Full Dress Pantaloons : Quartermaster-Sergeant H Looney, Victorian Horse Artillery

Dark blue wool twill pantaloons with a wide scarlet worsted wool tape stripe on each outer leg. This current tape may not be the original and may have been replaced before being acquired by the War Memorial. The hems are cut straight and bound with a narrow cotton twill tape. The waistband is lined with a blue striped cotton twill fabric and is stamped with 'No 7' in black ink. The front welt pocket is lined with unbleached cotton drill and is stamped in ink with 'V.H.A'. The concealed button fly opening has a variety of coated metal buttons. The outer waistband is also buttoned and there is a strap and buckle at the centre back waist for size adjustment. The pantaloons are not reinforced at the knees or seat.

Worn by Quartermaster-Sergeant (QMS) Harry Looney. QMS Looney was born circa 1847 and entered into the service of Sir William Clarke, a Victorian landowner, in 1868. He became head coachman at Rupertswood, the Clarke family estate at Sunbury, Victoria, and Sir William's trusted retainer. In 1884 Sir William fostered a militia corps called the Victorian Nordenfeldt Battery, also known as Rupertswood Battery or the Sunbury Regiment of the Victorian Horse Artillery. Looney was appointed as the battery's first sergeant and 12 1/2 years later was promoted to the rank of quartermaster-sergeant. He served with the battery until it was disbanded in June 1897, shortly after the death of Sir William. During his period of service Looney won numerous military contest medals and awards. He was also part of the Rupertswood contingent which competed in a Royal Military Tournament in England in 1893, where his team came second in the riding and jumping section of the competition. At the age of 60 he qualified as a veterinary surgeon. These pantaloons and other memorabilia were displayed in the waiting room of his surgery in Sunbury, Victoria. Looney died in 1930.