WW1 British Infantry Other Ranks Tunic With Rare Battle Insignia

A superb WW1 British Infantry Other Ranks Tunic with exceedingly rare Battle Insignia, this to a Sergeant in the 5th Battalion Inniskilling Fusiliers of the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division. 

As per that Division’s particular Battle Insignia scheme the Tunic has a green wool horizontal bar to the back of the collar for the Inniskilling Fusiliers, with then below that a lovely blue and yellow oilcloth triangle for the 66th Division. Each epaulette in turn then bears good WW1 specific shoulder titles for the Inniskilling Fusiliers in brass, this pattern of title being changed post war. Below these at the upper arm are again nice wartime pale khaki Sergeant's chevrons, this all completed with three WW1 small blue chevrons to the lower right cuff denoting three years overseas service.  

The Tunic itself is classic wartime 02 Pattern other ranks issue with two pleats at the collar and a white cotton lining. Late in 1918 other ranks Tunics had the number of collar pleats reduced to one and the white cotton lining changed to tan coloured cotton drill. It also has a paper sizing label with a partly readable date, this could be 1916 or 1918, however I believe 1918 is the more likely of the two. The date cannot be 1919 as by then this pattern of Tunic was no longer manufactured. In support of this the Tunic has in addition a good wartime War Department Inspection stamp with the inspector’s number at the top, late in 1918 these stamps were changed to instead show the number below the WD mark. The Tunic's field dressing pocket has been opened and the sizing label shows it is a nice size for manikin dipslay. All buttons present, it is in very good service used condition overall with just the occasional  moth nip not affecting display.

The 5th Battalion Inniskilling Fusiliers joined the 66th Division in July 1918 and with them took part part in the “100 Days Offensive” on the Western Front in the second half of 1918. There most notably at:

The Battle of Cambrai,

The pursuit to the Selle,

The Battle of the Selle,

The Final Advance in Picardy,

The 1918 Battle of Le Cateau.

Prior to this in 1915 the 5th Inniskillings had been at Gallipoli with the 10th (Irish) Division, there sustaining heavy casualties at Suvla Bay. Given our Sergeant had evidently already seen three years service overseas when this Tunic was issued him he no doubt took part in that earlier deadly campaign as well. 

British other ranks tunics with original Battle Insignia are easily one of the most sought after items for collectors, yet exceedingly difficult to acquire since Battle Insignia was removed post war. Few if any such pieces ever coming on to the market.

A rare opportunity.