1903 Service Dress - An Extremely rare 87th Battalion CEF Uniform (7 Button) with 6 Celluloid Photograph attributed to Guardsman David Viger Plamondon (3160989)

Object/Artifact

Musée Canadian Grenadier Guards Museum

Name/Title

1903 Service Dress - An Extremely rare 87th Battalion CEF Uniform (7 Button) with 6" Celluloid Photograph attributed to Guardsman David Viger Plamondon (3160989)

Description

For Museum records only - Part of the Lieutenant Michael A. Hayes-Rivet (MHR) Trust Collection *** FOR ARCHIVE PURPOSES ONLY - ARTIFACT NOT PART OF MUSEUM COLLECTION *** *** The only known original and attributed example of an early CEF 7-Button 87th Bn Tunic to exist *** An Extremely rare and Named WWI 7-Button 1903 Canadian Pattern Service Dress with soft cap and MK1 Canadian Grenadier Guards Brodie Helmet with CGG Decal of Private David Viger Plamondon. (Less than 71,000 7-button uniforms were issued from 1914-15 and as a result of battle wear and exchange, fewer than 750 survive today of which half would be in museums) Born on Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Quebec in 1895, Private Plamondon 3160989 was Part of the 92nd draft from University of Laval in May 1918. He was shipped overseas to and eventually posted to the 87th Battalion CGG in France on the 9th of November 1918 until demobilization (May 7th, 1919). Guardsman Plamondon is one of the last CEF members to join the 87th Battalion during the final days of fighting (prior to 11th November 1918). The uniform came with a metal photo disk with Guardsman Plamondon's photo along with other family related documents and relics. This uniform had several distinctive features such as: 1. Gauntlet styled cuffs, 2. 7-buttons front, 3. Plain khaki sewn-in shoulder straps that replaced detachable blue coloured straps 4. Front breast pockets (box pleated) with scalloped flaps. 5. Two hip pockets with no buttons 6. 4th Division 11th Brigade battle patches on each arm. 7. Issued with a purple service chevron badge denoting 2 years of service (1918-1919) ** a red service chevron would have denoted a 1914/15 soldier 8. British War Medal Ribbon (issued 26 July 1919) denoting that this tunic was most likely worn returning to Montreal during the final days of WW1 and demobilization. 9. Original 'GG/Canada' with grenades shoulder badges and rare 'C/87' collar badges

Created By

Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.

Create Date

January 24, 2022

Updated By

Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.

Update Date

January 3, 2026