Khaki woollen service dress jacket : Second Lieutenant F E Massey, 13 Battalion AIF

Other ranks khaki wool serge service dress jacket with stand and fall collar, pleated breast pockets, large expanding pockets over each hip, a self-fabric belt fastened with bass slide and a box pleat that extends from the back yoke to the bottom of the skirt. The jacket is fastened with five brown plastic buttons down the centre front. Each side of the collar has an oxidised Rising Sun badge, each shoulder strap has an oxidised 'AUSTRALIA' title. A horizontally divided colour patch of light blue and navy, for the 13th Battalion, is sewn to the top of each sleeve.

Worn by Lieutenant Frank Edward Massey of the 13th Battalion, until it was handed over to the Australian War Records Section (AWRS) on 18 September 1918. Born in London on 24 July 1896, Massey migrated to Australia prior to the First World War. He enlisted in the AIF on 16 August 1915, with the service number 3850. At Mouquet Farm, on 29 August 1916, Massey went out alone into no-man’s-land to scout ahead, under heavy fire, allowing for the battalion bombers to move to the best possible position at a crucial time. For this he was awarded the Military Medal. That same day he was wounded in both thighs and his back.

Massey was wounded by shrapnel to the left leg during the First Battle of Bullecourt on 11 April 1917. On 2 April 1918 he was leading a patrol in no-man’s-land near Hebuterne, when it came under heavy fire. The patrol scattered, but Massey moved to within 50 yards of the enemy positions to save a wounded comrade under fire. For this action he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Massey was commissioned a second lieutenant at the beginning of August. On 18 September his battalion was attacking south of Le Verguier, the final German strong point before the Hindenburg Line. After the attack Massey handed his complete uniform and equipment to the AWRS. It was one of at least thirteen collected by the unit during the war for the future National Collection.

Massey returned to Australia in July 1919. In December 1921 he was returning home at night and attempted to jump a railway line. Misjudging the leap his foot became wedged under the rail and he knocked himself out. He woke up before the next train passed, but was unable to remove his foot, which was amputated by the passing train. He recovered from his injury, and went on to work as a bootmaker, eventually opening a successful shop. Massey died on 10 October 1992.

The uniform that Massey handed over to the AWRS was first put on display as 'The Junior Officer' at the Australian War Museum Exhibition in Melbourne in 1922. When the Australian War Memorial opened in 1941 the uniform was once again on display, as 'Full Marching Order'. It remained on display until the 1980s, but was never publicly attributed to Lieutenant Massey.

• Spoon : Lieutenant F E Massey, 13 Battalion AIF
• Dinner knife : Lieutenant F E Massey, 13 Battalion AIF
• Dinner fork : Lieutenant F E Massey, 13 Battalion AIF