Other ranks' service dress jacket : Lance Sergeant V A Berghofer, 17th Battalion AIF

Australian Army Other Ranks private purchase khaki wool gabardine service dress jacket with woven rank insignia of sergeant on the upper right sleeve. The tabs of the stand and fall collar have been neatly sewn down, so the collar almost appears to be a stand collar. The general service collar badges (British Made) and curved 'AUSTRALIA' shoulder titles are oxidised brass. The pair of patch pockets on the breast are pleated, their top edge is trimmed with a narrow band of khaki cotton fabric, and the bottom corners are rounded. Their flaps are tailored to a point. The pair of patch pockets below the waistband are plain and their flaps are also pointed. The brown leather buttons have been pressed to imitate plaited leather. On both sleeve shoulders is the diamond-shaped green over black colour patch of the 17th Battalion AIF. The colour patches are very worn, which suggests that they were probably salvaged from an earlier uniform. Above the right sleeve cuff is an embroidered overseas service chevron with four blue stripes that have faded. The brown plastic button on both of the cuffs do not match. The jacket is fully lined with cotton fabric, the body being khaki-gold coloured, and the sleeves are olive green. A pocket has been let into the lining of the right front panel below the waistline. Around the left shoulder and tucked into the left breast pocket is a double plaited khaki cord lanyard (REL/15810.003). A standard issue steel pocket watch (REL/15810.004) was attached to the lanyard but it has been removed because it was rusty.

This tunic was worn by 3458 Sergeant Victor Allen Berghofer. He enlisted in the AIF as a private as part of the 8th reinforcements for the 17th Battalion on 1st September 1915. They embarked for overseas service on 20th December 1915, and arrived in Egypt as the 17th Battalion was evacuated from Gallipoli.

After further training in Egypt, the 17th Battalion proceeded to France. However, Berghofer was admitted to hospital in Heliopolis for a few weeks in March 1916 with mumps, then carbolic burns. After recovery, he briefly worked at AA Pay Corps in London at No. 1 Commonwealth Depot in an administrative position, before rejoining the 17th battalion in France. In this period of service, he was transferred to the 54th battalion. The 54th Battalion was raised in Egypt on 16 February 1916 as part of the expansion of the AIF. Most of the recruits were from New South Wales, half were experienced Gallipoli veterans, and the other half were new recruits from Australia. The battalion became part of the 14th Brigade of the 5th Australian Division.

In November 1916, Berghofer became ill in France and was transferred to London General Hospital but later admitted to Tidworth Military Hospital in February 1917. Due to the expansion of the AIF, a new 6th division was established in London and Berghofer was transferred from the 54th battalion, to the new 61st, then 62nd battalion. The battalion was short-lived, as the second battle of Bullecourt severely depleted numbers, and the new 6th division was disbanded. Berghofer was promoted to sergeant on the 22nd August 1917, and in September was retransferred back to the 17th battalion after the collapse of the 62nd battalion. He was again able to serve in France from November 1917, until he was sick from March to May 1918. Berghofer returned to Australia in July 1919, and was discharged in August 1919.

He changed his surname to Leslie soon after his return because of anti-German sentiment. The tunic was probably tailor made in Britain in late 1918 or early 1919 while he was awaiting repatriation to Australia.

• Mounted Service breeches : Lance Sergeant V A Berghofer, 17 Battalion AIF
• Lanyard : Lance Sergeant V A Berghofer, 17 Battalion AIF