Help to identify name within mess dress dated 1935 (The Coldstream Guards)

**retrovintagelove** · 03-04-2016, 10:55 AM

Morning all.

I recently acquired this Mess Dress believed to have been issued to The Coldstream Guards. Dated 1935.

I'm looking for the name attached to the label if at all possible. A long shot I know as the label is partly damaged.

A Sir Name of 'Tucker' perhaps ? Brodie Tucker? .. I may be way off.

Any help is appreciated.

Warm Regards, Gillan

Help to identify name within mess dress dated 1935 (The Coldstream Guards)

**douglas2496** · 03-04-2016, 11:31 AM

Yes, its definitely Lieutenant Tucker, my guess is his first name is Boris. Nice uniform.

**kradman** · 03-04-2016, 11:51 AM

Thats interesting as its badged as a major maybe he had this mess dress for his full service?

**retrovintagelove** · 03-04-2016, 12:49 PM

by kradman

Thats interesting as its badged as a major maybe he had this mess dress for his full service?

Thanks for that.

Interesting. A Major Tucker did pop up via a Google search. Although the page that it featured on was rather lengthy and I was unable to find the details.

Are we able to identify the first initials ? Could this perhaps give us an idea of his rank...

**retrovintagelove** · 03-04-2016, 12:53 PM

Sorry. I misread the first comment. So we have a 'Lieutenant' ....

**douglas2496** · 03-04-2016, 01:11 PM

Yes, that is certainly Lt. for Lieutenant, this is the standard abreviation found on clothing labels. As Kradman points out, he was clearly promoted to Major as he has a single crown on the shoulder straps.

**retrovintagelove** · 03-04-2016, 01:38 PM

by douglas2496

Yes, that is certainly Lt. for Lieutenant, this is the standard abreviation found on clothing labels. As Kradman points out, he was clearly promoted to Major as he has a single crown on the shoulder straps.

Great. I guess that scales things down somewhat. Sadly I don't have access to military records to further the search.

I was hoping to find a little more information if possible...

I'll keep browsing in the meantime.

Thanks.

**Jerry B** · 03-04-2016, 11:10 PM

Why Coldstream Guards, it has the wrong buttons and lapel badges? Looks more like Royal West Kent to me from the badges and buttons.

**retrovintagelove** · 03-04-2016, 11:46 PM

Hi. My initial thoughts were Royal West Kent. To clarify matters I decided to ask 'HMArmedForces' via their Instagram page .(over 24 thousand followers) - They replied with the following : 'Hello, since the button are spaced in pairs with the symbol of the lion on St Edward's crown it would be the old Coldstream Guards' mess dress worn by the officers.'

I'm still a little puzzled myself ... Could someone clear this up for me ?

Thank you .

by Jerry B

Why Coldstream Guards, it has the wrong buttons and lapel badges? Looks more like Royal West Kent to me from the badges and buttons.

**Jerry B** · 03-05-2016, 09:54 AM

Often officers buttons do not use the same pattern as OR's but according to Ripley's buttons of the regular army they have used the same button design since 1855, though he does not cover mess dress pattern buttons. The spacing says guards, but again the collars seem odd for them.

The two mess jackets I own both have the standard pattern buttons on them and they are from two different regiments, and in my collection it is only officer cap buttons that vary from the normal design.

It shows as I mentioned in another recent thread that British Army Mess Dress has not been well covered and perhaps there is book on the subject to be written, though how many would buy it is another matter.