Service dress tunic : Private R K Barrie, 2/8 Battalion

Khaki wool serge other rank's service dress tunic with stand and fall collar, back yoke, a box pleat from centre yoke to the bottom of the skirt, long sleeves with single button cuffs, shoulder straps, pleated patch pockets on each breast, with triple pointed flaps and inset hip pockets with rectangular flaps. The tunic buttons down the front with four oxidised Australian Military Forces buttons. The same buttons fasten the pockets and cuffs. There is a single brown plastic button closing the neck of the tunic. A self fabric 'belt' extends across the back of the tunic only. There are brass belt hooks in each side seam. The tunic has oxidised 'AUSTRALIA' tittles on each shoulder strap, colour patches for 2/8 Battalion at the head of each sleeve and six blue woven service chevrons sewn to the lower right sleeve. There is a medal ribbon for the Africa Star above the left breast pocket. The tunic is unlined but there are heavy cotton reinforcing strips sewn behind each pocket. The same fabric forms the pocket bags for the two hip pockets. A name tag sewn inside the right front is marked in ink 'VX7023 R.K. BARRIE'. Beneath it is a woven manufacturer's label.

This uniform was issued to VX7023 Private Ronald Kenneth Barrie to wear home to Australia after he had been released from captivity in Poland in 1945 where he had been held as a prisoner of war of the Germans. Barrie was born in Sydney in 1916 but enlisted at Wangaratta, Victoria on 9 November 1939 and was assigned to 2/8 Infantry Battalion. After completing initial training at Puckapunyal Barrie and his battalion left Australia for service in the Middle East in April 1940. The battalion trained in Palestine and Egypt in preparation for the campaign against the Italians in Libya. They played a minor role at Bardia in early January 1941, but suffered the heaviest casualties of any Australian unit during the battle for Tobruk, on 21-22 January 1941, before taking part in the advance to Benghazi in February. In April 1941 the battalion was deployed to Greece. After a battle with German troops at Vevi in the north of Greece, the overstretched battalion was forced to withdraw, losing weapons and equipment. The battalion was evacuated from Kalamata on 26 April on two ships. The ship carrying Barrie and 393 other troops was sunk and the men landed on Crete, where they fought around Canae and Suda Bay after German paratroops landed there on 20 May. Orders were given on 27 May for Allied forces in the area to withdraw. Although 12,000 men were successfully evacuated, more than 11,000, including Barrie, were captured by the Germans and became prisoners of war. Barrie was assigned the prisoner of war number 92589 and sent to Poland, where he was held at Stalag 8B (later 344) at Lamsdorf in Upper Silesia, and at Stalag 8D at Teschen. The war in Europe ended in May 1945 and Barrie was evacuated through Britain to await repatriation to Australia. He was discharged from the army in September 1945.

• Service dress trousers : Private R K Barrie, 2/8 Battalion