When Sir Winston Churchill past away the funeral took place on an absolutely freezing cold January morning. The order of the day came down that the dress would be great coat and gloves. The Royal Navy politely declined to wear winter rig which would have been for the sailors blue sea jerseys and great coats. Instead they wore the much smarter summer white fronts and no great coat. The Army and the Junior service insisted it would be full winter clothing as it was indeed EXTREMELY cold and the men could not be expected to stand out in the freezing cold wearing summer rig!
A man has to do what a man has to do and Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man.
A real Naval Officer would have stood up and very politely declined the offer of those embarrassing life jackets and whilst I am in full moan mode should the coxswain have been wearing a jacket and tie!
The Yachties had a unique uniform which was different from that worn by General Service sailors which makes me suspect that it was quite possible the full uniforms might not have been available? (question for Jim)