The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Australian Flying Corps (AFC) officer's khaki wool gabardine service dress tunic with pointed cuffs, pleated breast pockets with triple pointed flaps, and expanding hip pockets with rectangular flaps. Above the left breast pocket is a ribbon bar for the Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, and Victory Medal. Tufts in the fabric above the ribbon bar indicate that an observer's brevet was once fitted to the jacket but it has been removed. A brass belt hook is fitted on both sides of the waist. The general service 'Rising Sun' collar badges, lieutenant's rank insignia, curved 'AUSTRALIA' shoulder titles, and Australian Military Forces buttons are all oxidised brass. AFC colour patches are sewn onto both upper sleeves. Above the point of the right cuff is a woven cotton overseas service chevron with four blue stripes. Sewn above the point of the left cuff is a gold bullion braid wound stripe on a khaki wool backing. The tunic is lined with khaki cotton and the sleeves with cream cotton. There is an inset breast pocket in the lining of the left breast. The tailor's name is printed on a white label, which is sewn onto the lining of the pocket on the inside. 'JHR / F6883 / Lt A S Paterson / 9818 Aus: F C' has also been written on the same label.
This jacket was worn by Lieutenant (Observer) Alec Stewart Paterson, No. 3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps (AFC). He enlisted as a bombardier, with the service number SN 8431, in the AIF field artillery at Adelaide on 18 August 1915, and was awarded the Military Medal in December 1916. Paterson was transferred to the AFC on 26 July 1917 and was commissioned with the rank of lieutenant. He attended the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) Gunnery School in Kent and a course at 'B' Flight Artillery Cooperation Squadron RFC, both in August, and then the Australian Sub-Pool Wireless & Observers School, Hursley Park, Winchester, in November, before being posted to 3 Squadron.
While on patrol with Captain (flight commander) J R Duigan on 22 April 1918, he is credited with being the first to detect the German railway gun that was shelling Amiens from Harbonnieres. The railway gun was captured by 31 Battalion AIF on 8 August and subsequently sent to the Australian War Memorial. It is now referred to as the 'Amiens Gun' and is in the AWM collection at REL/19643.
On 9 May his RE8 aircraft was attacked by four German triplanes whilst on a photography patrol over Villers-Bretonneux. He and Duigan were both wounded in the engagement but they managed to fly their aircraft back to their own lines. Taken to 8 General Hospital suffering gunshot wounds to the right arm, head, right shoulder, left hand and right foot, he was later moved from there to the Central RFC Hospital in Hampstead, England, and invalided home to Australia on 12 December 1918.
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