King George VI odd RAF Uniform

[Adrian Stevenson]

Found it!

I knew I had seen the King in this SD jacket before. In Brian Davis' "bible". He even has the same object bulging out of the breast pocket so the chances are the pics were taken on the same day?

Meeting with 6th A/B Div. May 1944.

This nails it as a Guards pattern tunic now we can see the lower skirt pockets.

Cheers, Ade.

[Gaetano]

Glad to have , unintentionally,started such an interesting thread. Thank you all! Btw, I'd like to know more about that Brian Davis Bible. Anyone to help me? Regards with thanks

[Adrian Stevenson]

I think it is the best all round book on British uniforms and equipment:

British Army uniforms & insignia of World War Two
By Brian Leigh Davis

Publisher: Arms and Armour Press

It is out of print but you can find copies for sale online.

Cheers, Ade.

[Gaetano]

It would seem he certainly had fun with his uniforms, and got the most out of it. He wore a wide variety of uniforms during the war (from all three services), but as harryamb2 said, he was the King and could wear whatever he liked, within reason. Even so, he never actually went as far as General 'Boy' Browning, who actually designed his own uniforms, and got away with it.

I would still stand by my identification of that jacket as being of Guards cut. Firstly because I have seen GVIR in a FM-badged Guards uniform before, but I've never seen him in the 1942 'austerity' pattern and secondly because it has two features that would suggest it: a) it's cut very 'tight' on his chest and b) the material from the pocket is pushing the pocket flaps out on each outer side, but not on the inner edges - due to the fact that Guards jackets have half-bellows breast pockets, i.e. they are expandable on the outside edges.

Don't worry about wasting our time though, this thread is starting to develop into a discussion of service dress types, and anything that starts interesting discussion is welcome, that's how we all learn new things.



That sounds interesting, shame you don't have it still. There has never been a mounted 'pattern' of service dress (in the official sense), but there is definitely a style of SD jacket 'cut' that was preferred by cavalry units. They also preferred certain fabrics too. I have a 12th Lancers jacket from 1930 that has a definite cavalry 'style' to it. Perhaps a thread on SD jacket fashion and type might be fun sometime...

Rob

Although not a UK citizen, and expected to express criticisms more freely, I don't believe that British Sovereigns can actually do whatever they like, at least in modern times, and so far as their military attire is concerned. From my limited acqaintance with the matter, they behave in the same way as any other Senior Officer of the three Services, indulging to the same small "extravagancies" many Units allow. Maybe that, sometimes, if rules cannot be absololutely waved, they are in a position to change them. or introduce new rules in cover. But this happens not only to British Sovereigns. Regards . Gaetano

[Gaetano]

Thank you very much indeed, Ade. All the best. Gaetano

[Adrian Stevenson]

One more pic this time showing the cuff button and rear vent. Again defining features of this uniform.

Cheers, Ade.

[Battery Command Post]

This nails it as a Guards pattern tunic now we can see the lower skirt pockets.

Cheers, Ade.

Trying hard to suppress the "I told you so" that wants to come out. Oh ye of little faith...

Rob

[Adrian Stevenson]

[Battery Command Post]

Although not a UK citizen, and expected to express criticisms more freely, I don't believe that British Sovereigns can actually do whatever they like, at least in modern times, and so far as their military attire is concerned. From my limited acqaintance with the matter, they behave in the same way as any other Senior Officer of the three Services, indulging to the same small "extravagancies" many Units allow. Maybe that, sometimes, if rules cannot be absololutely waved, they are in a position to change them. or introduce new rules in cover. But this happens not only to British Sovereigns. Regards . Gaetano

I did say "within reason" The reality is that the King was not only the head of the British armed services, so holding the ranks of Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the RAF, but was also a member of many individual regiments, as Colonel-in-Chief. Therefore, even within 'King's Regulations' he had a huge choice of uniforms, and would have to choose the most appropriate for whatever occasion he was attending. In this case, he's dressed as a member of the Grenadier Guards (of which he was Col-in-Chief), but with the insignia of a Field Marshal (his army rank by default). The wings are somewhat agin regulations, as they are only supposed to be worn by army officers seconded to the RAF, which he wasn't, but he was qualified and the head of both services, so he did as he liked and wore them

Rob

[Battery Command Post]

Rather ironically, Ade's picture also includes the British Army's worst offender, by far, for non-regulation uniform, General Frederick 'Boy' Browning. Even here, in a more normal dress, he is (like his King) wearing Grenadier Guards SD, some kind of fancy soft leather riding boots, and a cavalry whistle on his Sam Browne. He really was a man who liked to dress up

Rob