WW1 British Named Military Cross Winner Observer/Pilot RFC Maternity Tunic With Berkshire Regiment Interest

A historically fascinating Royal Flying Corps tunic named to Observer/Pilot Captain E.E Burney who served with 59 Squadron on the Western Front in 1916 & won the Military Cross serving with the Berkshire regiment in February 1915 prior to joining the RFC.
This wonderful plastron fronted tunic is in the wrapover 'maternity' style so called for its resemblance to clothing worn by pregnant women. There is an 'Abbot & Co, Conduit St ' tailors label to the inside breast pocket giving the date '20/1/17' & his name written as ' Lt E.Burney R.F.C. ' . There is also a number ' 6699' which , as officers did not have service numbers in WW1 , would likely be the tailors reference for this man so as his measurements & details could be kept on file for future orders. The originally sewn embroidered on blue cloth RFC Flying badge is present to left breast & his Military Cross & 1914 Star medal ribbons mounted beneath. Each shoulder has three worsted rank pips for captain & there are bronze RFC officer collars. Upon close examination of the collars it is very clearly evident that these have never been off of the tunic with correlating wear indentation to the collar cloth underneath & also some oxidisation to the underside which has bled into the cloth. These are not seen on all RFC tunics it seemingly being down to the individual preference of the officer. There is plenty of period photographic evidence showing them with & without in wartime wear. The tunic is fastened by five concealed buttons to its right side with a double press stud arrangement to the top of the right shoulder. All of these fastenings are 100% original to the tunic. With a thick champagne lined lining showing heavy wear to the inside collar area there is a double hook & eye fastening to the stand & fall collar.
In quite excellent condition there are one or two surface moth nips seen only upon close examination.
I have carried out research on Burney hence the information here & will forward what I have in the form of his service record upon sale.

In brief, Edmund Ernest Burney was born on 2/6/1890 & went to R.M.A Sandhurst from 1911-1912. He initially joined the 1st Royal Berkshires & disembarked to France on 13/8/1914 . He won the Military Cross on 20/2/1915 & was Mentioned In Despatches 22/6/15. Promoted to Lieutenant on 1/6/16 he transferred to the RFC in mid 1916 joining 59 Squadron on 29/9/16. No.59 Squadron was formed at Narborough Airfield in Norfolk on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. On 13 February 1917, the Squadron crossed the English Channel, deploying to Saint-Omer in northern France to operate in the army co-operation role . There is alot of information on his service records still left to decipher however he is distinctly shown as an Artillery Observer /Pilot hence his RFC flying badge. Awards won were the Military Cross & the 1914 Star .

Code: 9544