Souvenir felt pennant : HMAS Canberra

Souvenir pennant of HMAS Canberra. The pennant is navy blue felt with painted gold illustrations and text. At the top is the city’s coat of arms; a Royal Crown flanked on either side by a swan, and heraldic shield with castle, mace and sword. The text ‘Pro Rege Lege et Grege’ , ‘For the King, the law and the people’ is written at the base of the coat of arms. Underneath the emblem the acronym ‘HMAS’, and painted vertically down the pennant ‘CANBERRA’.

Associated with the service of Ordinary Seaman Frederick John Cato Kumm. Kumm was born on 11 January 1923 in New Jersey, USA, the son of missionary philanthropist parents. After the death of his father, he and his mother returned to Australia in 1930. Kumm attended Geelong Grammar School, and later studied agriculture. Kumm enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy at Melbourne as an Ordinary Seaman on 15 October 1941 aged 18. His enlistment papers record that he had tattoos on both forearms. Initially posted to Cerberus base, Kumm served on HMAS Canberra from 17 March 1942 to 9 August 1942. He was aboard the ship the night it was sunk in the Battle of Savo Island. The heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra was part of the force screening the American invasion force which had started landing on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands on 7 August. Very early in the morning of 9 August 1942 'Canberra' was hit by a pair of Japanese torpedoes and suffered 20 eight-inch shell strikes at the Battle of Savo Island. Disabled and adrift, HMAS Canberra was sunk by American gunfire to deny its use to the Japanese. As a result of the Battle of Savo Island over 1000 Allied sailors lost their lives and another 700 were wounded. Casualties from the 'Canberra' were 84 dead and 109 wounded. After the sinking of HMAS Canberra Kumm served briefly at Brisbane Navy base HMAS Moreton and Darwin base HMAS Melville before finishing his career as Constable at Melbourne training base HMAS Lonsdale. He married in 1944 and was demobilised in 1946 to Naval Dockyard Police at HMAS Kuttabul Base in Sydney. Frederick Kumm died on 24 October 2008 aged 85.