Officer's service dress tunic : Lieutenant W H Bryan, 1 Division Medium Trench Mortar Battery, AIF

Australian army officer's khaki wool gabardine open-necked service dress tunic lined with khaki polished cotton, fastening with four buttons down the centre front. The tunic has self fabric shoulder straps, pointed cuffs, pleated breast pockets with three-pointed flaps and two large expanding pockets, with rectangular flaps, set over each hip. The self fabric waist band has a brass hook set into each side seam to support a Sam Browne belt. The shoulder straps bear brass rank insignia for lieutenant and miniature brass 'AUSTRALIA' shoulder titles. There are brass 'Rising Sun' collar badges on each lapel. The top of each sleeve bears wool flannel colour patches for 1 Division Artillery, bearing brass Anzac 'A's. The right sleeve also bears a blue embroidered exploding grenade below the colour patch, which was worn by members of Trench Mortar Batteries. There are four blue embroidered service chevrons above the point of the right cuff. A narrow ribbon bar is sewn above the left breast pocket with ribbons for Military Cross, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal. All the buttons on the tunic are brass Australian Military Forces ones. The sleeves are lined with cream polished cotton.

This jacket was worn by Lieutenant Walter Heywood Bryan, AIF, during his service in the First World War. The presence of the brass insignia and buttons, and ribbon bar indicates that it was later worn in the 1920s. Born in Brisbane, Bryan enlisted in the AIF on 24 May 1915 and served on Gallipoli, in Egypt and on the Western Front, with 1 Division Trench Mortar Batteries and Artillery. He was awarded the Military Cross for his role in action at Strazeele on 4-5 May 1918, whilst attached to XV Corps. His award recommendation states that 'by his coolness and bravery under most trying circumstances he set a magnificent example and inspired his men in a very difficult and dangerous task.'.