Places | |
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Accession Number | REL/17063 |
Collection type | Heraldry |
Object type | Uniform |
Physical description | Cotton twill, Oxidised brass, Wool gabardine |
Maker |
Unknown |
Date made | c 1916-1919 |
Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Service dress tunic : Captain C R Pinney, 6 Battalion, AIF
Khaki wool gabardine officer's service dress tunic with open lapel collar bearing oxidised brass general service Rising Sun collar badges. Each shoulder strap has three embroidered stars indicating the rank of captain and a curved voided oxidised brass AUSTRALIA title. Rectangular, horizontally aligned colour patches, divided red over purple for 6 Battalion, AIF, each with a brass A (Anzac), are worn on the top of each sleeve. The cuffs are pointed. There are five embroidered chevrons above the right cuff, one red from 1914 enlistment and four blue for the years 1915-1918. A brass wound stripe is carried on the left cuff. The tunic has a pair of pleated breast pockets with triple pointed buttoned flaps, and a pair of large expanding pockets attached to the integral waistband with straight buttoned flaps. A small coin pocket is concealed behind the waistband on the right side; there is a welt pocket into the inside left front. The pockets, shoulder straps and four button front fastening are secured by oxidised brass Australian Military forces buttons made by Jennens & Co Ltd London. A back vent extends from the centre back waist band to the bottom of the skirt. Silk medals ribbons for the Military Cross, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-1920 and Victory Medal are carried above the left breast pocket. There are brass belt hooks set into each side seam at the waist to support a Sam Brown belt. The upper body of the tunic is lined with khaki mercerised cotton/wool mix and the sleeves with khaki cotton twill.
Charles Robert Pinney was born at Benalla, Victoria in 1883. He was working as a draughtsman in the Lands Department in Port Moresby, New Guinea, where he had also been an active member of the armed constabulary, when he enlisted in the AIF while on a visit to his mother in Melbourne, on 24 September 1914. He was posted as a private to the machine gun section of 4 Light Horse Regiment, with the service number 550.
The regiment sailed for Egypt aboard HMAT A18 Wiltshire on 18 October 1914. After training there the regiment landed at Gallipoli, without their horses, between 22 and 24 May 1914. Pinney was wounded in the scalp at Ryrie's Post on 7 August and was evacuated to Lemnos for treatment and convalescence. Before he returned to Gallipoli he transferred to 5 Battalion, part of 2 Infantry Brigade, on 29 September, and on 17 October was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant. The battalion returned to Egypt in December.
Pinney was promoted to lieutenant in March 1916 shortly before the battalion moved to France for service on the Western Front. In April he was posted as an Intelligence officer to 2 Brigade headquarters. The Brigade took part in the battle of Pozieres in July 1916 before moving to the Ypres sector in Belgium. Pinney transferred to 6 Battalion on 2 October.
On 24 March 1917 Pinney was promoted to captain. He took part in the 3rd Battle of Ypres at Menin Road, Zonnebeke and Broodseinde Ridge. He was awarded the Military Cross for 'conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in charge of a company in an attack' at Decline Wood near Zonnebeke on 26 October 1917.
While on leave in England, on 30 January 1918, Pinney married Mary Murray, daughter of Sir Hubert Murray, lieutenant governor of Papua between 1908 and 1940. He was attached to the Overseas Training brigade at Tidworth He was then attached for duty with the Overseas Training Brigade in England, transferring to AIF Headquarters in February 1919, before being appointed Railway Transport Officer at Tidworth in June. Pinney returned to Australia aboard HMAT Wahehe at the end of 1919. His AIF appointment was terminated on 14 January 1920.
Charles Pinney was Administrator of Norfolk Island between 1932 and 1937. He died in November 1945.