Service dress jacket: Sergeant S R McDougall, 47th Battalion, AIF

Australian Army khaki woollen service dress jacket made from Imperial Cloth. The jacket is fitted with leather buttons, Sergeant's chevrons, general service collar badges, Lewis Gunner Proficiency (first version) badge and 47th Battalion colour patches.

Worn by 4061 Sergeant Stanley Robert McDougall, 47th Battalion AIF during the action he recieved the Victoria Cross at Dernancourt, France, on 28 March 1918. The jacket was handed over to the Australian War Records Section shortly after the action. It was displayed for several decades at the Australian War Memorial with unoriginal medal ribbons for the Victoria Cross and Military Medal.

Stanley Robert 'Stan' McDougall was born in Recherche, Tasmania on 23 July 1889 and became a blacksmith. He enlisted in August 1915 and fought at Pozieres, Messines and Broodseinde and was promoted to sergeant in January 1918.

At Dernancourt on 28 March, when he saw the enemy knock out a Lewis gun position, McDougall attacked two German machine-gun teams, killing their crews by 'hosing' them with the Lewis. He then attacked a second wave of Germans, burning his hands on the hot barrel casing of his gun. When a German officer aimed his pistol at some Australians, McDougall killed him with rifle and bayonet. Twenty-two Germans were killed and 30 were captured, largely as a result of McDougall's actions. For his actions at Dernancourt he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Eight days later, at the same place, McDougall won the Military Medal, taking over the platoon when his commander was killed.

After the war McDougall became an officer with the Tasmanian Forestry Department, and later, as inspector-in-charge of forests in north-east Tasmania, he performed outstanding work during bushfire periods. McDougall died in Scottsdale on 7 July 1968.