1909 Pattern Rifle Grey Jacket to an Other Rank of the 4th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers

A few moth grazes especially to the rear cloth, hard to see in the photos, one larger hole to rear of one arm (see photo) and paper label all but gone. Incorrect buttons to front and missing metal shoulder titles. Never fitted with collar badges. A very rare tunic only worn in this pattern for about one year. Buttons to front include the bottom one, now detached but supplied. Some damage around top edge and inner cloth of collar. Overall looks good and clean and does not have any unpleasant ordure. Stencilled black ink to inside confirms 4th NF and issue date of July 1909.

This battalion continued with their Rifle Volunteer traditions post 1881 as the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers and on the formation of the Territorial Force in April 1908 the battalion was split into the 4th and 7th Battalions. The 4th Battalion continued to wear their traditional Rifle Grey, with scarlet facings which they continued to wear until around 1910, when they too adopted scarlet.

No collar badges have been worn with this tunic and the shoulder titles would have been blackened brass "T4/Bomb/NF", as opposed to the scarlet embroidered "1V/Bomb/NF" pre-1908. The buttons on this jacket were the common blackened brass Rifle Volunteer pattern, but Kings Crown over the stringed bugle rather than a QVC.

The original buttons remain on the skirt rear, but the buttons down the front of the jacket are those of the Kings Royal Rifles, which suggests that the jackets may have been returned to storage and re-used by another unit continuing to wear the Rifle Grey, who were affiliated to the KRR.

The rear of the jacket doesn't have scalloped skirt piping, with six buttons, but two straight scarlet piped lines at the top of which are the sole remaining Rifle Volunteer buttons.

The round end shoulders strap complete with scarlet piping and the original shoulder title holes, a project for somebody, but they are quite elusive.

Please note I will only post this item to a UK address.

Comm GrSt

Code: 65429