Service dress tunic : Warrant Officer R G Mair, RAAF

RAAF blue wool twill economy issue OR's tunic, designed to save the amount of fabric used for the garment. The tunic has rectangular breast pockets with triple pointed flaps. The breast pockets on regular tunics had a box pleat running down the centre. In this example two lines of machine stitching have been used to simulate the appearance of a pleat in their absence. The expanding pockets over each hip, with rectangular flaps, have also been cut with greater economy than usual to save fabric. The front of the tunic fastens with four black plastic crown and eagle buttons and the pockets with similar buttons of a smaller size. Each lower sleeve bears a pale blue and red embroidered badge for the rank of warrant officer. The left breast bears a 1940 pattern white and blue embroidered single wing signaller's brevet and a ribbon bar for the 1939-45 Star. The sleeves are lined with blue and white striped cotton, but the body of the tunic has only a partial black cotton lining, also as an economy measure, covering the upper back and arm holes. A printed white cotton manufacturer's label inside the back neck reads 'V.97 MADE IN AUSTRALIA 1943 SIZE 23 A (broad arrow) F'. A smaller label sewn above it reads 'V833 URGENT'.

This uniform was worn by 421920 Warrant Officer Ray George Mair, who was born at Narooma, NSW in 1922. He enlisted in the RAAF in April 1942 and qualified as a signaller (aircrew). Mair remained in the RAAF until February 1947. His final posting was as an instructor at 1 Wireless and Gunnery School at Ballarat, Victoria.