The 1902 Pattern Service Dress uniform was widely introduced into service after the Boer War - finally replacing the scarlet Home Service Tunics to ceremonial duties.

Manufactured in khaki serge wool cloth, the new uniform was a step-change in British Army Service Dress (SD) and was adopted by all other ranks for wear in the field, walking out and in barracks.

It was sill in service during and after the Second World War, although with the introduction of the Battle Dress uniform in the late 1930s it was not as widely issued as it once was. There were a number of variations of the 1902 Pattern updated with minor modifications, mainly to the number of pleats in the collar. This example is sometimes referred to as 1922 Pattern, although there is some discussion as to whether the 1922 Pattern ever existed.

The tunic featured here is known as ‘Utility Pattern’ with simplified details such as removal of the chest pocket pleats. It has five 25mm brass buttons and six smaller buttons on the pockets and shoulder straps. Dated 1943, this ‘utility’ version has a standing collar, rather than the more common stand and fall collar - it is fastened by two wire hooks and loops.

This tunic was in a poor state when I acquired it, few moth holes but nothing too serious, stripped of all buttons and insignia, but worst of all the two breast pockets had been removed!

The original label, dated 1943 is also stamped 'Footguards' so this was an ideal restoration project with the aim of bringing it back to life as a Coldstream Guardsman's tunic. The first thing to do was clean it, remove any trace of stitching and then try and source some khaki serge wool fabric to manufacture some pockets.

I luckily came across a very badly moth eaten Battle Dress tunic and used what cloth I could to make some pockets. Next up was to source some CG buttons. A search of local dealers proved fruitless but Kelly Badges came up trumps with the insignia coming from The Militaria Shop.

I'm delighted with how this has turned out and it features in my book on the Coldstream Guards.

Photographs below show the restored tunic - apart from the last photo which is how the tunic came to me!