Other Ranks service dress tunic : Private P L Hughes, No. 3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps

Australian Flying Corps (AFC) Other Ranks khaki woollen service dress tunic with stand and fall collar. There are two sets of hooks and eyes on the collar, enabling the wearer to turn the collar up for warmth. the tunic is fastened along the front with four large leather buttons, and a smaller leather button is at the collar. A black metal press stud has been sewn to the front between the collar button and the first large button. The curved voided 'AUSTRALIA' shoulder titles and Australian Army general service (Rising Sun) collar badges are oxidised brass. Holes in the epaulettes indicate that numerals were fitted to the tunic but they have been removed. The pair of patch pockets on the breast are box pleated with a buttoned scalloped flap. A press stud had been added to each corner of the top pocket flaps. The larger lower pair of pockets are expanding with a straight buttoned flap. Above the left breast pocket is a ribbon bar for the British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal. There is a brass belt hook on both sides of the self-fabric waistband. All of the brown leather buttons are pressed to imitate plaited leather. Sewn onto both sleeve shoulders is the triangular blue, dark blue and red colour patch worn by AFC units. Superimposed on the lower half of the AFC colour patch is a miniature colour patch for 12 (Army) Brigade, Australian Field Artillery. Above the right cuff is an embroidered overseas service chevron with four blue stripes. A 35mm by 120mm rectangular of fabric has been replaced in a repair to the back of the right sleeve near the bottom. Sewn onto the left sleeve above the cuff is a wireless operators embroidered khaki cloth badge. A cut in the edge of the left cuff has been repaired. A 55mm wide box pleat runs down the centre of the back of the tunic from the base of the yoke to the hem, gathering into the waistband. A patch pocket for a shell dressing has been sewn onto the inside of the right front panel at the bottom. '16 W^D (?)' has been printed on the cotton fabric reinforcing adjacent to the shell dressing pocket.

This tunic was worn by 916 Private (Air Mechanic Second Class) Patrick Leo Hughes, No. 3 Squadron Australian Flying Corps. Hughes Enlisted in the AIF on 2 July 1916 and initially served with 12 (Army) Brigade, Australian Field Artillery. He transferred to No. 71 (Aust) Sqn, Royal Flying Corps on 2 April 1917 and trained as a wireless operator. Hughes proceeded overseas to France to join the British Expeditionary Force on 20 August and was attached to No. 1 Aircraft Depot. He was attached to No. 69 (Aust) Sqn RFC on 21 December until 7 February 1918 when he joined 12th Army Brigade, AFA. Hughes was attached to No. 3 Sqn AFC on 19 August and remained with this unit until the end of the war. He wore this tunic at his wedding to Christine Cooper in England on July 27 1919 , and again during the 50th anniversary ANZAC Day march in Sydney in 1965.