Japanese congratulatory banner presented to Yoneda Ichiro, captured in Rabaul, 1945

Artificial silk banner with, with separately applied side strips of brocaded silk, printed at the top in red, yellow, mauve and gold with a wreath, red character translating as 'Congratulations', crossed national and naval flags and a tassel. Beneath it, painted by hand in black and red ink are characters celebrating the graduation of the recipient of the banner from the naval academy. The name of the recipient translates as Yoneda Ichiro and the name of the presenter as possibly Mr Oshima or ?jima of 3 Betsuin-douri (avenue). There is also the phrase 'Serve your country with the utmost loyalty'. Banner appears to have been deliberately cut off and sewn along the bottom, truncating some of the characters.

This banner would originally have hung from a bamboo pole outside the recipient's family house. Found on Bougainville in 1945 by E F King.