Service dress tunic : Lieutenant H T Thompson, Royal Flying Corps

Officer's khaki service dress wool gabardine tunic lined with a brown wool/silk blend corded fabric in the body and with cream cotton in the sleeves. The single breasted tunic has pointed cuffs, separately attached shoulder straps, pleated breast pockets with single pointed flaps and large expanding pockets on each side of the front skirt, with plain flaps. A centre back vent extends from just below the waist to the bottom of the skirt. The lining is lightly quilted between each breast pocket and the shoulder seam. Each shoulder strap bears oxidised rank pips for lieutenant. The tunic has oxidised brass Royal Artillery exploding grenade collar badges. There are four brass artillery buttons down the front of the tunic, as well as similar buttons on the pockets and shoulder straps. A pair of embroidered Royal Flying Corps pilot's wings, in white and brown on a black ground, are sewn above the left breast pocket. The lower left sleeve bears two gold Russia braid wound stripes set on a khaki worsted ground. There is a machine embroidered manufacturer's lable in the centre back neck faintly marked in pencil 'H.T. Thompson Aug 17'.

This tunic was worn by Australian Lieutenant Henry Theodore Thompson who served in the British Army during the First World War, and also with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force. Thompson was born in Sydney in 1895 and was educated at Sydney Grammar School and Sydney University. He applied for, and was granted, leave from the university during a visit to England, in order to enlist in the British army in July 1915. He served initially as a second lieutenant in a reserve cavalry regiment, before transferring to the 18th Hussars in September, and then to the Royal Field Artillery in December 1915. He joined the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in June 1917 qualifying as a flying officer pilot, transferring to the Royal Air Force (RAF), with the rank of lieutenant, when it was formed in 1918. Thompson flew in Italy with 45 Squadron from October 1917, and later in France. In Italy he was twice wounded, in the throat and in the thumb. He was invalided to England in December 1918, and later returned to Australia.