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

Officer's double breasted, heavy black cloth greatcoat, with six pairs of gilded brass RAN officer's buttons, made by Stokes and Sons, Melbourne. The coat has inset pockets, with rectangular flaps, over each hip. There is a vertical slit in the side seam above the left pocket to allow a sword and belt to be worn. The back of the coat has an inverted pleat extending from the upper back to the hem for ease of wear. A detachable self-fabric strap, secured by two gilded brass RAN officer's buttons, holds the pleat closed at waist level. There is a long back vent within the pleat that can be left open, or closed with three black plastic buttons. Shoulder boards bearing 'wavy' RANVR gold lace rank stripes for a lieutenant commander, with emerald green cloth inserts for Special Branch, are sewn to each shoulder and are further secured by small gilded brass officer's buttons. The coat has a three quarter length black polished cotton lining. The sleeves are lined with dark blue and white striped cotton.

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.