South Staffordshire glider trained officer's tunic. - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

High Wood · #1 31-08-20, 02:56 PM

I have acquired a pre 1952 South Staffordshire Regiment officer's tunic which I intend to restore to as near original condition as possible.

Sadly there is no name inside that I can see but, it does have an unusual embroidered glider Badge on its right sleeve. Does the fact that the glider is embroidered have any significance?

cbuehler · #2 31-08-20, 03:28 PM

I think that glider was a privately done affectation by the officer concerned and has no other significance than that. I have seen unusual aspects such as rank insignia directly hand embroidered on the shoulder straps of tunics from the 1950s.
The tunic itself is unusual for an Infantry officer in that it has buttoned cuffs, which were usually seen on Cavalry officer tunics.
The fact that it has KC buttons does not necessarily indicate that it is pre 52 as it took years for the change to QC to be fully implemented.

CB

High Wood · #3 31-08-20, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbuehler

I think that glider was a privately done affectation by the officer concerned and has no other significance than that. I have seen unusual aspects such as rank insignia directly hand embroidered on the shoulder straps of tunics from the 1950s.
The tunic itself is unusual for an Infantry officer in that it has buttoned cuffs, which were usually seen on Cavalry officer tunics.
The fact that it has KC buttons does not necessarily indicate that it is pre 52 as it took years for the change to QC to be fully implemented.

CB

C.B,

many thanks for your informative reply. Is is possible that it has the wrong buttons and was actually worn by a cavalry officer? And if so, how likely is it that a cavalry officer had Glider training?

Simon

Sunray9 · #4 31-08-20, 07:01 PM

Maybe, as a Cavalry Officer, he trained on HORSA Gliders !!!

(It's been a quiet day, down here)

cbuehler · #5 31-08-20, 08:09 PM

Yup, HORSA gliders must be it!
Anyway, it may not impossible that he could have worn button cuffs, but it would have not been regulation, which we all know were not always followed.
I would check how all the buttons have been sewn on. If the sewing and threads look amateurish or show signs of having been resewn such as small remains and stitch holes around the current threads, the buttons may not be original to the uniform.
PS, I just took another closer look, and the front fly buttons are all small pocket size buttons, totally incorrect. Sad to say, I believe the buttons are not original to the uniform. Also, the collars appear to have had badges with three lugs in a triangle. All S.Staffs OSD collars that I have ever seen had only two.

CB

High Wood · #6 01-09-20, 11:55 AM

I think that you are correct about the buttons, they are all the same size and have been badly sewn on. I suspect that the uniform may have been in the hands of an amateur theatrical group.

High Wood · #7 01-09-20, 11:59 AM

The collars do indeed have three holes but the extra one might be to do with its theatrical use, and only two are original.

High Wood · #8 01-09-20, 12:05 PM

There is a strange device for closing the collar which I cannot imagine that it is original as one half is visible on the collar.

High Wood · #9 01-09-20, 12:07 PM

There is also evidence that a rectangular formation sign has been worn on both sleeves.

mike_vee · #10 01-09-20, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by High Wood

There is a strange device for closing the collar which I cannot imagine that it is original as one half is visible on the collar.

Possibly amatuer-dramatics military 'uniform' , clip the lapels together to make it appear like a WW1 tunic ?

High Wood · #11 01-09-20, 01:07 PM

Mike,

good point, I will remove it. I would like to restore the uniform but to what? The tailor's label is missing so I have no idea who the original owner was,and the the embroidered glider badge must narrow down the cavalry options.

Simon

mike_vee · #12 01-09-20, 01:26 PM

Found a "Glider qualified badge" for sale , the description includes :

"Worn on the bottom right sleeve by soldiers serving in the Airlanding Brigade i.e. S Staffs, Ox & Bucks etc."

From Wiki :

"The 1st Airlanding Brigade was an airborne infantry brigade of the British Army during the Second World War and the only glider infantry formation assigned to the 1st Airborne Division, serving alongside the 1st Parachute Brigade and 4th Parachute Brigade."

"Upon formation, the brigade consisted of the 1st Battalion, Border Regiment (Borders), the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment (Staffords), the 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (OBLI), the 1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles (Ulsters) and supporting units."

.

High Wood · #13 01-09-20, 01:57 PM

Mike,

many thanks for the update.

Given that I already have enough of the correct size pocket and cuff buttons for an officer of the South Staffordshire Regiment I will go with them. I will just need to find some large buttons and a pair of collar badges to complete the uniform.

Simon

cavalryman · #14 01-09-20, 06:24 PM

Hi Simon, The officers also wear a black lanyard around the left shoulder,

In issue 63 of the regiment The Staffordshire Regiment,(series of magazines by Grenadier publishing)

there are quite a few photos showing the glider arm badges, in various forms of dress. they are all shown at the top of the right arm.

regards John

oc14 · #15 01-09-20, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cavalryman

Hi Simon, The officers also wear a black lanyard around the left shoulder,

In issue 63 of the regiment The Staffordshire Regiment,(series of magazines by Grenadier publishing)

there are quite a few photos showing the glider arm badges, in various forms of dress. they are all shown at the top of the right arm.

regards John

That was the modern commemorative glider badge (continued on into the Mercian Regiment), the Blue Glider badge was a qualification badge and is correctly positioned on the lower sleeve.

PL