Service dress tunic : Lieutenant Colonel J K Paul, 2 Division Field Artillery, AIF

Khaki wool twill officer's service dress tunic with open lapel collar, bearing gilded brass general service Rising Sun collar badges. The shoulder straps each carry a gilt and enamel star and gilded brass crown for the rank of lieutenant colonel. The left shoulder strap is fastened with a gilded brass Victorian Military Forces colonial period button and the right shoulder strap with a gilded brass Australian Military Forces (AMF) button. Four larger AMF buttons, made by Jennens & Co, London, close the front of the tunic.

The sleeves have pointed cuffs, and bear diamond shaped red and blue vertically divided colour patches for 2 Division Field Artillery, AIF at the top of each sleeve. The tunic has a pair of pleated breast pockets with triple pointed flaps, and a lower pair of large expanding pockets attached to the integral waistband with straight buttoned flaps. The top right pocket flap is fastened with a gilded brass AMF button; the top left pocket with a gilded brass Edward VII Australian Commonwealth button; and the lower pockets with gilded brass Edward VII E Royal Australian Artillery buttons, all made by Stokes & Sons, Melbourne.

A vent extends from the centre back waist band to the bottom of the skirt. Silk medal ribbons for the Egypt Medal (1882-1889), India General Service (1854) and Khedive Star are crudely stitched to the left breast above the pocket. There is a gap suggesting that more ribbons were originally attached. There are brass belt hooks set into each side seam at the waist to support a Sam Brown belt. The body of the tunic is lined with khaki mercerised cotton twill mix and the sleeves with cream striped cotton sateen.

John Keating Paul was born in England on 19 September 1864, and spent his early life in India before travelling to England for schooling and further study at the Royal Military Academy. He subsequently served as a professional soldier with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. He took part in the Sudan campaign of 1885, in the action at Hasheen and in the advance to Taimi and Takool. He subsequently served in the Hazara campaign of 1888, on the north-west Indian frontier before emigrating to Victoria in about 1890 to join the Australian Garrison Artillery.

Paul returned to active service with the outbreak of the Boer War in 1899, serving in South Africa as Company Quartermaster Sergeant of the 1st Victorian Mounted Rifles. He rejoined the Garrison Artillery after the war, and saw service at Geelong, Thursday Island, Sydney and Queenscliff, before being posted as Master Gunner at Fort Largs in Adelaide.

In August 1915, shortly before his 51st birthday, Paul enlisted in the AIF. He was assigned as a captain and adjutant to 32 Battalion, AIF, and sailed for overseas service from Adelaide on 2 November 1915 aboard HMAT Geelong. After training in Egypt Paul transferred to the 105th Battery of 22 Howitzer Brigade in March 1916. In France, he transferred to 5 Field Artillery Brigade, before moving again in October to 2 Division Artillery. He was promoted to major in January 1917. In July he returned to Australia, suffering from debility, and his appointment in the AIF was terminated on 2 November 1917. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and was mentioned in despatches for his wartime service.

Paul returned to peacetime military service in South Australia. In 1921 he was appointed adjutant of 13 Australian Field Artillery Brigade in Adelaide. He eventually retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

• Female Relatives' Badge : Mrs Nora Paul