Autographed good luck flag carried by Japanese soldier Honda in the New Guinea campaign

Japanese soldier's autographed national flag featuring numerous patriotic slogans in black ink. Apart from the traditional wish for long-lasting good fortune in war there is a dedication from instructor sergeant Wakabayashi to his soldier student, Honda, who was the recipient of the flag, 'I wish my student, Mr Honda, good luck and health'. Honda's fellow students have also signed the flag.

Captured by NX47019 Private Charles Lawson Heath, of 2/2 Australian Machine Gun Battalion, in New Guinea. Heath was repatriated from New Guinea to Australia suffering from war neurosis. After his discharge he disappeared from home and all efforts to locate him failed. His wife was overcome with grief and died in 1949 leaving two young children to be raised by the donor of the flag, her mother.
It was apparently Japanese custom, when a student was leaving for service in a front line unit, for his fellow students to autograph a national flag and for the senior instructor to present the flag to the departing student.