*British, Post-1964, Royal Marines Lovat Service Dress Uniform Set, Corporal, Medal Ribbon Bar & Mentioned in Dispatches, Tailored by A. Grantham Ltd*
An original Royal Marines Lovat Service Dress uniform set, comprising the service dress jacket, matching trousers, tropical stone shirt and brown woollen tie. The set retains its Royal Marines Queen’s Crown buttons, medal ribbon bar and rank insignia. Issue labels remain present inside the garments, with the original wearer’s name and service number crossed out on the trousers label, leaving only a partial marking visible.
The uniform is made in the traditional “Lovat” green worsted cloth, the shade adopted by the Royal Marines when the Service Dress pattern replaced wartime battledress in 1964. This style remained the standard working and parade dress for temperate climates for several decades.
The jacket retains its bronze Royal Marines buttons with Queen’s Crown, and the lapels carry the Royal Marines globe and laurel collar badges, depicting the world with the motto Per Mare Per Terram. On the sleeve are two gold chevrons on a dark backing, indicating the rank of Corporal within the Royal Marines.
Above the right breast pocket is a mounted medal ribbon bar including a Mentioned in Dispatches oak leaf emblem, signifying the wearer had been officially commended for gallant or distinguished service in operational reports. The mounted ribbon bar appears to comprise four awards arranged in two rows and likely includes the Operational Service Medal for Northern Ireland, with the oak leaf device denoting a Mentioned in Dispatches, together with what appear to be a Naval General Service–type campaign ribbon, a United Nations peacekeeping medal, and a NATO operational medal. While ribbon colours can vary slightly by manufacturer, the combination suggests a late-Cold War period Royal Marines career, potentially including operational service in Northern Ireland, along with NATO or United Nations deployments, consistent with Royal Marines service during the 1970s–1990s.
The trousers match the jacket in lovat worsted cloth and retain their original waistband adjusters and internal label.
The set is accompanied by a stone-coloured tropical service shirt, a pattern issued to both the Royal Marines and Royal Air Force for wear in warm climates and overseas postings. The shirt retains its original label bearing a NATO Stock Number (NSN) beginning 8405-99, identifying it as British military clothing manufacture. Also included is the correct pattern brown woollen knitted service tie, the standard issue tie worn with Royal Marines lovat service dress during the Cold War period.
Internal labels in the jacket and trousers read:
“Uniform Mans (Lovat, Worsted, RM)
V030-8405-99-571-2330
Size 37
A. Grantham Ltd
SL33a/2152”
The trousers label retains the handwritten name and postcode. MEE – PO46270X The “PO” prefix indicates Portsmouth Division, one of the traditional recruiting and administrative divisions of the Royal Marines.
The tropical shirt label reads:
“Shirt Tropical Stone – RAF / RM
8405-99-135-9487
Size 14½
Ladybird Belfast”
This indicates manufacture by Ladybird of Belfast, a known Ministry of Defence contractor supplying garments during the Cold War period.
Approx. Measurements
Jacket shoulder to shoulder: 45 cm. Sleeve length: 68 cm. Back length (hem to top of collar): 83.5 cm. Size marked: 37.
Trousers waist to hem: 105 cm. Inside leg: 75 cm. Size marked: 37.
Shirt collar size: marked 14½ inches.
History Note:
The Royal Marines Lovat Service Dress was introduced in 1964, replacing wartime battledress as the Corps’ standard dress uniform. The distinctive lovat shade—originally associated with British rifle regiments—gave the Marines a unique identity compared with the darker army service dress worn by other British forces.
Uniforms of this type were worn for daily duties, parades, and official occasions, often paired with tropical shirts when deployed overseas.
The presence of a Mentioned in Dispatches emblem suggests the original owner had been formally recognised for noteworthy service in an operational theatre.
*Condition*
The uniform remains in excllent condition, with strong colour and overall clean presentation. Buttons, collar badges, rank insignia and medal ribbons are present. Labels remain intact though slightly worn, and the name has been partially crossed out on one label. Light service wear consistent with use is visible. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
JAQ#3047I0_5423237770
