about the appearance of starched uniform.  It’s especially interesting to note that at that stage (mid 1920s) the entire 2nd Battalion have adopted as an idiosyncrasy the cross hached method of winding their puttees to achieve a very uniform and smart appearance.  Some other regiments adopted a special way of folding the puggaree/pagri around their helmets.  These are all typical features of regular army dress.

Edited 12 April , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[FROGSMILE]

10 minutes ago, RNCVR said:

Froggie I noticed in the top & bottom Queens Reg't photos you have posted - their tunics, some dont have the two bottom pockets in the top (4th Bn) photo, & none of them seem to have those bottom pockets in the last (2nd Bn) photo.  Is there a reason for this, are there two different types of tropical tunics on issue in that time frame?

 

The 1926 photos they dont seem to have bottom pockets either.

 

Thanks, Bryan

The standard issue jacket of that period had no lower pockets just like the initial focus of this thread.

Adding lower pockets became popular, as it afforded the same extra functionality of the 02 pattern wool service dress and so local tailoring was used to modify the issued jackets.  In general there were two sources of tailoring, each regular battalion had a sergeant, ‘master tailor’ with a small team of assistants, but there were also native tailors, known as ‘durzis’ permitted to operate in the regimentally sanctioned bazaar, comprising sutlers of various kinds who paid for their pitch.  These native tailors were cheap to use and they also modified uniforms for a small fee.  The further away from widespread war, the more little tweaks there were to enhance the smart appearance of soldiers uniform.

Edited 12 April , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[RNCVR]

Thanks, appreciate the explanation Froggie, makes sense.

 

Another question, same photo - noticed their rank chevrons, all of the NCO's have what appear to be dark(black?) chevrons save the Serg't with the medal ribbon bar, on his officer's left, who's chevrons seem to be a lighter colour(white?).  The other Serg' t on his officer's right is wearing the darker chevrons.

 

My question is -- Why the difference?

 

Thanks, Bryan

[FROGSMILE]

45 minutes ago, RNCVR said:

Thanks, appreciate the explanation Froggie, makes sense.

 

Another question, same photo - noticed their rank chevrons, all of the NCO's have what appear to be dark(black?) chevrons save the Serg't with the medal ribbon bar, on his officer's left, who's chevrons seem to be a lighter colour(white?).  The other Serg' t on his officer's right is wearing the darker chevrons.

 

My question is -- Why the difference?

 

Thanks, Bryan

Another interesting feature related to service in India was the resurrection of a practice of regimental style rank stripes that had been abolished many years before on the home establishment.  Originally ranks below substantive  full sergeant had their rank stripes made up from regimental lace and full sergeants and above stripes in white worsted, or later on, gold lace. 
Although at home the use of regimental stripes was abolished, in India cheap tailoring made it feasible to reintroduce and it became popular to do so.  Many regiments used their facing colour as the base cloth and then overlaid stripes in white.  Others used a pale coloured backing and overlaid stripes in dark blue, or sometimes red (as seems to be the case here).  Full sergeants and above seem in this case to use the issue gold lace type stripes that were already overlaid on scarlet felt.  The effect was smart, but it also served the function of making the hierarchy and thus status even more clear than usual.  There was real pride to take that step up from one type of rank stripe to another, especially as it became a marker in the progress of one’s regimental career.

 

NB.  A famous example of the regimental pattern stripe usage was the 2nd Battalion of the Essex Regiment (one time 56th Regiment), whose facing colour had been purple, which was allegedly the favourite colour of Madam De Pompadour.  This gave the regiment the nickname of The Pompadours, and even after becoming the 2nd Battalion of a new regiment, when in India the battalion was still wearing stripes with a backing of purple cloth 40 to 50-years later.  Other examples are the 1st Bn West Kent’s with a black backing and the 2nd Bn Royal Sussex with Orange (both intended to show difference from their ‘other’ battalion).  However, this was very much a peacetime, regular army thing and the exigencies of a world war soon led to a cessation until proper, peacetime soldiering could recommence.

After withdrawal from India in 1947 many of the tailors moved to other overseas stations with British garrisons, not wanting to lose the custom that had become their livelihood, and Cyprus and East Africa carried the tradition on, as did Chinese tailors in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaya. 

Edited 12 April , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[themonsstar]

I was using local tailors (golly) shops on the camp (Slim Village) in Cyprus when I was posted there in the 1990s for my Army kit.

[FROGSMILE]

2 hours ago, themonsstar said:

I was using local tailors (golly) shops on the camp (Slim Village) in Cyprus when I was posted there in the 1990s for my Army kit.

Yes, I too had to get regimental pattern shirts (not issued) from there.  Much later some of their kin came and ran the canteens in patrol bases on operations (char wallahs, etc).

Edited 19 April , 2020 by FROGSMILE