Greatcoat

Great Coat

The British infantry went to war in 1914 with a heavy, single breasted greatcoat for protection against the cold. It was made out of a darker shade of wool serge than the 1902 pattern uniform and had a lined interior. The greatcoat buttoned up to the neck and was closed with a single hook and eye at the wearer's throat. It had two pockets at the front and was adjustable at the back by means of an arrangement of two straps and three large General Service buttons. The cavalry and the officers of all wings wore a double breasted greatcoat. The one shown here is an orginal greatcoat of the same pattern, but most likely postwar manufacture. These originals surface occasionally, but most people end up either converting a double breasted coat (which became standard issue for all arms of service by WW2) or buying a modern reproduction.