Red Serge

File:RCMP with serge.jpg

Full Red Serge outfit with boots and hat

The Red Serge refers to the jacket of the dress uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It consists of a scarlet British military pattern tunic, replete with a high neck collar and shoulder epaulets of navy blue (some officer uniforms have navy blue lower sleeves near the wrist, while senior officers wear a metallic belt not a leather Sam Browne and shoulder cross strap), polished brass buttons, and gold coloured metal or embroidered badges and insignia (all worn over a white cotton T-shirt). The riding breeches (pants) are "midnight blue" (virtually black) which bulge at the thigh in keeping with traditional cut with a yellow strapping (stripe) down the outside seam of each leg. The breeches are always worn with braces. Finishing off the Red Serge are brown leather riding boots, known as High Browns, a chocolate brown wide-brimmed stetson with a glass-flat brim (prior to 1904, a white, topi-style of pith helmet was standard issue however plainsmen often preferred to ride wearing non-regulation cowboy hats.), and the ever-present side-arm in a brown leather holster on a brown Sam Browne belt. A white pistol lanyard is worn around the neck and connected to the side arm. There is a brown leather compartment for carrying handcuffs and ammunition for the sidearm.

An RCMP officer wearing the Red Serge is an internationally recognized Canadian icon. This order of dress is referred to as "Review Order".

The Red Serge is not worn when an officer is on duty during a normal shift, but reserved for occasions such as civic ceremonies, as a visual representative of the security force for government dignitaries, and during public relations–related special events such as school career days. Members also march in funerals for police officers wearing the traditional Red Serge.

The Red Serge is also worn with pride by the Members during special personal events, such as the wedding ceremony of a fellow Member, where it is not uncommon for an entire detachment of a small community to wear the Red Serge as an honour guard for the bride and groom at their wedding ceremony. Usually, if the groom is a Member, he will be married in his Red Serge, foregoing the more traditional tuxedo. Though not as common, if the bride is a Member she may also wear her Red Serge on her wedding day.

During his stint in World Wrestling Entertainment, Jacques Rougeau wore a red serge outfit to play his character of "The Mountie", however due to protests by the RCMP, the WWE mentioned repeatedly during his match, that he was not a "true representative of the Mounties."

The Officers' Mess Uniform has a scarlet red cutaway jacket.

External links

There was a 1986 TV Show on CBC with this title.

• CBC TV Show: 'Red Serge'
• IMDB TV Show: 'Red Serge'
• RCMP: History of the NWMP Uniform
• RCMP: Information on Badges & Insignia worn on the uniform.