Original Item: Only One Available. This is an outstanding and exceptionally well-dated British Army full dress tunic for the 9th (Queen’s Royal) Lancers, manufactured by the Royal Army Clothing Factory in May 1914, only weeks before the outbreak of the First World War.

The timing of its manufacture gives this tunic extraordinary historical appeal. Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914, and the 9th Lancers landed in France that same month as part of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. This uniform was therefore produced for the regiment at the very end of the colorful prewar cavalry era, just before its soldiers entered the industrialized warfare of the Western Front.

The 9th Lancers traced its history to 1715 and had already accumulated two centuries of distinguished service by the beginning of WWI. Its men entered the conflict still trained and equipped as traditional cavalrymen, carrying swords and lances and expecting to perform reconnaissance, screening, and mounted shock action.

Within weeks, the regiment became involved in some of the most famous British cavalry actions of the war.

On August 24, 1914, during the retreat following the Battle of Mons, Captain Francis Octavius Grenfell and men of the 9th Lancers helped recover the endangered guns of the 119th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, while under intense enemy fire. Grenfell had already been wounded during the fighting but continued assisting with the guns, an action for which he received the Victoria Cross.

Only two weeks later, on September 7, 1914, elements of the regiment took part in the celebrated action at Montcel-à-Frétoy. Lieutenant Colonel David Campbell led two troops of B Squadron in a mounted charge against Prussian Guard Dragoons, creating one of the last notable lance-against-lance encounters involving British cavalry during WWI.

These actions occurred only a few months after this tunic was manufactured.

The tunic retains its rare 9th Lancers collar insignia and a full complement of regimental buttons. The front, cuffs, and rear skirt all retain their buttons, with each displaying the correct insignia associated with the regiment.

Yellow cord shoulder straps remain in place and provide the distinctive contrast and visual character associated with British cavalry full dress.

The interior retains an excellent original label for the:

ROYAL ARMY CLOTHING FACTORY

The Royal Army Clothing Factory was the British government establishment at Pimlico responsible for producing regulation military clothing. Surviving museum examples confirm that the factory was manufacturing British Army dress tunics at Pimlico during 1914.

The label is clearly dated:

MAY 1914

This precise date transforms the tunic from an attractive unidentified cavalry uniform into a tangible artifact from the final months of Britain’s prewar Army. It was completed before the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, before the July Crisis, and before the regiment was ordered across the English Channel with the original British Expeditionary Force.

Full dress uniforms such as this embodied the traditions of the Victorian and Edwardian cavalry. Their elaborate regimental colors, cords, badges, and polished buttons were designed for parade and ceremonial wear, reflecting a military world that was about to change forever.

Once the regiment reached France, practical khaki service dress replaced colorful full dress for operations. Horses, swords, and lances initially remained important, but machine guns, modern artillery, trenches, and barbed wire rapidly restricted the traditional cavalry role. The regiment’s dramatic mounted actions during the opening weeks of 1914 therefore marked both the beginning of its WWI service and the closing chapter of an older form of warfare.

The 9th Lancers continued serving on the Western Front, adapting to the changing demands of the conflict while preserving the identity and traditions represented by this tunic. The regiment survived both world wars and was eventually amalgamated with the 12th Royal Lancers in 1960 to form the 9th/12th Royal Lancers.

The tunic presents extremely well, retaining the features most desired by collectors: its rare collar insignia, yellow cord shoulder straps, complete regimental buttons, original government factory label, and exceptionally significant May 1914 date.

Few dates could be more evocative for a British cavalry uniform. Manufactured on the eve of WWI for a regiment that would soon participate in the Retreat from Mons, the rescue of the 119th Battery’s guns, and one of the war’s last lance-against-lance cavalry actions, this is an outstanding relic of the British Army at the precise moment it passed from Edwardian pageantry into modern warfare.

An exceptional display piece for an advanced collection of British cavalry, lancer, pre-WWI, or Great War uniforms.

Approximate Measurements:
Collar to Shoulder: 7 1/2"
Shoulder to Sleeve: 23"
Shoulder to Shoulder: 13 1/2"
Chest Width: 15"
Waist: 14"
Hip: 18"
Front Length: 27"