White ensign presented to Captain C B W Radford, Salvation Army, by Royal Australian Navy Commando Beach Group B

White ensign originally flown by Second Beach Group, Royal Australian Navy Commando 'B' at Tarakan in May 1945. The lower left canton is inscribed 'TO CAPPY from R.A.N. COMMANDO 'B' In APPRECIATION'. Underneath are three lists of printed names in the format of a single initial and surname. The first is headed by the Group's commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander B J B Morris, and lists five lieutenants and the Bosun, Mr Paine. The second lists fourteen sub-lieutenants, and the third lists thirteen petty officers. To one side under 'KILLED IN ACTION' are the names of the two seamen killed on Red Beach during the Tarakan landings, on 2 May 1945, 'J.BRADY' [Able Seaman Telegraphist John Richard Brady] and 'W.RYAN' [Able Seaman Telegraphist William Francis Ryan]. Both cantons on the ensign's fly are covered with the printed names of the ratings attached to the Beach Group as well as a number of attached army personnel from 2/2 Pioneer Battalion, 2/108 General Transport Company and military police, approximately 150 names. Although the names are not autographed signatures each man did print his name in the format decided by the commanding officer.

B3/211 Captain Clifford Bernard W 'Cappy' Radford, a Salvation Army lay member, accompanied Australian troops to Balikpapan and Tarakan in 1945 as a Red Shield representative. He had previously served in New Guinea. His Cafe de Balik in Balikpapan, dispensing tea, coffee and comradeship, was a well-known land mark. He was renowned for his practical Christianity and often accompanied 'his boys' on patrol. Radford was wounded in the back at Tarakan when a group of local inhabitants accidentally pulled the pin on a grenade they were playing with. He was invalided back to Australia and the commanding officer of 2nd Beach Group, Royal Australian Navy Commandos, Lieutenant Commander B J B Morris, had every man in the group sign the unit's White Ensign before sending it to Cappy. Radford was Mentioned in Despatches for his 'exceptional service in the field'.

The Tarakan landing was the first operation undertaken by an RAN Beach Commando Group. Beach Group 'B' was was divided into parties at Red, Green and Yellow beaches at Tarakan and Blue Beach at Sadau Island, a signal section and boat repair and recovery section. The parties landed with the first wave of each forward battalion, carried out reconnaissance, marked beaches, maintained signal communications, organised the unloading of craft, salvaged craft and generally controlled all work on the beaches. Until 17 May they also controlled all port direction work.