British Officers greatcoat

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-24-2009, 08:12 AM

Hi Guys, as Frenchy was asking about greatcoats I thought it might be helpful to show one of mine.

This is a British Officers private purchase greatcoat. The quality is superb, as one would expect from a top "Savile Row" maker. Savile Row is a street in London and is still the place to buy very expensive top quality hand made garments. The company still exsits but merged with another tailors to become Gieves & Hawkes. If you fancy a suit from them today, prices start at £3,500.

The greatcoat is for an Officer in the Royal Artillery and has brass buttons with RA insignia.

The label has a inked marked "4/46". This may well be the date of April 1946. The coat has had the three rank pips of Capt, but now only has the two pips of a Lt. It is not unknown for Officers to be temporarly promoted and then be brought back down a rank.

Cheers, Ade.

**Mccall012** · 09-02-2009, 05:20 PM

Burberry would not of been happy. As they made the original Trenchcoat/ greatcoats.

Research the badge on the coat though, as the cleaning rods on the RA capbadge do not point up.

As far as I am aware, there were a few different RA regiments during WW2 all with very similar details, but with slight differences.
I have a book on the capbadges of the time, I'll try and dig it out and have a look

I maybe wrong though, it could well be RA as badges do change over time.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 09-02-2009, 08:07 PM

Hi, thanks for the comments.

The buttons are conventional RA issue.

Cheers, Ade.

**Mccall012** · 09-03-2009, 11:39 AM

Thats cool, just fought I would say, because at the time you had the RA and the HAC. The Honourable Artillery Company.

**vady** · 09-21-2009, 07:26 PM

very handsome piece o'goods. and just look at those pips' quality! no wonder so many are coming round to collecting brit.
cheers, david

**Aldarith** · 06-16-2011, 08:11 PM

I'm trying to find one of these fellows of late.

I've one from the Eastern Bloc , manufactured during the 60s. It's relatively similar in cut and design, with the exception of the breast. The name defeats me, so I'll call it the flappy bit (sound's sort of inappropriate).

The flappy bit that buttons across your chest doesn't come up as high on my coat and is very square. I generally wear it open and with a scarf, as when I wear the neck closed it tends to rub up against my neck (couple that with razorburn from a straight shave and it can become quite uncomfortable!)

**helldunkle** · 07-01-2011, 11:23 PM

Heres my Officers private purchase greatcoat. It belonged to captain M Bendix of the coldstream guards who served during the liberation of Europe, I think he was a anti tank officer in the support group during the liberation of Brussels. Its made from nice soft wool and has leather buttons.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 07-02-2011, 08:46 AM

Nice greatcoat.

The leather "football" buttons were a popular option.

Cheers, Ade.

**helldunkle** · 07-02-2011, 10:26 AM

Thanks Ade, its interesting to compare the cut of your greatcoat to mine, how different the private purchace ones were. I'm always suprised at how inexpensive a good greatcoat is compared to other pieces of uniform. I guess they are not as collectable as battledress and service dress jackets. You can pick up a very good greatcoat for £30-£40.