Service dress tunic : Trooper R R Clayton, 15 Light Horse Regiment, AIF Accession Number: REL/10351

Description

Khaki wool twill tunic with stand and fall collar and oxidised brass Rising Sun (general service) badges at front collar edges secured with split brass pins. Khaki wool shoulder straps are secured to the tunic with a small brown plastic button and each has voided oxidised brass 'AUSTRALIA' and 'LH' shoulder titles. Front of tunic has four patch pockets with pointed flaps and brown plastic buttons; the two breast pockets are box pleated and the pair below, attached to the waistband, are larger and expanding. Wide waistband is secured with a brass buckle. Tunic is fastened at a placketed front with five brown plastic buttons. At the top of each sleeve is a triangular, green over red, diagonally divided wool colour patch for 15 Light Horse Regiment. Sleeves are gathered into straight cuffs secured with a brown plastic button. Above the cuff on the right sleeve are four embroidered cotton, blue on khaki, overseas service chevrons. The back of the tunic has a 50mm wide box pleat running down the centre from the base of the neck yoke. The tunic is unlined and a Commonwealth Government Clothing Factory stamp is visible at the inside right shoulder; 'CCF' above an upward pointing broad arrow, within a circle of the words, only partially visible, 'COMMONWEALTH AUSTRALIA'. Also on the upper back yoke are a series of stamped numbers and the wearer's name in purple indelible pencil 'R. R. CLAYTON.'. At the inside lower right front is a patch pocket for a shell dressing.

Contextual Description

Worn by 2458 Trooper Rupert Reginald Clayton who enlisted in the AIF on 29 November 1915, aged 21 years. Born at St Kilda, Melbourne, Clayton departed for overseas service with the 17th Reinforcements of 6 Light Horse Regiment on the troopship 'Port Macquarie' on 26 April 1916. He transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps (ICC) in July 1916 and took part in operations at Magdhaba, Rafa and the Battles of Gaza. In July 1918 he transferred to the 15 Light Horse Regiment, formed from members of the Australian companies of the ICC after it disbanded in June 1918. Clayton returned to Australia on 26 July 1919. This tunic was possibly issued to him especially for his return.

Details

Conflicts

• Period 1910-1919
• First World War, 1914-1918

Places

• Egypt
• Palestine
• Australia

Units

• 6th Australian Light Horse Regiment
• 15th Australian Light Horse Regiment
• 3rd Australian Camel Battalion

Tags

• Tunics