Mess dress waistcoat : Lieutenant Colonel T I C Williams, Australian Field Artillery

Scarlet superfine wool single-breasted waistcoat with round front, fastened at the front with four small gilded brass Australian Commonwealth Edward VII buttons. A diagonally placed inset pocket sits at each hip. The back of the waistcoat is made from scarlet twill silk, and the lining from fine weave cream cotton twill. A scarlet silk adjustment belt with a double-pronged white metal buckle is attached to the back of the waistcoat.

Thomas Isaac Cornwall Williams was born on 23 July 1880, and worked in civilian life as a dental surgeon. Before the outbreak of the First World War, he held the rank of captain in the Citizens Military Force, commanding the 11th Battery, Australian Field Artillery. He had been commissioned a second lieutenant in September 1909.

Williams enlisted in the AIF on 20 October 1915 and was appointed a major in the 4th Division Artillery, in 15th Field Artillery Brigade, which left Australia on 18 November 1915 aboard HMAT A34 'Persic'. After arriving in Egypt Williams joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force which was stationed at the Suez Canal. He remained there, helping with the defence of Egypt, until March 1916 when the 4th Division moved to France for service on the Western Front.

In July 1916 Williams was transferred to the 10th Field Artillery Brigade (FAB), 4th Division and undertook a course in gunnery at the school of instruction in England. After his return to France, he was transferred to the command of 39th Battery,10th FAB. Williams was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 4 March 1917 for 'specially meritorious service and devotion to duty as Battery Commander in FRANCE, from June 1916 to February 25th 1917, particularly in operations on FROMELLES front on 19/7/16, when, in a wire cutting task, he remained in Front Line trenches all day under heavy artillery fire; Also during operations in YPRES Sector, from August 27th to November 1st 1916, and in GUEUDECOURT Sector (SOMME) on nights 31st January/1st February and 4/2/17 during attacks of 4th Australian Division on STORMY Trench'.

In November 1917, Williams was promoted to lieutenant -colonel, and after a short period of work at 4th Division Artillery Headquarters and 12th FAB, returned to the command of 39th Battery. Later, in September 1918, Williams was awarded the French Croix de Guerre 'avec Etoile de Vermeil', 'for conspicuous devotion to duty.... particularly during the critical period at VILLERS-BRETONNEUX from 4th May to 3rd June 1918. The sterling work and enduring energy of this officer was not only invaluable to the 10th Aust. F. A. Brigade.... but his cheery and sustained efforts under often most trying and anxious conditions did much to develop to the utmost the prompt and timely fire action of his guns, and in promoting that cordial co-operation and close liaison between ourselves and the 37th French Divisional Artillery'. Williams was also twice mentioned in despatches for his consistent good work and devotion to duty as commanding officer of the 39th Battery during the battles of the Somme, Bullecourt and Messines, and as brigade commander 10th FAB during the battles of Passchendaele, Dernancourt , Villers-Bretonneux and the attacks and subsequent breaking of the Hindenburg Line. Williams returned to Australia on the 'Bremen' in March 1919. His appointment in the AIF was terminated on 8 March 1920.

Williams rejoined the Citizen Military Forces in the same year, commanding 6 FAB from 1920-1921; 14 FAB in 1921, then 21 FAB in 1921-1922. He was appointed to command of the field artillery attached to the 1st Infantry Division in 1922 until 1929. Williams was promoted to colonel in March 1926. In May he received the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Volunteer Officer's decoration for his 'efficient and capable' service in the Volunteer Force for twenty years. He died in London on 27 April 1967.

This mess uniform appears to have been made for Williams when he was first commissioned in the Citizens Force in 1909.