Irish Regiment of Canada Formal Dress jacket, Trews, and Officers cap badge.

I am just coming off of vacation. Vacation is always nice, however this latest addition put this vacation right over the top. Here is a formal dress jacket and vest I just picked up. Named and dated to Major H.B. Duthie. Note the shoulder braids have to the rank of Lt. Col.

Well, Lt. Col. Harold Bruce Duthie took over command of the Irish Regiment of Canada in 1938 and was Commanding Officer of the Regiment until early June 1942.
I am right stoked over this one. I have yet to clean the buttons, which are brass with silver overlays.

Of interesting note, the Tailor, Beauchamp and How of Toronto. The "HOW" in this company was the Regiments Paymaster until his sudden and unexpected death in 1940.

The Officers Caubeen is not Duthie's it is Pipe Major George Pate's. It is a 1952 dated Echlin that has seen much wear. The Trews, also tailored by Beauchamp and How, are named to a what looks like Lt Kerr. I could use help deciphering the DATE and NAMING.


Duthie's Jacket






Duthie's Vest






Kerr's Trews





Pipe Major Pate's Caubeen.

Nice uniform Cliff!

ED

Good day Cliff,

Looks like "Lt. T. C. Kerr" to me. Date appears to be "Dec. 18/36" -- although it could be "/56".
My nickels worth anyway. Nice score! Congrats.

Ian

Very nice, but I thought the Irish Regt had a green hackle

Ed, thanks. I do love this jacket and vest for sure. Very fine tailoring and high quality materials. I have never seen one with these silver overlay brass buttons. Very fancy.

Ian, thanks for the name, this is pretty much what I had figured out but certainly wanted additional confirmation. I have yet to find Lt Kerr in my records.

Mike, Officers, pipers and senior ranks wore and still wear this lighter blue hackle. Other Ranks wear the green one. So, you are correct.

Great to see the trews. The lighter colour in the trew tartan is saffron, which was supposed to be the colour used in the shoulder titles.

Cliff:
Nice finds, indeed!
Wondering..... seems unusual to me that there are not any officer quality collar badges on the mess dress jacket, especially to a LtCol, or perhaps the lack of collar badges was the regimental norm?
FYI- the name of the officer named on the trews from what I have found is not listed in the 1939 Canadian Militia list, so he either had left the Regt by then, or as has been suggested, the date on the trews is for a 1950`s date.
Cheers,
John S.

Hi John, thanks for checking for me. The date on the Trews is a difficult one for sure. However, I have it on good authority that the company Beauchamp and How were at the 91 King Street west location from September 1919 until May 1950.

Given that information, the date would have to be 1936 and not 1956.

In regards to collars, I wish it did have them. There is no evidence of collar badges ever being on this jacket. Somewhere, I saw a dress jacket with magnificent embroidered collar badges, for the life of me, I do not recall where I saw the jacket at. I do recall being heart broken at not being able to acquire it.

Hi. What size are the buttons, any makers mark visible ?

IPA wrote:Hi. What size are the buttons, any makers mark visible ?

I am currently in the process of moving. I am not sure of the exact location of this tunic at the moment. It is likely at my new place, but I am not positive what I moved over. Once I locate it, I will certainly get back to you on the size an manufacture of the buttons. This may take a while as the move is not going as smoothly as planned.

I have his gold watch dated 1919. Our family would visit him in Beamsville area. I would be interested in how the garment was found and any old photos of him.

Bigfootfuller

Tankermike wrote:Very nice, but I thought the Irish Regt had a green hackle

Officers are pale blue, enlisted men are green. No idea why but I'd love to know the story behind it.