WW2 Mystery Tunic

[Windigo]

Hello, Gentlemen, besides shaving, many of us have other hobbies. One of my historical uniforms from different eras and peoples. A mysterious thing came into my hands. Below is a description of the previous owner. I also need any information. Thanks for your interest in the topic.


I'm not entirely certain what I have here, but it appears to be an early WW2 Royal Navy or Royal Australian Navy Officer's tunic jacket, made and sold by the famous Naval outfitters Miller Rayner and Haysom. The buttons are 1901 Pattern gilded and are still securely attached, there are 4 WW2 medal ribbons stitched including Africa Star with Rosette, Italy Star and the France & Germany Star. The bit I'm struggling to identify are the sleeve rank bands - I've never seen this style on a Royal Navy tunic before, but my research into the owner D.A Friends returns results for a Temp Sub Lt serving with the Royal Australian Navy at HMS Dinosaur, an amphibious landing training centre with HQ in Scotland. I am sure there is more to this story yet to be discovered, but my research has come to an end at this point so it is time to move this fascinating tunic on to someone who can continue the story. It is in generally good condition, with just the slightest trace of moth holes in a couple of places. It has been poorly stored at some point so is quite creased, though I'm sure this can be rectified with a gentle steam. (с)

 

[Alum Ladd]

Hello, Gentlemen, besides shaving, many of us have other hobbies. One of my historical uniforms from different eras and peoples. A mysterious thing came into my hands. Below is a description of the previous owner. I also need any information. Thanks for your interest in the topic.


I'm not entirely certain what I have here, but it appears to be an early WW2 Royal Navy or Royal Australian Navy Officer's tunic jacket, made and sold by the famous Naval outfitters Miller Rayner and Haysom. The buttons are 1901 Pattern gilded and are still securely attached, there are 4 WW2 medal ribbons stitched including Africa Star with Rosette, Italy Star and the France & Germany Star. The bit I'm struggling to identify are the sleeve rank bands - I've never seen this style on a Royal Navy tunic before, but my research into the owner D.A Friends returns results for a Temp Sub Lt serving with the Royal Australian Navy at HMS Dinosaur, an amphibious landing training centre with HQ in Scotland. I am sure there is more to this story yet to be discovered, but my research has come to an end at this point so it is time to move this fascinating tunic on to someone who can continue the story. It is in generally good condition, with just the slightest trace of moth holes in a couple of places. It has been poorly stored at some point so is quite creased, though I'm sure this can be rectified with a gentle steam. (с)

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My hunch is this jacket actually pre-dates WW2, and is actually from the WW1 era or even fractionally earlier.

The triangular eye above the cuff stripes were actually worn by the Australian Navy in it's early years. Authorisation to transitition to complete British RN insignia was formally given in 1913, but I've got no photographic evidence that the RAN had fully transitioned to the RN circular eye above the stripes by WW1.

That is why I suspect this is a much older and re-used uniform jacket. The label written font looks to be of the Edwardian to WW1 era. It looks curiously old-fashioned for the 1940's.

Also the stripes appear to be of a higher rank than a Sub-Lt. The three lower stripes appear to be Captain rank.
http://diggerhistory.info/images/badges-asstd/ranks.jpg

Here The Changing Face of Australian Naval Uniforms | Shrine of Remembrance - https://www.shrine.org.au/changing-face-australian-naval-uniforms is some additional info.

Its certainly very odd.

 

[luvmysuper]

Maybe Merchant Marine?
In any case, the Taylor Shop was founded in the early 1800's, and they were renamed Miller Rayner & Haysom in 1912.
They supplied navy and merchant marine uniforms. They provided the uniforms for the Titanic crew.
They were still active in 2019, so maybe try to contact them?

 

[Shaving like a boss]

I believe that tunic is from the old Australian Commonwealth Navy. This from the style, buttons, and insignia on the cuff. If I remember correctly, these uniforms were changed out in 1913.

 

[DesertIguana]

Not USMM, as my father was Pharmacist Mate - Purser in USMM, Rank Ensign all of WW-ll.

 

[luvmysuper]

Left: A Lieutenant of the colonial Victorian Navy. Note his distinctive diamond rank lace and distinctive gold button (inset). Right: Queensland Marine Defence Force officers adopted a triangle in lieu of the Royal Navy's loop, or executive curl as it was officially known. Inset: A gilt button of the type worn by QMDF officers.

That button appears to be the Tudor crown in use prior to 1901 and after 1953, not the Edwardian Crown in use between 1901-1953

 

[Windigo]

I wrote to different museums, but received no response. I’ll also write to some British museums and to Malta, as well as to Australia. Can someone tell me a museum in Australia? I’m also interested in what years the cut of such a jacket appeared. I give you a photo in good quality from close range.

 

[Legion]

I wrote to different museums, but received no response. I’ll also write to some British museums and to Malta, as well as to Australia. Can someone tell me a museum in Australia? I’m also interested in what years the cut of such a jacket appeared. I give you a photo in good quality from close range.
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Your best bet in Australia is the AWM, Australian War Memorial in Canberra. That is our biggest war museum.

 

[Windigo]

Your best bet in Australia is the AWM, Australian War Memorial in Canberra. That is our biggest war museum.

Thank you, I will write to them by email one of these days.