Canada, Dominion. A Queen’s Own Rifles Captains Mess Tunic, C.1900

A historic and well intact Queen Own’s Rifle mess tunic dating to c. 1900, adhering to the 1894 Dress Regimental Standing Order; Dress Regulations for Officers.

The Tunic is in black cloth with hand stitched features, edged with black square cord, the collar presents an edge of black cord just over 1 inch thick, with a scarlet red underlay, a museum restoration with machine stitching, there are two hook and eyes clasps along the front edges. The shoulder boards are of a black chain gimp topped with three rank badges (denoting Captain rank) with a small square scarlet underlay under each one. The pips are in bronze depicting the Order of the Bath symbol, a four-point star of extending rays with a cross overlayed, the center of the cross presents a three crowns surrounded by the motto TRIA JUNCTO IN UNO, with an exterior wreath, each measuring 30.29mm (w) x 29.10mm (h), all presenting a very dark patina. On each side of the chest there are five loops of black square cord with netted caps and drops, fastened with black olivets. Along the first loop on the right hand side is a metal hook for accoutrements. Nine alternating hook and eyes clasps are located slightly behind the square cord on the down the front of the tunic. The sleeves cuffs present an Austrian knot of black cord, traced with braided double eyes all around the knot, extended just over 8 inches from the base of the cuff, denoting Captain rank. The scarlet cuff is a red material from a museum restoration. The back of the tunic presents two netted caps at the waist approximately 9 inches from the bottom of the skirt, with black square cord along the seams to the shoulders forming three eyes, from the netted caps to the base the square cords forms an Austrian knot. The interior is black silk with handstitched detailing. Silk around interior of the collar is ripping and is slightly removed, showing the hand stitching inside. The tunic measures 460mm across the top of the neck to the seam of each shoulder and 690mm from the front of the collar to the front edge, 630mm along the arm from the edge of the shoulder from the cuff, 655mm from the nape of the neck to the base of the back. The tunic presents wear and fraying along the cord, small areas of mothing on the cloth on the right arm, all lace missing from around the collar due to the restoration, netted cap along the top cord of the right side of the chest loose, eyelets along the left side for olivet closures are all loose. The back presents a few areas of wear and one small moth hole, the eye loops near the shoulders slightly loose. The left shoulder board has been reattached, a knot is present on the interior of the left shoulder at the edge of the collar.

Footnote: The Queen’s Own Rifles was established on April 26, 1860 and is Canada’s longest serving regiment. The QOR has taken part in every Canadian military campaign. As the first to be equipped with a ‘rifled’ weapon, the Queen’s Own Rifles were known for moving at a doubling pace, and their dress was more focused on camouflage instead of ostentatious colours.

The 28 March 1894 Dress Regimental Standing Orders for Officers states: “Black cloth, edged all round, except the collar, with black square cord. Scarlet cloth collar and cuffs, the collar edged top and bottom with ½ inch lace and a tracing of black braid inside for Lieutenants; the top only edged with ½ inch lace for Captains and Field Officers; the cuffs pointed, and ornamented as described below according to rank. The skirt rounded off in front, closed behind and line with black. On each side of the breast, 5 loops of black square cord, with netted caps and drops, fastening with black olivets. On each back seam, a line of the same cord, forming 3 eyes at the top, passing under a netted cap at the waist, below which it is doubled, and ending in an Austrian knot reaching to the bottom of the skirt. Shoulder-straps of black chain gimp, with small netted button at top. Badges of rank in bronze metal.” With distinctions for the rank of captain as follows: “Captains have a row of braided double eyes, below the lace on the collar, and an Austrian knot of black square cord on the sleeve, with a tracing of braided double eyes all round it, extending to 8 inches from the bottom of the cuff.”