The John Bannister Collection - D-Day and Militaria
Lot 2230a:
Description
For King and Country! This is a mid-20th-century British Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) Officer’s Mess Dress uniform, tailored by J. J. Collins of Dundee, Scotland. The set includes a dark navy wool jacket with cream/buff facings, matching trousers with a thin scarlet stripe, and a likely modern nylon 3′ x 5′ nylon Union Jack flag with gold fringe. The jacket features the “GRI” royal cypher of King George VI (reigned 1936–1952) on the buttons and enamel collar badges. The “T” on the shoulder indicates a Lieutenant in the Territorial Army, specifically linked to the 526 Company, RASC based in Dundee. The jacket label identifies J. J. Collins, 12 Whitehall St, Dundee. Dundee was the primary recruiting ground for the 5th (Angus and Dundee) Battalion, The Black Watch, and its associated support units. In the 1930s and 40s, the RASC element of the 51st (Highland) Division included 526 Company, RASC, which was headquartered at the West Bell Street Drill Hall in Dundee. During WWII, while the parent 51st (Highland) Division fought in Europe, many Territorial Army officers from the Dundee RASC units were “creamed off” or seconded to help manage the massive logistical expansion in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Ceylon was the headquarters for SEAC starting in 1944, and the Ceylon Army Service Corps—the RASC’s allied unit—depended heavily on British officers for technical training in supply-chain management. This uniform represents that high-water mark of British-Ceylonese military cooperation. This uniform style was also authorized for use by the Ceylon Army Service Corps in Sri Lanka, reflecting the close colonial military ties of the era. The uniform shows minor oxidation to the bullion pips and light surface wear to the wool; the undated nylon flag remains vibrant with wear commensurate with age and use. Jacket: H 19″, armpit to armpit W 17″, D 2″. Trousers: H 42″, W 14″. Flag: H 36″, W 60″. Please see photos.
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