Winter service dress tunic : Flying Officer W D Hemmings, RAAF

RAAF blue woollen winter service dress tunic with a pair of pleated breast patch pockets and a pair of expanding patch pockets at the waist. There is also an inset waist pocket. The breast pockets have three pointed flaps, while those at the waist are square. All are secured by black plastic RAAF buttons. Above the left breast pocket is an observer's brevet and ribbon bars which denote the Distinguished Flying Cross, 1939-45 Star, Aircrew Europe Star with Silver Rosette, France and Germany star, Defence Medal, British War Medal 1939-45 and Australia Service Medal. The tunic is fastened with four black plastic RAAF buttons and belted at the waist. A maker's label is sewn inside the left breast pocket with 'CARR, SONS & WOOR LTD. 9 SAVILE ROW LONDON. ALSO AT OXFORD & CAMBRIDGE, DATE, NO, Tel Reg 1926'. In ink is written 'Feb 1944 P/o Hemmings'.

Flying Officer (FO) 450562 William Dudley Hemmings enlisted in November 1941 and completed navigational training in Australia and Canada. Arriving in the United Kingdom in March 1943, he served with 464 Squadron (Sqn) RAAF, 107 Sqn RAF and 613 Sqn RAF, flying in Mosquito aircaft as a navigator. He then served with the British 2nd Tactical Air Force and by October 1944 had flown a total of 48 missions. He returned to Australia in February 1945 and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in the same year for 'outstanding navigational skill on tour of operations'. He completed an air photo interpretation course and served with the Central Interpretation Unit, RAAF Command, Brisbane from June to August 1945. He was discharged from the RAAF on 6 December 1945 and in April the following year he married Coralie Marie Gordon, who had served as a flight officer with the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF).