Mess waistcoat : Lieutenant A Chisholm, 13 Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry)

Light horse officer's Pattern 1903-1912 white cotton marcella mess waistcoat, with low cut shawl collar and two welt pockets. The waistcoat fastens down the front with four small silver Edward VII 'AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH' buttons. The front of the waistcoat is lined with fine white plain weave cotton. The back is constructed from two layers of the same cotton, and has self fabric adjusting straps fastened with a white metal buckle.

Worn by Lieutenant Alexander Chisholm, (later lieutenant colonel, DSO, OBE, VD). Chisholm was born in Brisbane in 1878. He was a company director at Gympie, Queensland, when he enlisted as a lieutenant on 20 August 1914. He had previously served in the militia with 13 Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry). Chisholm was appointed to 2 Light Horse Regiment (LHR) but transferred to 1 LHR while serving on Gallipoli in August 1915. He was appointed Brigade Major of 1 Light Horse Brigade in March 1916, and from September 1918 served as a staff officer with the Australian Mounted Division. He returned to Australia on 26 July 1919. Between 1921 and 1924 Chisholm, as lieutenant colonel, commanded 5 LHR (militia) in Queensland. He died in 1945.

During World War 1 the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 27th Light Horse Regiments (QMI) continued to serve at home in Australia, however in 1914 a volunteer expeditionary force, the Australian Imperial Force, was formed. The 2nd LHR served on the Gallipoli Peninsula where it distinguished itself at Quinn's Post, Sari Bair and Suvla and later served in Egypt, Palestine and Syria.