RAAF battledress blouse : Flight Lieutenant B J Mattingley, 460 Squadron RAAF

RAAF blue battledress blouse with fold down collar and two pleated patch breast pockets with concealed button closure. The blouse fastens down the centre with five black plastic buttons, and at the throat by a pair of hooks and eyes. Between the second and third buttons is a large burn hole. The belted waist is gathered and fastened by a blackened brass buckle. The cuffs of the sleeve are fastened by concealed buttons.The blouse also has a self fabric strap on each shoulder secured by a black plastic button. The inside of the collar, cuffs, waist and placket are lined with a dark blue cotton fabric. The fabric lining the rear waistband has two button holes for securing the trousers. There is a side opening internal pocket on the left hand side. A white cotton label stitched inside the right side reads 'WAR SERVICE DRESS BLOUSE, R.A.A.F. Size No 13' followed by sizing and makers details, a Broad Arrow, and the date '1944'.

Worn by 432530 Flight Lieutenant Brian John Mattingley, who was born in Launceston, Tasmania in October 1914.

A school teacher at the Armidale School in New South Wales, Mattingley first enlisted in the militia on 9 July 1941. He served with the number N276471 as a private in the legal section of Headquarters 2nd Australian Army and was discharged on 1 January 1943. T

The next day Mattingley joined the RAAF in Sydney. Accepted as a candidate for air crew he undertook training at Mt Gambier and at the Air Gunnery School at West Sale in victoria before transferring to 2 Air Navigation School at Nhill on 18 October 1943. After graduation and commissioning as a pilot officer he embarked from Sydney for England on 12 December 1943, arriving there at the end of January 1944.

Mattingley was posted to 460 Squadron RAAF on 9 May 1944 and promoted to flying officer. Between October 1944 and March 1945 he completed 36 operational sorties over Germany in Lancaster bombers. In 1945 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for completing 'numerous operations against the enemy, in the course of which he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty.' Mattingley was promoted to flight lieutenant shortly before he returned to Australia at the beginning of 1946 and was discharged in February. He returned to teaching at the Armidale School, retiring in 1979 to Tasmania, where he was ordained as an Anglican priest. He died in 2005.