WW1 Canadian Officers Tunic

[Mark K]

I am glad of that Dean I have seen two other pairs that were date stamped over the years one pair last week I will see if I can find the link.

Regatds Mark K

[asterperious]

IMO, and based on 25 years of CEF collecting and working in many museums with related materials and having a decent collection myself and had the pleasure of examining some major private collections - I do not believe this to be a military jacket. It has elements of military style, but remember the officers kit of the day was based on the tradional British foxhunting kit. The lack of provision for epaulettes, the belt style, cut and construction, no evidence of collar insignia, material and horn buttons strongly suggest riding clothing or someone in a relief or support agency like the YMCA or temperance union. Civil and military fashion influenced one another strongly.

While it is true there are wide variances in cloth, shade, quality, regulation changes with respect to rank location etc. with officers kit - there were mandated and approved patterns at all military tailors, these were not deviated from to the extent that this is. Officers had to produce proof of status, like a paybook etc. to be able to make purchases from approved tailors. The label here indicates they are civil and military tailors so stylistic overlap would not be unusual, look at the military influence on hunting clothing today in any 'surplus shop'.

[thorne83]

A Lt L A Myles is listed on an incoming passenger ship, from Liverpool to Quebec, on the 8th July 1919, on the SS Megantic. His final destination is stated as Vancouver.

Cheers, Tom

[William1]

I think asterperious has nailed it. Although the styling is military and the jacket is clearly original to 1918, the pattern is not correct for the army and a commissioned officer would not have worn it. I believe that what you have is a uniform from a volunteer organisation of some sort, such as an ambulance unit, or perhaps it was a war correspondent's. Such organisations enjoyed considerable latitude in the way they dressed. So probably not a combatant's tunic, but it's still a good thing.
Regards, W.