Real British Dress Uniform or Theatre prop?

[Brian Keith]

I got this black wool uniform in a lot I purchased on an internet auction. This may be what is called a blue undress uniform. The silver color buttons say Berkshire and have a Kings Crown (pre-1952). The ribbon is the Territorial Decoration (TD), awarded for long service in the Territorial Force. It has chain-mail shoulder pieces and officer pips of a Second Lieutenant. They are sewn on with black thread. It originally had two cuff buttons on each side, now missing. The standup collar shows no indication of have ever had insignia attached. It is a well-made uniform of good quality by Moss Brothers of Covent Garden. Take a look at the photos and thanks for any information you can provide. For an American, researching UK and British uniforms and insignia is a bit daunting.

Thanks for looking.

BKW

 

[Brian Keith]

Thanks for looking,

BKW

[Allan H.]

Brian,

 

Moss Brothers is something akin to Marlow White here in the USA. THey are known for supplying high end uniforms to British officers. I have a few RAF tunics that were tailored by them.

 

This tunic is of very high quality and is undoubtedly NOT a costume, though it could have ended up in the hands of a theater company. The mail shoulder boards are correct for the period, though I thought that they were specificallyfor cavalry units like Huzzars or other similar type units. While the collar isn't pierced, I believe that collar dogs would have been prescribed. It is quite possible that the collar dogs were executed in bullion and just sewn to the collar rather than pierced for metal devices.

 

Thanks for sharing this.

 

Allan

[Brian Keith]

Thanks for the reply and added info Allen. Under closer examination and better light, I do see where the collar has two small holes on each side for the insignia. The holes are not large enough for the typical British type of attachment.

BKW

[irish]

This would be considered a patrol jacket for the Berkshire Yeomanry. They served in the Boer war and later as mounted infantry in WW1. So cavalry of a sorts. The collar badges were likely metal at the time. I believe the collar badges would have used the horse. By WW2 they were serving as part of a signal regiment. The territorial ribbon fits with the unit being yeomanry.

[Brian Keith]

Thanks for the additional information irish!

BKW