Full dress doublet : Sergeant Major W T McDonald, NSW Scottish Regiment

Officer's scarlet wool full dress doublet with Inverness flaps, yellow shoulder straps, a yellow stand collar and yellow pointed cuffs. The left edge of the front of the jacket, upper edge of the cuffs, edges of the shoulder straps and edges of the flaps are edged with white woollen piping. The collar and cuffs are edged with silver lace and the base of the collar with silver braid. The cuffs and each of the flaps bear three double vertical lines of silver braid, each surmounted by a silver Australian Commonwealth Military Forces button, the reverse of each impressed 'BEST LONDON MAKE'. The under flap of each of the front Inverness flaps has an inset pocket. There is an embroidered crown on a yellow backing sewn to the lower right sleeve denoting Warrant Officer. The right shoulder strap bears a silver thistle, denoting the 1st Regiment, NSW Scottish Regiment; the opposing strap badge is missing. The collar fastens with a pair of metal hooks and eyes, backed by a small tongue of black leather. Apart from the buttons on the cuffs and flaps, there are two on the centre back waist and eight fastening the front of the doublet. There is a brass hook set into each side seam to support a belt. The body of the jacket is lined with brown polished cotton and the sleeves, and inside of each inverness pocket in fine blue striped white cotton.

Worn by Sergeant Major William Thomas McDonald, NSW Scottish Regiment. Born on 16 June 1880 at Stawell, Victoria, McDonald later settled at Forest Lodge, NSW. He joined the NSW Scottish Rifles in 1897 and concurrently trained as a first aid officer with St John’s Ambulance, serving with the Glebe Division, a role in which he remained active until his enlistment in 1914. Being underage, McDonald required his father’s permission to volunteer for service with the Australian Contingent in South Africa and served with distinction as a corporal with the 1st NSW Mounted Infantry, being mentioned in despatches for rescuing Lieutenant Frederick Allan Dove, DSO under fire at Mader's Farm on 26 February 1900. Upon his return to Australia after sixteen months service, McDonald rejoined the NSW Scottish Regiment and continued to play an active role with St John’s Ambulance. He enlisted immediately on the outbreak of the First World War and was appointed honorary Lieutenant Quartermaster with 4 Battalion, AIF. He embarked from Sydney on 20 October 1914 on HMAT Euripides, and landed at Gallipoli on 25 August 1915, on which date his rank as lieutenant was confirmed in the field; and he was mentioned in despatches. He was wounded twice at Lone Pine on 6/7 August while leading his company in the capture of Sap C, after the death of both commanding officers, initially suffering a shrapnel wound and later a gun shot wound to his right shoulder necessitating his evacuation to Malta then London for further medical treatment. For this action, he was again Mentioned in Despatches by Sir Ian Hamilton, the citation in part reading ‘he held every portion of the trenches gained, repelling every counter attack and by his courage and the example he set his men enabled every portion of the trenches captured to be retained and strengthened.’ (see Bean, vol II, p 513). After recovering from his wounds, he rejoined his unit at Tel-el-Kebir on 24 February 1916 and received his promotion to the rank of Captain on 12 March 1916. On 16 August 1916, four and a half months after the unit went to France, he was killed in action at Mouquet Farm. He was survived by his wife, Helen, and two children.

• NSW Scottish Rifles waistcoat dickey : Sergeant Major W T McDonald, NSW Scottish Regiment