Officer's undress jacket : Lieutenant Commander A E R Fox, RANVR

Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve officer's black cloth undress or 'monkey' jacket. The double breasted jacket has turn back lapels, two rows of four gilded brass RAN officer's buttons, made by Stokes and Sons, Melbourne, an inset welt pocket on the left breast, two inset welt pockets over each hip, and short back vents. Each cuff bears gold 'wavy' lace for a volunteer reserve officer lieutenant commander, with emerald green cloth inserts for Special Branch, which is attached to the front of the cuff only and does not extend all the way around the sleeve. The body of the jacket is lined with black polished cotton and the sleeves with white cotton. There is an inset pocket in the right front lining. The inside left front of the jacket has two black plastic buttons which fasten in to the top and bottom buttonholes, beside the right hand row of buttons, to secure the weight of the fabric. The left breast bears medal ribbons for 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, British War Medal and Australia Service Medal. An embroidered manufacturer's label 'M.TX' is sewn to the lining of the neck, and is further marked in black ink 'FOX'.

Worn by Lieutenant Commander Albert Edward Reginald 'Reg' Fox during his service as a Special Branch officer with the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RANVR) during the Second World War. Fox was born on Portsmouth, England, in 1910. He joined the RANVR in Sydney on 10 January 1942 and was allocated to Special Branch, specialising in communications. In July 1943 he was posted to HMAS Basilisk, the navy's shore base at Port Moresby in New Guinea, which was responsible for training naval beach commandos. In October of the same year Fox was transferred to HMAS Ladava, the shore base at Milne Bay. From April 1944 until his discharge on 19 February 1946 he was posted to Navy Office in Australia.