Gradia Militaria
WW2 Indian theatre made Officers R.A.O.C Field Service cap.
WW2 Indian theatre made Officers R.A.O.C Field Service cap.
SKU:June26-18
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WW2 Indian theatre made Officers R.A.O.C Field Service cap. Nice makers name inside, absolutely no moth or damage just amazing condition.
maker: Eusoof & Co, Ludhiana
“Eusoof” is a Muslim name (a variant spelling of Yusuf/Joseph), and Ludhiana in the Punjab was a significant British Indian cantonment town with a long tradition of military outfitting stretching back into the 19th century. The label reads “Mily. & Police Outfitters / Eusoof & Co. / Ludhiana,” which is a classic format for a colonial-era Indian trade label. Firms like this were common throughout British India, supplying both British regiments stationed in India and Indian Army units. Ludhiana remains a centre of military uniform manufacturing to this day, which strongly suggests an unbroken tradition going back to the Raj.
The style of the label itself, the typeface, and the abbreviation “Mily.” all point to a late Victorian or Edwardian firm, likely active from the 1880s through to Partition in 1947 .
British officers’ field service caps were typically purchased from London or other UK outfitters (Gieves, Moss Bros, etc.) or from major Indian city firms in Calcutta, Bombay, or Delhi. A Ludhiana maker is a distinctly provincial find and suggests either:
∙ The officer was posted to or near Ludhiana and had the cap made locally, or
∙ Eusoof & Co supplied a wider regimental or depot contract.
The cap itself
The Army Ordnance Corps field service cap was navy blue with red piping . The RAOC was nicknamed the “Sugar Stick Brigade” because of the red and white piping on their uniforms. These coloured field service caps were popular in the inter-war period and were worn with the No.1 blues uniform, as well as with standard Service Dress on special occasions, and also saw use throughout the Second World War as a smart alternative headdress when walking out.
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