Avitas Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Hello gentlemen,I finally got some pics of my ww2 RCN Lt Commander Uniform from Mr. J.O. Aitkens. The jacket, pants and cap are all present in this set, with the pants and jacket with personalized tags intact. It has the 39-45 medal, CVSM, Italy Star, 39-45 Star, Defense Medal and a long service medal I believe ribbons attached to the uniform. I have tried to research but come up fairly emptyhanded, so if anyone can recommend a good site to research this gentleman that would be great. I think he was on the Assiniboine, but I am not sure. I got this from a local dealer who knew he was on one of the large "A" named Canadian Battleships or Destroyer. He kept his cap badge for personal heirlooms, but I was lucky enough to acquire this on VE day 2005. Any comments on this uniform and the Lieutanant Commander Aitkens that wore it are very welcome!Cheers,Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 Here is the tag from Gieves Ltd manufacturer, with a very faint date I think is 2.3.45 or 5.8.45 but it could be anything close to that, the first number is very blurred. Late war anyways. Any info on this maker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 another shot of the tag... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 Come to think of it, it does kind of look like a "5" for the second number in the date, so it is ?/5/45 as far as I can see. Here are the medal ribbons on the jacket, all non-glowing (like everything on the jacket).Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 a close-up of the sleeve rank. Nice indeed.Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 And a picture of the matching pants, with nice crease. These are wool I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 And the tag for the pants, also made by Gieves, Plymouth and with a date of 6.6.45. and the full J.O.Aitkens name. Again, any help on finding out about this sailor is extremely great!Thanks,Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 Last but not least, the salty sailors cap, made by Scully's of Montreal. I love this hat, such character and oh the stories it could tell! Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 and the last pic for now, the inside of the Scully hat. Please leave your comments and any ideas on researching the person who earned this uniform of Liutenant Commander J.O. Aitkens. I think his name was Jonathan or Johnathon or some spelling of that (all the dealer could remember! This was my good dealer too, not the OTHER dealer ).Anyways, can't wait for what you have to say about this fine grouping (now all it needs is a picture and the story!)Cheers,Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Johnson Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 If you run a Google search on "John Ormond Aitkens" there are a couple of postings given for post-war. He was a Lieutenant(E) on the Magnificent (aircraft carrier) 14/01/1948, and the Ontario (cruiser) 21/01/1949.There can't have been two J.O. Aitkens in the R.C.N. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 Thanks Michael,The dealer told me he stayed in the Navy until the '50's, so the two dates make sense post war, but he was definitely active in ww2. When I get a few moments I will do a more thorough search.Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted June 6, 2006 Author Share Posted June 6, 2006 Hi there,An update on this gentleman, I did a few more searches and did find one more tidbit of info when I did a search on google for "J.O. Aitkens" and found a report on the 2005 Royal Military Colleges Club of Canada Annual General Meeting. If you click on the "Html" version it loads instantly. It appears that LtCmdr J.O. Aitkens passed away in early 2005, as he is listed in the deceased column for the year along with Smoky Smith, so I acquired this uniform shortly after his death. His name on the list is followed by a ('40) so I assume this is his year of graduation from the RMC. If Michael or anyone else out there knows more about this great Canadian sailor or a good way besides the standard web searches to find more history about him I would be very grateful. I just want to be able to tell the story behind the uniform. All I know so far is that he was on a large Canadian ship in the mediterranean during ww2 (the ribbon bars attest to this) and rose to Liutenant Commander during the war, and stayed in through the 50's. He is probably John Ormond Aitkens as Michael Johnson pointed out, but if anyone can confirm there was only one J.O. Aitkens that would help also (but highly unlikely that there were more than one).Thanks again,Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Cain Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Vey nice set indeed. i probably have a cap badge if you need it.CheersGary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted June 21, 2006 Author Share Posted June 21, 2006 Thanks Gary,The funny thing is I have a whole bunch of army cap badges, but no Navy! It is basically the only thing missing from the set (besides some more info on the chap) so I would like to get the same cap badge that he had to complete the set. Any help would be welcome,Cheers,Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Cain Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Hi Pat,Email me at garycain1961@yahoo.com and i will send you pics of what I have.Cheers!GaryThanks Gary,The funny thing is I have a whole bunch of army cap badges, but no Navy! It is basically the only thing missing from the set (besides some more info on the chap) so I would like to get the same cap badge that he had to complete the set. Any help would be welcome,Cheers,Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted November 11, 2006 Author Share Posted November 11, 2006 Hello again,Turned out Gary's cap badges were British, so I am still on the lookout for a Canadian ww2 Naval Cap Badge to complete this set. Also, if anyone has more info on this sailor please leave your comments. All comments are welcome Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted August 27, 2011 Author Share Posted August 27, 2011 Yet another Canadian topic that could be moved to the new Canadian section. Again, I thank Nick or whoever can move these topics in advance, I think you'll agree that these are better suited to the new section. Cheers! Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Here is the tag from Gieves Ltd manufacturer, with a very faint date I think is 2.3.45 or 5.8.45 but it could be anything close to that, the first number is very blurred. Late war anyways. Any info on this maker? Gieves have been a pre-eminent naval tailor for many years. Located at No. 1 Savile Row, they are now Gieves and Hawkes, and can be found on the web at http://www.gievesandhawkesmilitary.com/ What could be more appropriate than to get your cap badge from them? Best, Hugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Strong Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 (edited) Hello again, Turned out Gary's cap badges were British, so I am still on the lookout for a Canadian ww2 Naval Cap Badge to complete this set. Also, if anyone has more info on this sailor please leave your comments. All comments are welcome Pat Hi Pat Nice score Try here they have a couple http://www.germanmil...ons/CanRCN.html Larry Edited August 28, 2011 by Laurence Strong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 Thanks guys, I actually did track one down in Vernon so I am set up now! Nice to have it completed, but one from the same manufacturer would be nice as Hugh suggested. Later, Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken MacLean Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Pat, Legion Magazine "Last Post" entry. Lieutenant-Commander John O. Aitkens Died 9 May 2005 Age 83 Service Number 01380 Member of Kelowna branch. Cheers, Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kensita Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 J.O.Aitkens was my father. He graduated from RMC and did serve on HMCS Magnificent, Assiniboine. His final posting before retirement in 1965 ws from Esquimalt. I have much of my father's photo's/service memorabilia. I am curious as to how you received his uniform. I probably have his cap badge. I live in Kelowna also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avitas Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 Interesting developments Kensita, I have pm'd you with my contact info, would love to hear from you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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