The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Beige cotton working overall dress buttoning down the length of the centre front with nine whitemetal Australian Military Forces buttons. The collar and cuffs of the short sleeves are piped with a narrow cerise band. The front bodice is shaped at the shoulder by a series of vertical tucks, darts at the bust and loose pleats at the waist. The 'A' line skirt, constructed in three panels, is shaped by darts at the waist. Each sleeve is shaped at the cap by a series of tucks. The centre back of the bodice has an inverted pleat for ease of wear, and the back skirt has an inverted pleat opening half way down its length. There are patch pockets over each front hip. The self fabric belt is missing. An original repair can be seen on the right centre front. There are also fabric separations beside each armhole due to the type of work carried out by physiotherapists.
Worn by NX70312 Lieutenant Joan Holland Somerville who was born in Sydney in 1915 and trained as a physiotherapist. She joined the Army Physiotherapy Service on 17 September 1940 and was posted to 2/1 Hospital Ship 'Manunda'. The ship was damaged by bombs during the first Japanese raid on Darwin, on 19 February 1942, and a number of her crew and staff were killed or injured. Lieutenant Somerville was seriously wounded by shrapnel. The original repair to the dress on the centre front beside the third button from the top shows the site of the main injury sustained by Somerville. 'Manunda' underwent emergency repairs on the night of 19 February and was able to sail for Fremantle late on the following day, carrying 190 sick and wounded from the raid. Joan Somerville was discharged from service on 1 March 1942.
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