Help Please!

[Teddy Ruxpin]

This is the ARRSE thread:

http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/viewtopic/t=69087/start=0.html

It's cavalry mess kit.  The yellow stripe indicates cavalry.  Light cavalry will wear two narrower stripes.

In Canada, all Regular Force armoured/cavalry regiments have standard mess kit that looks rather different from this.  Standard armour mess kit has also been adopted by many Reserve units and by RCMP officers.

Ergo, this gentleman isn't Regular Force or RCMP.  He may be from a Reserve unit, as obsolete patterns of mess kit can be found in many regiments.  That would be my guess, although I can't answer for the gongs.

Or, as others have suggested, he may not be Canadian at all. 

 

[niner domestic]

Well, I wrote the the RCMP historical K Troop group and received a reply from John Simpson.  He said the following in 2 emails:

Hi there, yes it is an RCMP  (North West Mounted Police) Mess kit belonging to a surgeon.  He posed for several pictures in several forms of dress.  I'll dig out my file and will send you more information a little later, perhaps tonight.

Thanks


and again at:

I was looking at the one posted with the NWMP site, now I see the one your looking for.

Further to the one you posted in your forum, this one is a historical mess kit that was made by the regimental tailors in at Depot in Regina for the Re-enactment of the March west, based upon mess kits in the RCMP museum and from Dr. James Boulton's book.  I believe they made at least three at the time, including one for the Commissioner, (Murray)  The officers name is Supt. Peter Curley (since retired) and he is attending one of our historical troop's mess dinners.  The fellow's hands emphasising a point in the left of the picture are mine!

Thanks for your inquiry.

John Simpson


I'll let AARSE know of these responses.  I knew I had seen it before. 

 

[CdnArtyWife]

Hoorah! Niner to the rescue!

Cheers,

CAW

edit: spelling (sorry Niner, I don't think you are a Ninny! LOL)

 

[Michael OLeary]

OK, so what are the medals?  Current entitlements, or also a historic representation?

 

[niner domestic]

I've asked Mr. Simpson that question, Michael.  I'm assuming they are replicas as the one in book has a similar rack....twigged after he suggested the book to go dig it out from my mom's stuff.  I'll let you know if I receive a reply from him. 

 

[legal_eagle]

Hey there, sorry I didn't get back earlier, I couldnt get onto the ARRSE site either, but I see you have worked it out!...I see also someone posted the correct link, sorry I should have done that earlier..no great debate, just curiousity really (military geeks!!). We knew it wasn't a UK mess dress and when someone suggested it might be Canadian I thought I'd ask on here..Thanks niner and all others who helped to track it down...

 

[medicineman]

As far as decorations go, I've picked out what's either an Officer or Serving Brother of the Order of St John as well as a 12 year Service Medal of the same, what appears to be UNFICYP, the rest are a unrecognizable, though there is one that might be a provincial order of some sort.  Pic is a bit blurry after all...

MM