ATS 1938 pattern service dress: Anti-Aircraft Command (named)

[larissa]

Hiya, here is another tunic from my ATS collection.

This is the 1938 pattern tunic with pleated breast pockets. These were originally issued without a belt and they did not really look very flattering as the cut was a little shapeless for the female form. The addition of the belt made the tunic much more attractive as it gave the girls a waist You can see here that the belt has been carefully hand sewn to the tunic to prevent it getting lost.

The famous Anti Aircraft Command formation signs are the printed issue type. These are the second pattern design. The first pattern had a "D" shaped bow. I have shown some first pattern ones here:

British Anti-Aircraft Command 1st pattern flashes

The tunic has the RA badge to the breast. Many units had the right to wear the white lanyard of the RA, but this tunic never came to me with one fitted.

The tunic is named to a girl called "Hughes".

Cheers, Lez.

[Eric Zentner]

Nice named tunic Lez

Eric

[larissa]

Thanks Eric.

I forgot to say the label is missing out of this one. A bit annoying but a lot of girls wrote their names and serial numbers on the tags and if an item was re-issued the label could well have been removed because of this. But this pattern of tunic was replaced during the war by the 1941 pattern with unpleated breast pockets. One nice feature to this tunic is the cuffs: see how they have been made with extra material to save costs. The maker would not have had enough cloth to make the sleeve from one bolt of cloth.

Cheers, Lez.

[Eric Zentner]

I did not notice the cuffs thanks for pointing that out. You have to have the largest ATS collection out there ,very cool Lez.

Eric

[Jerry B]

Stunning ATS Ack Ack tunic Lez, great to see it. I'll have to keep my eyes out (and my wallet open) to try and get something like this.



My 2000th post

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Eric, thanks for the kind comments. Lez has plenty more to show, but I have to take some pics for her.

Hi Jerry, congrats on your 2000th post! Well done!

Cheers, Ade.

[larissa]

Hiya, I am adding this previously unpublished photo here. One of my friends has kindly allowed me to scan this photo of her Auntie in ATS uniform.

She and her comrade are clearly wearing the RA badge to the breast, but the AA Command formation sign appears to have the colours reversed????

Cheers, Lez.

[shinsakuto]

Hi Lez,

I've not seen many of these 1938 pattern ATS but the two I've seen had their label removed. Maybe label removing was a requirement for these? I tend to think the ones with the cuffs are earlier ones from 1938 and ones without cuffs might be later until it was replaced by the 1941 patterns.
I have a Polish ATS uniform that has the same tunic as yours but without the belt. I did'nt know Polish ATS exist before 1941, maybe they wore reissued 1938 pattern ones?

[larissa]

Hiya, the very earliest 1st issue ATS tunic were made from much thicker serge material. I have one in my collection. These are rare. These have plain sleeves without cuffs.

I think the removed labels are down to being reissued, simply to get rid of former owners details inked onto the labels.

Cheers, Lez.