MC winners 40 pattern BD pre austerity version 1942

[Jerry B]

Picked this one up today, August 1942 dated and broad arrow marked for the same year BD blouse with slip on Majors rank slides, Military Cross ribbon and 39-45 Star, Burma Star and Defence medal ribbons. Has illegible initials under one of the rank slides. No moth, good condition, a large size 11 and all for a good price. It has had sewn on titles and formation patches removed and one button is missing and one is loose.

It also came with a 1944 GS cap with removed badge, nicely maker marked, though whether they belonged to the same owner is not known.

[Jerry B]

Adding the link to the GS cap that came with it.

https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/USA-b...52/#post868393

[douglas2496]

Thats a superb BD blouse. I especially like the rank slides and the MC ribbon.

[NCA]

Intresting that its a 42 dated but in the 37 pattern with 40 pattern on the label!!1942 was when the austerity 40 pattern appeared.
Pity it isnt named.A MC winner...a major..but theres a good story there.

Very nice.

[Jerry B]

Intresting that its a 42 dated but in the 37 pattern with 40 pattern on the label!!1942 was when the austerity 40 pattern appeared.
Pity it isnt named.A MC winner...a major..but theres a good story there.

Very nice.

Thanks NCA.

The 40 pattern was almost the same as the 37 pattern (battle dress serge) except for minor changes to the size and location of the pockets and some other minor changes and was manufactured until autumn 42 when the more commonly seen 40 pattern austerity version was introduced, with no pleats and exposed buttons.

[Jerry B]

Some detail pics of the slip on rank slides, the letters on the back of one of them if anyone wants to offer an opinion on what they say and a detail shot of the SB's showing the removed 3 rank stars showing he was a captain previously. The slip ons have the crowns embroidered directly to the fabric which I think is typical for far east private purchase example. They also appear to have been narrowed at some time and then let back out, maybe for wear with a shirt?

Unsure on the letters, maybe TAPC or IACC or ????

[Jerry B]

Thanks to some superb detective work by a member on another forum it appears that we have a name for the original owner of this BD.

4835 WO 373/35 PETTIT, EDWARD RONALD CAPTAIN 44155 9 LANCERS ATTACHED 3 CARABINIERS, PRINCE OF WALES'S DRAGOON GUARDS BURMA MILITARY CROSS 08 FEBRUARY 1945 8 FEB-8 MAR 1945

Captain (temporary Major) Edward Ronald Pettit
(44155), gth Queen's Royal Lancers (attd. 3rd
Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards)),
Royal Armoured Corps

World War 2 Awards.com - PETTIT, Edward Ronald

Obviously, this is not 100% certain, but from the list of MC winners at this time and for the unit he would have been serving with -14th Army- this seems very likely.

Here is the recommendation for his award, from the above link which also shows all the medals he was entitled to which match the ribbons on the BD.

Recommendation:
"For Conspicuous Gallantry and devotion to Duty. Major Pettits Squadron of LEE tanks was under my command from 13 March 1944 until 7 April 1944, during which period the enemy advanced with tanks, medium artillery, anti-tank troops and infantry in an endeavour to annihilate our forces in the KABAW Valley and to seize the TAMU-PALEL road. Throughout, Major Pettit handled his squadron with great skill and aggressiveness at the battles round WITOK and the withdrawal from that place to the MOREH area. His squadron, led by himself, was largeley responsible for the successful withdrawal without a casualty of a large partion of the infantry and all the guns and also inflicted severe casualties on the enemy infantry. In the tank battle at MANMAW on 20th March 1944, when his squadron knocked out four Japanese light tanks for certain, captured another, and probably damaged two more, his leadership and quick grasp of the situation under close, accurate and heavy fire from the enemy tanks and infantry were main factors in turning an enemy ambush into a decisive victory, and enabled him the next day to push out and rescue a large party of wounded, who had been separated during the withdrawal from WITOK, without a shot being fired.
At the battles of TAMUH and MOREH, and during the withdrawals from MOREH, SIBONG and KHONGKHANG, he was always at the dangerous places watching over the rear parties of the infantry, and in the later stages of the withdrawal when the enemy cut the road behind 80 Indian Infantry Brigade between KHONGKHANG and TENGNOUPAL, his handling of his squadron in conjunction with the infantry enabled the brigade to withdraw with very few casualties. Throughout, he has showed courage and leadership of a very high order."

[Jerry B]

I picked up a nearly matching pair of 14th Army formation patches today at Brecon militaria fair and will restore then to the BD when I have the time.