Marine engineers eppauletes purple base query?

Question

some body told me it was granted by the queen of England.is it true.

Answer 1

it's an old English tradition that came with the advent of machinery   ie:

engineers,purple.ellectricians,green.m... shipwrights grey. it was done as identification so they new who was who.

an unofficial tradition was to wear coloured cummerbunds with mess undress at nights as well.