Description
Physical description
Single-breasted jacket of khaki-brown fabric, featuring an open collar with notched lapels, front fastening of four buttons, pleated breast pockets with scalloped button flaps, bellows skirt pockets with rectangular button flaps, waistbelt of matching fabric stitched to the rear waistband and fastened at the front via a single-pronged gilt metal buckle, plain cuffs and a rear vent. All external buttons are of gilt RAF crested form.
Above the left breast pocket is sewn a pilot's RAF brevet, with below, medal ribbons of the following awards: Military Cross; 1914-15 Star. To both cuffs are sewn twin rank rings of khaki lace, and gilt Crown atop flying eagle badges. To the lower left sleeve are sewn two vertical wound stripes of gold wire russia braid.
Label
The Royal Air Force was formed in April 1918, being an amalagamation of the Royal Fyling Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. Although the uniforms of the respective services continued to be worn under wartime conditions, these were gradually phased in favour of that intially adopted in 1918. Officers were to have a Service Dress of two colours but iof identical cut; khaki for working dress, etc., and blue-grey as an optional Mess Dress, but only for the duration of the conflict. Although rank physical identication was by now redefined the actual titles remained the same as used by the Army, unchanged until August 1919.
History note
This jacket was worn by Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands who joined the Hampshire Regiment in December 1914, and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in 1916. Posted to 70 Squadron, he scored his first victory on 6th September, 1916. In the summer of 1917 he was reassigned to 24 Squadron as a flight commander. Scoring seven victories, his last was on 18 March 1918. Three days later he was wounded in action and did not return to combat duty.
Beanlands' Military Cross was gazetted 25th April 1918, and although he survived the war he was killed in a flying accident in May, 1919, buried at Sevenoaks, Kent.