Pair flying gauntlets : Australian Flying Corps

Pair of brown soft leather flying gauntlets with sheepskin lining. They are designed as mittens, but leave the thumb and index finger separate. The gauntlets do not appear to be a matching pair, with the proper right glove marked 'LT. P. C. REID. A. F. C.' while the proper left is marked 'LIEUT G. MACKINOLTY AFC.' and 'R. S. S. BROWN'. In addition the wool in the proper left gauntlet has been trimmed short, while the right gauntlet wool lining is still long and curly.

This pair of flying gauntlets was sent to the Australian War Memorial by the RAAF in 1929, in response to a request for flying clothing of the type used by the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) during the First World War. The gauntlets are also of the type used by the RAAF during the early 1920s. These two gauntlets have the names of three men who served in the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) during the First World War written on them:

10 Lieutenant Percy Colquhoun Reid was born in Hurstville NSW in 1895 and was a carpenter on enlistment in 4 Infantry Battalion, AIF on 17 August 1914. He served on both Gallipoli and the Western Front, before being selected for AFC Training on 14 March 1918. However, Reid was taken on strength by the Australian Corps Cyclist Battalion on 3 April and served in France with that unit until September. On 15 September he proceeded to England for AFC training. Reid was posted to 1 School of Aeronautics, Reading where he trained as a Flying Officer (Pilot) until 30 November when he marched into the AFC Depot. On 31 March 1919 he embarked for return to Australia aboard HMAT Khyber disembarking in Fremantle on 3 May. On 27 July Reid's appointment in the AIF was terminated.

43 Lieutenant George John William MacKinolty was born in Leongatha, Victoria in 1895 and was an air mechanic on enlistment in the AFC on 27 July 1915. He saw service in Egypt and India, where he was Mentioned in Despatches before being posted to 68 (Australian) Squadron, Royal Flying Corps (RFC) on 30 October 1916. Arriving in England on 30 January 1917 MacKinolty did not see any further active overseas service. He was promoted to lieutenant and graded as Equipment Officer Class III on 1 March 1918 before being posted for duty as an Officer Instructor with the AFC Depot. MacKinolty returned to Australia aboard HMAT Ulysses on 11 September 1920, arriving in Melbourne on 30 October. His appointment in the AIF was terminated on 4 January 1921.

Major Rolf Sanger Brown was born in Balmain, NSW on 29 January 1894 and was an Officer in the Permanent Forces on enlistment in the AFC on 6 January 1916. He embarked for Egypt on 16 March where he was attached to 14 Squadron, RFC. Brown embarked for England on 28 May where he transferred to 69 (Australian) Squadron, RFC. He proceeded overseas to France with this unit on 24 August 1917 and served there until 2 April 1918 when he was transferred to Home Establishment. Brown was graded as a squadron commander on 27 April and took command of 5 Training Squadron, AFC the same day. He remained in this post until the end of the war and returned to Australia on 6 May 1919 aboard the Kaiser-i-Hind. Brown was awarded the Air Force Cross on 3 June and his appointment in the AIF was terminated on 31 July.