WW1 Canadian army tunic 1903

Description

WW1 Canadian army tunic 1903

pattern – introduced in 1903

weight 1.25 kg

material – serge wool

mandarin or stand collar

cuff facings of khaki serge

General Service buttons

2 pleated breast pockets

2 lower skirt pockets

Some brief information on the WW1 Canadian army can be found at this excellent website

http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/uniform3.htm

heres a brief snapshot

INTRODUCTION

The Canadian armed forces on the eve of the Great War were fairly small, and while having numerous Militia units affiliated to and recruited in particular parts of Canada, there was only one regular unit – the Royal Canadian Regiment. When war broke out the Militia battalions were disbanded, and a Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) formed. This comprised of numbered battalions (more than 260 by 1918), plus support units such as Medical Corps, Engineers and Artillery. By 1916 there were four Canadian divisions in France, forming the Canadian Corps.

UNIFORM

While the basic uniform very much resembled the 1902 pattern Service Dress worn by British soldiers, on the eve of the war a modified version of this was commonplace in most Canadian Militia units. This was the Canadian 1903 pattern uniform, which differs from the British issue in that there are nine buttons instead of seven, ‘pointed’ cuff ends to the tunic sleeves