Winter service dress tunic : General Sir Brudenell White, Chief of General Staff, Australian Military Forces

Places
Accession Number REL29682
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Uniform
Physical description Cotton, Wool gabardine
Place made United Kingdom: England, Greater London, London, Savile Row
Date made 30 May 1918
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Description

Officer's khaki wool gabardine winter service dress tunic lined with brown polished cotton. There are two pleated breast pockets with triple pointed flaps and two large expanding pockets, with plain flaps, below the waist. The sleeves have pointed cuffs. There is a centre back vent extending the full depth of the tunic skirt. The tunic fastens down the front with four buttons. A concealed plain plastic button inside the left waist fastens into a gap in the waist seam to allow a belt to be worn (not present). All the buttons on the tunic are gilded brass general officer's ones. There is a scarlet gorget patch with gold bullion oak leaf embroidery and a single button on each side of the collar. The shoulder straps are secured by a single button and bear gilded brass and enamelled rank insignia for General. There are four rows of medal ribbons above the left breast pocket. They are: Order of the Bath, Order of St Michael and St George, Royal Victorian Order/Distinguished Service Order, Queen's South Africa Medal, 1914-15 Star with rosette, British War Medal 1914-20/ Victory Medal with mentioned in despatches oak leaf, George V Coronation Medal, George V Silver Jubilee Medal, George VI Coronation Medal, Montenegran Medal for Merit (Gold), Belgian Croix de Guerre, French Croix de Guerre, Portuguese Military Order of St Benedict of Aviz and Japanese Order of the Rising Sun. There are two khkai embroidered bars on the vertical pleat of the left breast pocket to take a breast badge for a knighthood. There is a machine embroidered manufacturer's label sewn to the inside left breast pocket which has further writing in black ink, '30/5/18 Maj Gen C.B.B. White, C.B., D.S.O.'.

History / Summary

Associated with the Second World War service of General Cyril Brudenell Bingham White in his capacity as Chief of the General Staff. White was born at St Arnaud, Victoria, in 1876, but spent his early life in Queensland. He joined the Militia in 1896 and in 1899 successfully sat an examination to join the permanent forces, becoming a Lieutenant in the Queensland Regiment of Royal Australian Artillery. He served with the 1st Commonwealth Horse during the Boer War, and after his return to Australia received his first staff appointment, as temporary captain and aide-de-camp to Major General Hutton, commander of the Australian Military Forces. Nominated by Hutton, he attended the British Army Staff College, Camberley, in 1906, and graduated with good results. After several years in England, attached to the British War Office, Brudenell White was recalled to Australia as a major, to become director of military operations at Army Headquarters. At the outbreak of war in 1914 he was selected by Major General Bridges to be chief of staff for the new Australian Imperial Force, and participated in the landing at Gallipoli in April 1915. After the death of Bridges in May, he became chief of staff to the new commander, Lieutenant General Birdwood. Promoted brigadier general in October, White was largely responsible for planning the successful evacuation of Anzac in December. Serving on the Western Front for the remainder of the war, he exerted great influence in his role as staff officer to Birdwood. He was suggested as a suitable leader for the Australian Corps when it was formed in 1918, but remained with Birdwood, becoming senior staff officer to the 5th Army. Disappointed with cuts made to the Australian military after the war, he retired as Chief of the General Staff in 1923, to take up civil appointments. In March 1940, after the outbreak of the Second World War, Brudenell White was recalled as CGS, but was killed in an air crash near Canberra on 13 August.