RAAF uniform development

R.A.A.F. medical uniforms

R.A.A.F. Uniform Development

Medical Officer Service Dress
A four pocket (two box pleated breast pockets and two waist patch pockets) blue barathea wool tunic with open lapels and a matching belt with a two prong buckle was worn by R.A.A.F. Medical Officers.

R.A.A.F rank followed the Royal Air Force example, with Officers displaying their rank by a series of light blue lace rings (with a small metal Gull & Crown above) to both cuffs.
The R.A.A.F. Medical Service was further distinguished by a winged caduceus in brass (blackened during WW2) on each upper lapel. Medical officers could qualify as a pilot and was thus entitled to wear the R.A.A.F. pilot wings above the left pocket.

Either a blue barathea wool visor cap or side cap was worn with the Service Dress. The visor cap had secured to the front mohair band a bullion wire wreath & metal eagle surmounted by a Kings Crown for officers. A black patent leather chinstrap held by two small RAAF black buttons. Senior Officers had either one or two rows of braid on the visor. A blue barathea wool side cap with two small RAAF black buttons to the front , with a RAAF gull & crown on the side could also be worn by both officers.

A summer version of the Service Dress tunic for officers was available for wear and was worn in Canada. This had the rank displayed as epaulettes rather than the cuff rings, and had the caduceus on both upper lapels.

A dark blue barathea Battle Dress (BD) was also authorised for wear, with the rank displayed on the epaulettes. This Battle Dress was short waisted with a short integrated belt and buckle to the front and had a stand fall collar with two eyelets in order for the collar to be done up at the throat. It had two box pleated breast pockets with hidden plastic buttons, and hidden plastic buttons to the fly front. RAAF medical insignia were pinned to the collars.
White or blue shirt and black tie, and a dark blue wool side cap with RAAF gull for officers and RAAF badge for enlisted ranks was pinned on the left of the cap.
Dark blue barathea long trousers and black leather shoes were worn.

Note: RAAF aircrew in England lagged behind the RAF/RCAF in receiving BD uniforms. As a result, there is photographic evidence that aircrew can often be seen wearing RAF blue-grey BD with dark blue RAAF caps, khaki BD with RAAF specific badging (exposed or hidden breast pocket buttons), as well as making use of the dark blue BD worn by ARP personnel (these BD have hidden or exposed (economy) breast pocket buttons and a large map pocket on the trousers).

RAAF Medical Officers in hot climates such as Egypt or Italy also wore cotton shirts with rank epaulettes and cotton trousers.
Army battle dress was also worn by the RAAF in the desert air force and was generally manufactured by either Britain, New Zealand, South Africa or Australia were worn by any of the Commonwealth nations.

For formal occasions, officers wore a blue R.A.A.F. mess dress with red wool "lights" in-between the rank stripes on the epaulettes.

Other Ranks
A four pocket (two box pleated breast pockets and two waist patch pockets) blue barathea wool tunic with open lapels and a matching belt with a two prong buckle was worn by Other Ranks in the R.A.A.F. Either a side cap or peak cap was worn which had a metal 'RAAF' surrounded by a wreath. NCOs rank was displayed on the right sleeve. Two black metal caduceus were worn on the upper lapels.

Women RAAF Medical Officers wore the same mens Service Dress and visor cap. Shoulder rank and caduceus on the upper lapels were worn.

After WW2 RAAF Medical Officers wore a dark blue barathea wool Battle Dress with shoulder rank, embroidered "AUSTRALIA" titles to the shoulders, and caduceus on the upper lapels.