The Great War for Civilization 02/04/2013 by Courtney Jason When this WWI Army jacket came to Museum Textile Services, we did not know too much about it. According to the client, it had belonged to their grandfather, who was an Irish immigrant who enlisted to escape the orphanage he was living in. Beyond that, the rest was unclear. In the intervening weeks, much has come to light about Alexander G. McLean, his uniform, and his service in the Great War for Civilization.
McLean's WWI jacket before conservation. McLean's army jacket is a 1917 pattern jacket, which is distinguishable from the earlier 1912 pattern by a single line of stitching around the sleeve cuffs. Details like this can be