Today we look at another example of the Number 2 dress uniform, as in previous examples of this uniform it is the dress distinctions rather than the uniform itself we are focusing on. This example is for a member of the Rifles and as such looks rather different to other examples of this uniform we have covered in the past:

Firstly, the uniform has black buttons rather than the more normal staybrite examples:

Rifle Regiments have worn black buttons and accessories for at least the last 200 years, although today the buttons are made of plastic rather than horn. This jacket was used by a lance-corporal and his rank is also made in black, with white piping around the outside of it:

The tunic is worn with a piece of medal ribbon on each sleeve, this being the Croix de Guerre (1914-1918) that was awarded to one of the regiment’s antecedents:

This uniform is not quite complete, as an NCO’s No2 dress there should be a lanyard worn on the left shoulder and there should be a pair of black bugle collar dogs on the lapels which are both missing:

The owner of this tunic saw extensive service and combat as witnessed by the impressive array of medal ribbons worn above the left breast pocket:

These medal ribbons are, left to right, General Service Medal, United Nations Medal, Iraq Medal, Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal.

The label inside the jacket allows us to be more specific about the original owner of this tunic and see that he was originally in the Royal Green Jackets and when that regiment was amalgamated to form The Rifles, he was in the headquarters company of 4 Rifles:

4 Rifles was the re-designation of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Green Jackets, it was originally a mechanised infantry unit and part of 1st Mechanised Brigade but is now being reconfigured as a specialist infantry brigade.

This uniform has been replaced by the FAD, Future Army Dress, however the regimental distinctions remain the same, even if the uniform they are worn on does not, and so the following slide from The Rifles uniform regulations is appropriate and many of these feratures can be seen on the example above: