WW1 Officers Service Dress Jacket Named Alfred Henry Coates James South Staffordshire Regiment

Original pre 1915 British Army Officers Tunic named to Captain (later temporary Brigadier General) Alfred Henry Coates James of the South Staffordshire Regiment. Uniform is in very good condition despite its age. Original applied insignia, including wound stripe. Ribbon bar for DSO, QSAM, KSAM and 1914/15 Star with rosette. Two small holes on the jacket at the top of each sleeve. Named inside at the neck. Jacket complete with his belt, dated 1912. Uniform predates his promotion to Major in May 1915.

D.S.O. London Gazette: 18 February 1915.

M.V.O. London Gazette: 15 August 1916 (Provost Marshal, 3rd Army; Visit of H.M. King George V to the Army in the Field).

Despatches four times London Gazette:17 February 1915, 22 June 1915, 11 December 1917 and 20 May 1918.

French Legion of Honnour London Gazette: 10 October 1918.

Alfred Henry Cotes James was born in 1873 and was educated at Sherborne, and at Merton College, Oxford. He was commissioned into the South Staffordshire Regiment in the rank of Second Lieutenant on 15 May 1897, becoming Lieutenant 15 September 1899, and serving as Adjutant from 14 August 1901 to 13 August 1904. He served in the Second Boer War.

He advanced to Captain in 1902 and was Garrison Adjutant, Eastern Command from 1908 to 1912. James served during WWI as Assistant Provost-Marshal, 3rd Army Corps, B.E.F., 5 August 1914 to 27 October 1915, before being promoted to Major on 26 May 1915, and made Provost-Marshal, 3rd Army, B.E.F., British Armies in France, 28 October 1915 to 2 August 1918; before being created Provost-Marsha, Forces in Great Britain, 4 August 1918, with the Temporay rank of Brigadier-General. He was wounded during WWI and for his services, received the D.S.O., M.V.O., and was four times Mentioned in Despatches.

After WW1 Coates James was heavily involved with the Irish rebellion. Overseeing the Court Marshall of Terence Macswiney who later died in prison whilst on hunger strike. Coates James would later resign his position over this. Much more can be found out about the interesting history regarding Coates James online, as well as photographs of him during his service with the British Army.

Code: 4391