1939 Musician Corps tunic (WRAC)

[Farkas]

Hi Gents,

I picked this up a little while ago.

The remaining buttons are those of the WRAC (Womens Royal Army Corp) which existed between 1949 & 1992.

 

 

 

I really didn’t know what to make of it at the time, I was pretty sure it wasn’t a WRAC tunic but I didn’t recognise it as anyone else’s uniform either. I thought maybe one of the Horse Guards because of the collar. My confusion was not helped by the stamp below which, because of the buttons, I read as ‘RWC’

There are a number of stamps.

 

 

 

You’ll notice the buttons are outside (& sown) over the button holes and there is a Velcro strip instead to fasten it… must be a woman’s touch but surely not regulation? 👇

 

I was pretty much stumped until I hung it up the other day to take photos for here.

I found a date inside one of the sleeves…

It seems it actually dates from  5.11.39

Now I knew it predated the WRAC I looked more widely for a match and found it 👇

It is a tunic as worn by…

“The Royal Corps of Army Music

is a Corps of the British Army dedicated to the provision and promotion of military music.”

 

So the stamp below, i now presume, is RMC not RWC…

M Music not W Women.

 

It’s from a estate so I guess it’s been in someone’s cupboard for the past 30 years. In mine for the next 30 maybe 🤞.

 

Any thoughts or comment welcome as always Gents.

 

Cheers

tony 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇬🇧