Description
Physical description
Double-breasted jacket of blue Venetian cloth featuring a deep and wide open peaked collar with grey faced lapels, three decorative gilt RAF pattern (King's Crown) buttons down either side of the front opening, front closing of two conjoined buttons directly below the lapels with a false button hole beneath, and a pointed back. To the inner left facing is a horizontal slash pocket.
To the upper left lapel is sewn a RAF pilot's brevet embroidered in gold and silver on a blue field, while around each cuff is the gold rank lace of Air Commodore, being a single broad stripe.
Label
As stipulated by the Dress regulations for officers, Royal Air Force, 1939, No. 3 Mess Dress was worn during dinners at home stations, at sea or in harbour in HM ships, dinners at naval or military messes, evening dances and entertainments and dinner aboard transports. It consisted of Mess Dress cap, jacket, waistcoat, shirt and tie, trousers or 'overalls', black Oxford shoes or Wellington boots and white leather gloves.
History note
Air Commodore Thomas Edward Barham Howe CBE AFC* Royal Air Force (4 Sept 1886-2 Jan 1970)
Thomas Edward Barham Howe, the son of T S Howe JP of Hillsborough, County Down, was born in Ireland on 4 September 1886, and educated at Dover College. He was living in Australia when the First World War broke out and on 26 October 1914 joined the Australian Imperial Forces as a private soldier. Following service in Gallipoli, where he was wounded in the fighting at ANZAC Cove, Howe was discharged from the AIF in April 1916 and transferring to the Royal Naval Air Service was commissioned as a temporary Flight Sub-Lieutenant (P) on 3 April 1916. In June 1916, he became an Instructor at the Central Training Establishment at RNAS Cranwell (later RAF Cranwell). By February 1918, Howe was a Temporary Acting Flight Commander. Following the formation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918, Howe was given a commissioned as a Temporary Lieutenant. He was mentioned in despatches on 1 May 1918, awarded an AFC on 2 November 1918 and promoted captain on 1 December 1918. Howe was awarded a permanent commission as a flight lieutenant on 24 October 1919. During the inter-war years, Howe was a Flight Commander with No 11 Sqdn (Jan 1923) and with No 32 Sqdn at Kenley (May 1923) taking over command of No 32 Sqdn on October 1923. Howe received a Bar to his AFC in January 1923 and was awarded the ' Dunning Memorial Trophy' in 1926. Howe attended RAF Staff College (1924-25) and in April that year was embarked aboard the carrier HMS Furious on her commissioning as a member of the RAF Staff. Howe was promoted wing commander in January 1928 and in May 1928 was appointed Officer Commanding RAF Northolt. From Feb 1929-Jan 1931 Howe commanded No 203 Sqdn at RAF Mountbatten (Southampton II). By 1933, Howe was a group captain. From 1934-35 he was an additional air ADC to the King. From 1935-37 he served as Air Attaché at the British Embassy in Washington DC. He was appointed CBE in 1936. Promoted air commodore in 1937, he was Senior Air Staff Officer at No 12 Group from 1937-38. From 1938-42, he was Air Officer Commanding No 17 (Training) Group. He was mentioned in despatches in 1941. He retired from active service with the Royal Air Force that year and was employed on Air Crew reception duties at the Air Ministry from 1941-48. Air Commodore Howe died on 2 January 1970. The Dept of Exhibits & Firearms holds a number of items of uniform belonging to Howe (Ref: UNI 182;UNI 1381-1382; UNI 1398-1399; UNI 1453-1455; UNI 8862-8863). The Documents Archive holds a large collection of papers relating to his service with the RAF notably as a pioneer of flying at night in adverse weather conditions, and from aircraft carriers in the 1920s. (Ref: 70/1/4 & 4A)