Whilst carrying out our Collections Project at the Royal Engineers Museum we came across this service dress jacket, it is named to Lieutenant Martin and has Lieutenant rank insignia and a Distinguished Service Order medal ribbon. As you can see from the photographs the jacket is badly stained and ripped. While many of the service dress uniforms in the collection have obviously been worn this jacket is particularly interesting as it has clearly been worn in battle. Most interesting of all are the old museum labels attached to it reading 'Do not clean, Flanders Mud' and 'Do not remove mud or stains.' these marks that remain on the jacket from World War One make it a very significant part of the collection.

Frederick (Fred) John Cox (Service No: M/27934), was my Great Uncle, who was born in Plymouth, Devon, UK, on the 22nd April 1886. According to the 1911 Census, Fred was serving as a Soldier, with the Army Service Corps (A.S.C.), stationed at Bulford Hut Barracks, Bulford Camp, Salisbury, UK. From 1914-1918, he was ranked a Private, (later thought to become a Corporal), with an A.S.C. Medical Transport unit; there is little known about his role and where he was located during this time. He was latterly awarded the British War and Victory medals. By the 1930s, Fred was working as a General Labourer back in Plymouth, where, following a previous marriage, he married my Great Aunt, Delsie Selina Sophia White, on the 9th April 1948. He died at the age of 65, in 1952 and is buried at Ford Park Cemetery, Plymouth, UK.

Postcards from Frederick Clegg to his sisters