Autographed Japanese flag : W Flett

Place Asia: Japan, Kure
Accession Number REL36365
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Flag
Physical description Cotton
Maker Unknown
Place made Japan
Date made 20 May 1948
Conflict British Commonwealth Occupation Force, 1946-1952 (Japan)
Description

Japanese flag autographed by Australian and British members of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in May 1948. Several of the inscriptions have faded and are illegible, however the following inscriptions have been identified: 'NX500921 S.J. Davis Empire Bay Woy Woy N.S.W.; YOU WILL BE SORRY VX500466 CPL GELL E HURT STREET VIOLET TOWN VIC AUSSIE TOBBY; WOT NO BEER NX501901 Pte SOUTHWELL T 68 YASS RD CANBERRA AUST; Bluey McDonald; INTERPRET THIS MEANS AUSTRALIA HOORAY 1948 20TH MAY ODA SAN; WHACKO!! YOU BEAUT!! Sig (unknown) F.S Aust Corps of Signals HQ SIGNALS REGT BCOF JAPAN I WAS THERE!!; DON'T FORGET ME BLUGER 'DOC' WX500226 A.J. WATSON 21 A.A.O.D BCOF KURE JAPAN 21/5/1948; Sig WILETT 5th Sig AUST EQU (unknown) KURE JAPAN; Sig (unknown) 5 Aust Sig Eqpt Sect 21 AAOD Kure Japan; NX57171 Cpl BAILEY. F.J HQ SIG REGT (Wagga Wagga) BCOF JAPAN; 30 Fletcher Street Marrickville SYDNEY; 19128405 Sig Smith Campertown Sandwich Shetland Isles Scotland; Tommy (Jock) Stevens 71 Ann Street, Greenock 'BONNIE' Scotland.; 19195400 J G Mason Glasgow. Bonnie Scotland.; W.SNAPE 16 MOWBRAY RD FLEETWOOD LANCS ENGALND.; 19127323 DRV SWALLOW. S. 19 Wayden ST (unknown) England; J.A. ROWLETT 2 DUNKIRK ROAD OLD LENTON NOTTINGHAM ENGLAND; (unknown) A. Abbott C of S (unknown) H.Q. B.C.O.F. Sig Kure, Japan GLASGOW SCOTLAND; WX40342 W J HILL 21 BOD; R. MEREEN (Helensburgh N.S.W); K Cochrane (R.A.A.F) (Manly NSW); A Dowling Lakemba NSW; R Pratt Middlesex England Royal Signals; Sig Parker. 5 Aust. Sig. Eqpt. TRP B.O.D. B.C.O.F. (Glebe); VX502214 Cpl Rigly.M.J Richmond. Victoria. Australia.; NX504939 Sig (unknown) 5 Aust Sig Eqpt B.O.D. (unknown); NX503820 PTE. KERR. DA 1st AVENUE SAWTELL NSW 20/5/48.; 21050116 Sig Roran. 4 EAST ST JAMES ST EDINGBURGH. I. 'BONNIE' SCOTLAND.; VX501635 PTE. FRANKLIN DIAMOND CK MELB.; VX501179 PTE FRANKLIN LW. BEECHWORTH VICTORIA AUSSIE 20/5/48; VX502227 Sig Mackenzie G.D. ELLERSLIE. VICTORIA AUSTRALIA; YE OLD BUCKET OF BLOOD; TX500147 SIG OLDHAM. LEGERWOOD N.E COAST TASMANIA; VX503560 Sig Smith M W YEA VICT. AUSSIE.; WX500417. SIG. OXENHAM. W.J NORTHAMPTON WEST AUSTRALIA'; 'NX504327. SIG. PORTEUS DULWICH HILL SYDNEY.'. There are two inscriptions in Japanese which have been translated as 'Hooray for Australia 20th May 1948 Teruki Oda' and '3, 5-chome, Miyahara Dori, Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture Takamine Nagai'.

History / Summary

This flag was collected by Walter Flett, an Australian civilian working in Japan towards the country's disarmament and restoration after the end of the Second World War. It is autographed by Australian and British members, mostly signallers, of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) in Kure, Japan, May 1948. Many of the Australian personnel who signed the flag had served during the Second World War and a few went on to serve in the Korean War.