12/2/2023 0 Comments Executive assault 2 fleet capThe origin of the blue jean collar stems from the days of sail when it was popular for sailors to plait and tar their hair in a ponytail, the intent of the collar being to prevent the tar from staining the uniform beneath it. The number of horizontal creases in each trouser leg was incidental although a popular belief emerged that the number was chosen to represent the seven seas. This method also prevented them from further unwanted creasing. The seven horizontal creases ironed in each trouser leg enabled the garment to be concertinaed and rolled, inside out, so that they remained clean, taking up little room in lockers or kit bags. The voluminous cut of the bell-bottom trousers enabled them to be removed rapidly, irrespective of footwear, and discarded to improve the chance of survival should a sailor go overboard. The white stripe on the trouser leg of the junior rating was peculiar to the Victorian naval forces. Left: A colonial petty officer and rating of the the Victorian naval forces. The addition of a white lanyard, also worn around the neck and tucked inside the jumper completed the ensemble. A black silk scarf worn around the neck and secured to the front of the jumper with blue or white tape tied in a bow added a certain amount of panache to the appearance of the wearer. Both jumpers and frocks were worn over a white, square cut flannel shirt, the neck of which was also bound with blue cotton tape. Contrary to popular belief the white tape did not commemorate Vice Admiral Lord Nelson’s victories at the Nile, Copenhagen and Trafalgar for even the United States and German navies made use of this distinction from a very early time. On frocks and jumpers a blue jean collar decorated with three rows of white tape was worn. Right: Commander CJ Clare.īy the early 1880s the uniform that stylised the ‘sailor suit’ had evolved with seamen generally appearing in blue serge or white duck (heavy cotton) jumpers, frocks and bell-bottomed trousers. Left: Captain JCP Walcot, Commandant of the South Australian Naval forces. Officers of the South Australian colonial naval forces initially adopted crossed anchors to distinguish their apparel from that of the Royal Navy. Both officers and ratings of the RN, dressed in their smart blue or white uniforms, were recognisable the world over as belonging to the most powerful navy afloat and it was hardly surprising that the Australian colonies of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland each decided that their infant naval forces should be similarly attired. In the case of men, uniform for petty officers, seamen and boys, collectively known as ratings, was formally established in January 1857. When the Colonial Naval Defence Act 1865 was passed, which permitted the Australian colonies to raise their own naval forces, officers of the RN had been wearing a standardised form of uniform for over one hundred years. OriginsĪustralian naval dress descends directly from that worn by the Royal Navy (RN) in the late 19th century. Today customary ‘sailor suits’ are reserved chiefly for ceremonial occasions, however, on those occasions when they are worn, they serve to remind Australians of the longevity of their Navy, its traditions and its consistent contribution to our nation’s maritime and economic security over more than 100 years.This article traces the origins of Australian naval uniforms following a process of continuous evolution as shifting social attitudes, new technologies, wars, and even religion have all influenced changes to the apparel worn by members of the senior service. A practical rig, it is far removed from the more traditional naval uniform popularised throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries. In November 2008, disruptive pattern navy uniform (DPNU) was officially introduced in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Director Strategic & Historical Studies Introduction
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