The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Naval officers full dress coat. The double breasted blue superfine wool coat has a double row of eight buttons, and skirt tails lined with white kerseymere. The tails have concealed inset pockets of white cotton. There is a loose vertical pleat down the outside of each skirt tail with a gilt button at the waist and the bottom of the skirt. The top of each skirt has pointed blue flaps edged with gold lace, with three buttons underneath them.
The body of the coat is lined with ribbed white rayon (a later addition over the disintegrating original white silk), as well as plain quilted white silk over the breast and under the arms of the coat. The inside waist is reinforced with a band of leather that is secured with a gilded brass clasp. The side seams on the outside waist have gilded brass hooks to secure a sword belt.
The white cloth stand collar, lined with black silk, is edged with gold lace and fastened with two hooks. Each sleeve has 'wavy' gold braid rank insignia for a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve. The cuffs are slashed with white pointed cloth with three buttons, and edged with gold lace. All buttons on the coat are gilded brass and bear the crown, anchor and 'RNR' insignia of an officer of the Royal Naval Reserve.
This naval officer's full dress coat was worn by Lieutenant Gerald Ashby Hill, who served in the Royal Naval Reserve.
Hill was born at Birmingham, England in 1880. He had already qualified as a master mariner in the Merchant Navy when he was taken on strength in the Royal Naval Reserve as a sub-lieutenant in 1909.
Hill was promoted to lieutenant in 1913 and in May that year was lent for duty aboard HMAS Australia. He was a member of the Military (sea-going) Branch and had completed short courses in signalling, gunnery and torpedoes.
This was typical of experienced merchant seaman who were recruited and trained by the Royal Navy and then sent to Australia to assist with development and training in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), which had been established in 1911. Hill was posted to HMAS Yarra in July 1914 and took part in the seizure of German New Britain by the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (ANMEF).
Hill commanded one of the columns sent to capture the Bitapaka Road on 11 September 1914 and was the first member of the Australian forces to capture an armed enemy force in the First World War. He transferred to the RAN in 1915 and served in HMAS Torrens in European waters for the rest of the war. Hill retired in 1920 and settled in Sydney, dying there in 1931.
Naval officers blue superfine wool mess jacket lined with self fabric, black silk and white cotton. The double breasted jacket has a turn down collar, six button holes in each row (four in the turn of
Pair of officers navy blue mess undress trousers with a five button fly. Trousers are cut high at the back waist and are shaped with darts to give a close fit over the buttocks. the waist is lined wit
Naval officers full dress black 'beaver' cocked hat lined with loosely pleated white silk and a leather sweatband. The upper edge of the hat is bordered with black silk lace woven in an oak leaf and a
Pair of naval officers full dress epaulettes lined with black leather stamped in gold with the manufacturer's details. The area that the epaulette rests on the end of the wearer's shoulder is made fro
Naval officer's tropical mess waistcoat. The single breasted low cut waistcoat with a roll collar, is fastened with four gilded brass Royal Navy officer's buttons. There are two small welt pockets set
Naval officer's undress sword belt. The black morocco leather belt and slings have gilded brass fittings. The belt also has a circular brass clasp bearing an embossed laurel leaf edge and a king's cro
Naval officers full dress black 'beaver' cocked hat lined with loosely pleated white silk and a leather sweatband. The upper edge of the hat is bordered with black silk lace woven in an oak leaf and a
Pair of naval officers full dress epaulettes lined with black leather stamped in gold with the manufacturer's details. The area that the epaulette rests on the end of the wearer's shoulder is made fro
Naval officers blue superfine wool mess jacket lined with self fabric, black silk and white cotton. The double breasted jacket has a turn down collar, six button holes in each row (four in the turn of
White unlined cotton drill jacket with white stand collar. Shoulders bear removable shoulder straps of black wool lined with unbleached cotton drill and decorated with gold lace for the rank of a lieu
Dark blue morocco leather Royal Artillery officer's sabretache. The front flap is covered in dark blue cloth edged with gold bullion artillery pattern lace. The centre bears raised gold bullion embroi
Naval officer's black 'beaver' cocked hat lined with loosely pleated white silk and a leather sweatband. The upper edge of the hat is edged with black silk lace woven in an oak leaf and acorn pattern.
