Double breasted brown cotton moleskin jacket : Flieger-Ersatz-Abtielung 1

German Air Service (Luftstreitkrafte) double breasted brown cotton moleskin jacket in a style similar to the German Army 'Kleine Rock' pattern. The two vertical rows of six opposing silver coloured metal buttons down the front of the jacket bear the Prussian crown. Both rows of buttons have been sewn onto a supplementary narrow vertical strip of fabric that starts beneath the collar flap and ends in a point just below the bottom button. The collar patches on the stand and fall collar have red edging but the badges that were fitted in the middle are missing. There is a button on the underside of the right collar flap and a 100m long strap with a button on both ends under the left flap. The cloth badge of Flieger-Ersatz-Abtielung 1, which is a red winged-propellor badge above a '1', has been sewn onto both of the dark grey leather shoulder straps. The shoulder straps have no piping and are sewn down along all sides. A pocket with a buttoned flap, which slopes downward from the front to the back, has been let into both hips. A pair of grey plastic buttons are fitted to both of the plain cuffs. A tailor's label has been sewn inside the back of the collar and there is also a military compliance stamp, 'FL.B.1. / 1915', inside the left front panel. '43 100 45 / 79 96 66' has been written on a white label that is sewn onto the inside of the right breast. The collar liner, which is laced into place, is made from the same field grey cotton fabric that has been used to fully line the jacket. Two pockets that have a slit opening have been let into the lining of the left front panel. The one at the bottom has a button. Beneath both armpits are straps that help to support the 'kriegsmetal' belt hooks on both sides of the waist.

This jacket was found on the Somme on 8 August 1918. Details of the wearer's service are unknown but he served in Flieger-Ersatz-Abtielung 1 (FEA 1), a unit that provided replacement flyers to the German Air Service (Luftstreitkrafte).

• Trousers : Flieger-Ersatz-Abtielung 1