Officer's summer blouse : Third Officer L B Dewez, Women's Royal Australian Naval Service

Places
Accession Number REL35039
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Uniform
Physical description Cotton drill, Gilded brass, Silk grosgrain, Wool felt
Maker Unknown
Place made Australia
Date made 1944
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Description

Khaki drill short sleeved blouse with fold down collar, four darts to shape each breast, a pair of breast patch pockets with pointed flaps, and a pair of buttoned shoulder straps, each bearing dark blue shoulder boards with gilded brass naval pattern buttons and a white silk grosgrain ribbon rank stripe with diamond curl for a Third Officer. There are reinforced holes for the four main buttons and each pocket button, but the buttons are not fitted. The owner's woven cotton label is sewn to the inside collar, and the lower inside proper left of the blouse is stamped in ink 'R.A.N.'.

History / Summary

Related to the service of Louise Bryant Dewez, born North Sydney 20 May 1918. Dewez enlisted on 7 April 1943 with the Woman’s Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS), initially as a driver and later as a Sea Transport Officer at the shore establishment HMAS Kuttabul. She was appointed Third Officer on 28 September 1944 and soon after transferred to HMAS Magnetic, in Queensland. It was here, in Townsville, that she met her future husband, army Lieutenant Allen Lawrence Lauchlan of Croydon, NSW. Dewez was discharged on 4 February 1946.