Item 2019.208.5 - RAF No. 1 Service Dress Officer's Jacket - Wing Commander

Identity area

Reference code

2019.208.5

Title

RAF No. 1 Service Dress Officer's Jacket - Wing Commander

Date(s)

  • nd [1951-1972] (Creation)

Level of description

Item

Extent and medium

2 (jacket and waist belt)

Context area

Name of creator

(1918-)

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Scope and content

Blue grey Royal Air Force No. 1 Service Dress officer's uniform jacket. Single-breasted with four pockets, it has an open notched collar, four button fastening (the bottom of which is concealed by the waist belt), pleated breast pockets with scalloped button flaps, bellows skirt pockets with rectangular button flaps and right waist ticket pocket. It has a detachable waist belt of matching cloth secured at the front by a double-pronged brass buckle and black metal press studs. There are two lengths of grey cotton tape sewn to the inside of the belt and secured with black metal press studs to thread through the small grey rayon belt loops at each side waist.

All buttons are silver coloured metal Queen's Crown RAF pattern with 'GAUNT LONDON' etched into the back, except for bottom front fastening button which is plain brass. Around each cuff is sewn the RAF rank braid Wing Commander of three rings of a light blue stripe flanked either side by broad black stripes. The back of the jacket has a centre vent.

Over the upper left breast is the RAF Flight Engineers half brevet badge - embroidered in gold and cream thread on a black background the design is of two bronze laurel branches encircling the capital letter 'E' with a single wing, extending to the right as viewed. Below the badge are medal ribbons for the Second World War (1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939-1945). Tailors label in the back of the neck and in the inside right chest pocket. Lined in dark grey twill rayon. Small section of darning below the bottom front button hole on the edge of the jacket.

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      Label: R. E. (CITY) Ltd / LONDON W 1
      Tailors label on inside right chest lining pocket: R.E. CITY LTD. / 19 MELCOMBE ST. N.W.1 WEL 8136/7 / UNIFORM & CIVILIAN BESPOKE OUTFITTERS

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      Note

      Part of a collection of ten items of Royal Air Force uniform owned and worn by Wing Commander John Ignatius McDonough and donated by his family.

      Note

      The RAF Service Dress is worn on formal and ceremonial occasions.

      Note

      Imperial War Museum history note on the RAF Fight Engineer half brevet, https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30076543 [accessed 12 May 2020]:
      The Flight Engineer half brevet was introduced in 1942. The first half brevet was introduced between 1915 and 1918 for Observers. This remained the only one until that for Air Gunners was introduced in 1939, which introducing the pattern of letters contained in a wreath that was followed by all subsequent such half brevets. The growth in such brevets was driven by the introduction of larger aircraft and therefore larger crews with specialist skills. The half brevets were worn in the same manner as the pilots' flying badge, on the left breast, above the medal ribbons. Several variants of the brevets exist, with the number of feathers ranging from twelve to seventeen

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