Unknown Royal Signals Pipe Band Tunic
 

Cliff Lord and Chris Walker are of the opinion that its from 51st Sig Regt Pipe Band but suggested I put up this post.
Green tunic, buttons are chromed and the large breast button backs are marked ‘METALINK 1951’ and the smaller buttons ‘SMITH & WRIGHT LTD B’HAM. The tunic came with a Grant Tartan kilt and both are well worn but have no lables or markings.
Chris and Cliff think the button arrangement unusual and could be key in placing it in unit and period.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a1y4oj22c...HM45SYzba?dl=0
I'm not finding it easy to insert images so I created an album 'RCoS Pipers Tunic 51st Sig. Regt. ???? ' does that help?

Very interesting, thanks for posting. Hope the mystery is solved soon.
Phil.

Ok Thanks Cliff for the methodology of posting photos.

Pipers Tunic
 

Dear Colin.

Excellent that you have now posted the photos.

I am now even more convinced that this is 51st Highland Division Signal Regiment Pipers uniform.

Collar dogs may be a little later as they look to be stay bright or A/A but that does not detract from the tunic and the Grant Tartan that you show in the album section.

Hope someone can come up with a button date but you can not mistake the date you have stated of 1951.

Brilliant.

Chris Walker
www.signalsbadges.co.uk

Chris,is it possible that it belonged to an apprentice piper at Harrogate ? That would explain the anodised collars .

Pipers Tunic
 

Dear Mike.

I may be wrong but I don't think the AAC Harrogate had a pipe band until the 1960,s.

My reason for saying this Mike is that I was a member of the Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Corps of Signals Corps of Pipes and Drums as a drummer in 1964.

This Pipe Band was not formed until Lt. Col L.H.M. Gregory MBE formed the band in 1960 when he was the C.O. of the Regiment. He was also responsible for starting the Gurkha Corps of Pipes and Drums back in 1952 I believe.

I am pretty sure the AAC Harrogate band started at around the same time as I recall when their was the Junior Soldiers Band Competition that we won in 1965 the AAC along with other Junior Leader Regiments took part as a fairly new band.

This date would ring true by some of the photos of the AAC Harrogate Pipe Band that appear on the web dated 1965. The tunics that are being worn in these photos do not have the double line of buttons that the tunic in Colin's Thread have.

I have attached a black and white photo of the AAC Harrogate Pipe Band taken in 1966 where the button configuration can be seen.

Hope this helps Mike.

Cheers

Chris Walker

Thanks to All so far for the posts.
I unfortunately work away from home a lot, I should be home next weekend. I will check to confirm the collars are AA. Why I didn't check initially is beyond me (novice error). I do think they are AA but didn't give them much consideration as they are not a permanent part of the tunic and likely an 'upgrade' during its and the wearers service.