Jacket : Chief Petty Officer Stoker W E R Whitehead, Royal Australian Navy

Double breasted blue serge coat as worn in No 2 dress. The coat has no vents, welt pockets with square edged flaps over each hip, two rows of three brass buttons with king's crown, fouled anchor and 'AUSTRALIA' at the front, and a horizontal row of three of the same buttons on each cuff, indicating the rate of Chief Petty Officer. There are gold bullion embroidered collar badges on each lapel, showing a three bladed propeller surmounted by a king's crown, for Chief Petty Officer Stoker. There are medal ribbons on the left breast for 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal and the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. The body of the jacket is lined with black polished cotton, and the sleeves with blue and white striped cotton. Three welt pockets are set into the front lining. A woven manufacturer's label 'M.TX' is sewn inside the neck.

Associated with the service of Chief Petty Officer William Edward Richard 'Popeye' Whitehead. Whitehead was born in Maidstone, Kent in 1889, and entered the Royal Navy on 19 March 1908, where he specialised as a stoker. In 1916 he was promoted to Chief Stoker. In June 1922 Whitehead left the Royal Navy and transferred to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), leaving his wife and three small children behind in England. In Australia he reverted to the rate of Able Seaman and was assigned the service number 404. He travelled to England in 1925 and returned with his wife and children in 1926. Whitehead had no seagoing postings during his service with the RAN and was posted to various shore establishments in Victoria. He was an expert on fuel quality and in 1936 he was selected as caretaker of the Oil Fuel Installation at Newport, Victoria. His ability was always assessed as superior and he was eventually was awarded three good conduct stripes. In April 1942 he was again promoted to Chief Petty Officer Stoker. Whitehead was discharged on 21 December 1945.