Autographed Other Ranks British Army greatcoat : Lieutenant Colonel R A W Whitby, 143 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

Other Ranks British Army pattern single-breasted khaki greatcoat, secured with 5 plastic buttons. The left breast features the regimental badge of the Royal Corps of Signals. The greatcoat is decorated with 47 signatures of Australian and allied servicemen, which have been over-embroidered in red, green, yellow, mauve, blue and black stitching. Many of these signatures belong to English servicemen, with lesser Canadian and American representation. Of the 47 signatures, six are Australian: Flight Sergeant W McClune, E J Laurer [sic], Sergeant J W C Morris, Sergeant M J Bell, Squadron Leader R S O Marshall and A A McLean [sic].

This greatcoat is associated with the Second World War service of 242280 Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Augustine Wilson Whitby, 143 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. In 1940 to 1941, Whitby was stationed at Akureyri in Iceland where he served as the Signals Sergeant to the Regiment. He acquired a single breasted great coat and removed the metal buttons and used it as a dressing gown.

Ships carrying servicemen to Scotland using the North Atlantic route via Iceland, docked at Reykjavik for two to three days while conveys were assembled for the final leg of the voyage. They had been trained in Canada as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Although forbidden to leave their ships, young pilots would seek out nearby messes to socialise. Large numbers of pilots sought out the Officers and Sergeant's messes of the 143 Field Regiment at Akureyri, some distance from Reykjavik. One night some of these visitors autographed Whitby's 'dressing gown' with chinograph pencil. When time allowed, he embroidered over the signatures in coloured wool. Four of the six Australian servicemen represented later died: Sergeant J W C Morris, Sergeant M J Bell, Squadron Leader R S O Marshall and A A McLean.