Canada, CEF. A Sergeant Service 5 Button Dress Tunic

A khaki green wool tunic, unlined, with a stand and fall lay-down collar, the collar has two metal hooks and loops to secure collar tighter around the neck, the centre right bears five brass circular shank buttons consisting of a central maple leaf encompassed by a border inscribed with “HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE” (MAY HE BE SHAMED WHO THINKS BADLY OF IT), topped with “CANADA”, the reverse of the buttons are marked “W. SCULLY MONTREAL” (these are called general service buttons), the left and right panels bear a breast pocket (150 mm x 170 mm) and a waist pocket (210 mm x 18 mm), the breast pockets bear a central pleat, a general service button and have straight-edged pocket flaps with a stitched reinforced buttonhole, the waist pockets are not pleated, have a general service button and straight-edged pocket flaps with a stitched reinforced buttonhole, the shoulders bear shoulder boards of the same khaki green wool with removed ciphers and stitched reinforced buttoning hole and general service button for attachment, the shoulders and upper left and right breast panels bear a “rifle patch” (an additional piece of wool fabric which assisted in the wearing out of shoulders due to chafing from field equipment), a sergeant rank chevron is located on the upper part of each sleeve, the left sleeve bears a single wound stripe located above the cuff, the left sleeve bears four navy blue service chevrons (indicating the owner of the jacket began service after 1 January 1915 and served four years), the reverse bottom is double vented and the waist bears two upwards facing metal hooks (used to secure a waist belt), the interior is unlined but marked in the centre right “132 WAD M” in black ink, measuring 430 mm (across shoulders), 655 mm (shoulder to cuff) and 745 mm (total length), mothing apparent throughout garment due to wear and age, but otherwise fine.

Footnote: Although this garment lacks regimental insignia, one can garner an abundance of information about the owner of this tunic from other identifiers. To begin, the chevrons located on the upper left and right sleeves indicate the owner was a sergeant. The navy blue chevrons on the lower right sleeve indicate the owner started overseas service after 1 January 1915 and remained overseas for four years. The owner of the tunic was also injured based on the single wound stripe on the lower left sleeve.