Officer's service dress tunic : Captain R O C Matthews, Australian Flying Corps

Australian Flying Corps (AFC) officer's khaki wool gabardine service dress tunic with pointed cuffs, pleated breast pockets with triple pointed flaps, and expanding hip pockets with rectangular flaps. Above the left breast pocket is a ribbon bar for the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, and Victory Medal. Above the ribbon bar are a pair of embroidered 'AFC' pilot's wings. A brass belt hook is fitted on both sides of the waist. The tunic is also fitted with brass Australian Military Forces buttons, made by Firmin & sons Ltd, London, general service 'Rising Sun' collar badges, captain's rank insignia and curved 'AUSTRALIA' shoulder titles. AFC colour patches are sewn onto both upper sleeves above miniature colour patches of 1 Light Horse Regiment. These patches have a brass 'A' sewn in the centre. Above the point of the right cuff is a woven cotton overseas service chevron with one red stripe for 1914 enlistment and four blue stripes. The tunic is lined with khaki cotton and the sleeves with cream striped cotton.

This tunic was worn by Royston Oliver Carr Matthews (known as Roccy) who was born in Blackwood, South Australia in April 1890. When the First World War broke out he joined the Army, enlisting on 17 August 1914. A wireless operator in civilian life, he was assigned the regimental number 29 and sailed from Australia aboard the Karroo on 20 October as a Sapper in 1 Signal Troop, 1 Light Horse Brigade. He served on Gallipoli but was invalided off the peninsula with illness in July 1915. He rejoined his unit in December and was then transferred to a Wireless Training School in January 1916. He joined the Military Wireless Section in May of that year and was appointed Adjutant Sergeant in October. On 1 January 1917 he was detached to 68 (Australian) Squadron, Royal Flying Corps as a wireless operator, taking up a commission as Second Lieutenant. In April 1918 he was promoted to Lieutenant, serving as an Equipment Officer, Second Class. His service papers record that on 27 March 1919 he was brought to the attention of the Secretary of State for War for 'valuable services rendered'. He embarked for return to Australia aboard the Kaiser-I-Hind on 6 May 1919 and was discharged from the Army on 18 August. While his uniform bears the rank of captain and the brevet of a pilot, there is no record within his service papers that indicate he achieved this rank or qualification. Lieutenant Matthews' brother, Walter Fenwick Matthews, served in 15 Field Artillery Brigade as a Lieutenant. He was killed in action on 27 May 1917.