RAF dress tunic labels

[andrew b]

Can any one please post or email me any pictures of WW2 makers label inside an RAF officers dress tunic please , this would have the name of the tailor and then the officers name and number printed below ,
Just want to compare
Cheers Guys

[Mike Swan]

Here are a couple of mine.

The first an RAF officer, the second RAAF.

Mike

[andrew b]

Cheers mike , don't mind me asking , but do you think your top label has been re stitched , if you compare it to the bottom label ,
I am trying to work out if the label in mine has been re sewn in ,
I will probably take it to the local tailor and he will be able to tell me ,
All the ones I have seen are like yours with the blue stitching

[LuftMike]

Andrew, please remember that these uniforms were often times made by many different tailors, and the construction methods/ threading could vary from tailor to tailor, and also differed by how much the wearer was prepared to spend on quality, so no two tunics will be exact same. You will however see a similarity between two tunics by the same tailor.

[Mike Swan]

Andrew,

I wouldn't consider your label to be resewn.

Likewise, mine are 100%. I also have a dozen German tunics, a couple of those containing hand-sewn labels. If the tailor decided to add his label after the jacket is complete, hand-sewing is the only option.

As Mike says, some variety must be expected when considering the many thousands of uniforms produced.

Mike

[andrew b]

Mike , here is a close up of the label , could it have been added to the tunic after manufacture or during , what I am trying to say , do you think it could have been swapped

[andrew b]

And the inside where the label is sewn , some of the stitching is visible

This is a private made officers tunic

[LuftMike]

It's possible, but who would know? Is it a pilot's tunic? This may be a little bit of a weird question I know. BUT could you show the wing? Believe it or not it may help me in determining whether or not the label has been added

[andrew b]

Hi mike
Here is the full front , the tunic has its belt missing which is on another thread

[andrew b]

And the badges

[skypilot]

Where did you obtain the tunic from? Was it a dealer or private sale? Before I give an opinion on the various elements, the background would be useful.

[BrentNunns]

Looks to me like a nice original tunic that once belonged to Harold Sydney Hobday R.A.F.V.R

[andrew b]

Where did you obtain the tunic from? Was it a dealer or private sale? Before I give an opinion on the various elements, the background would be useful.

Sky pilot , can you give me your views please , I already know the outcome but if I tell you the dealer you would automatically diss miss it and I don't want that , I am after the reasons why it may not be correct ,
I will PM you the dealer after your views please
Cheers
Andy

[LuftMike]

Hobday was promoted to F/Lt in 1944. Considering the rank of this tunic with the complete entitlement of ribbons (some not even being issued until after the war) I'd be hesitant on this one

[skypilot]

Sky pilot , can you give me your views please , I already know the outcome but if I tell you the dealer you would automatically diss miss it and I don't want that , I am after the reasons why it may not be correct ,
I will PM you the dealer after your views please
Cheers
Andy

I'll be upfront but will state it is only my opinion....

I personally think it is a post war tunic made up to look like a genuine WW2 officer's tunic named to a very famous Dambusters crew member.

The label looks added as does the wing (not convinced it is WW2 either) and ribbons. The belt should be stitched on, not separate for WW2 era tunics (I appreciate that there may be exception but I am looking at all the elements combined)

Mike is also spot on about the ribbons. The have been pinned or tacked on and are far too new looking for a mid-war tunic. It should show his later rank or at least evidence of it having been present at some point. The DFC and (then) 39-43 star ribbons were the only ones shown that were authorised pre-1945 yet the tunic has early rank and full (as far as we now) medal entitlement displayed. I also don't like the look of the stitching on the wing/brevet - poor quality.

I think someone has made a pretty good effort to deceive and if I were a gambling man I would say that it is being or was sold by someone in Lincolnshire who claims that it came from a house clearance or similar and he knows nothing about the recipient.

The chances of stumbling upon a Dambusters tunic as a "sleeper" are highly unlikely but I genuinely hope that you are able to prove otherwise as it would be a great find.