Autographed Japanese flag: Able Seaman Edward Marshman, HMAS Napier

Autographed Japanese national flag. Handwritten on the 'sun' in the centre is 'H.M.A.S. NAPIER TOKIO BAY August 28th 1945' as well as a drawing of Mount Fuji and a kangaroo and emu.

Approximately 110 signatures appear in blue ink on the flag with the following servicemen identified from those signatures: PM5991 Able Seaman Reginald John Cook, F4956 Able Seaman Ernest Alfred Mills, H2246 Able Seaman Allan Arthur Whyman, 33386 Leading Seaman John Joffre Olsen, PM5893 Able Seaman Alan Henry Ramsay, PM5630 Able Seaman John Herbert Dawson, PM3520 Able Seaman William Weaver, 31861 Able Seaman Arthur Douglas Noble, F4567 Able Seaman Douglas Benjamin Sweetman, PM7087 Telegraphist Frank Robinson Priestley, B5255 Able Seaman John Maxwell Clarke, PM5661 Able Seaman Myer White, H1212 Leading Seaman Roy Harold Inches, S4571 Able Seaman Alholstane Lance Clough, S8237 Able Seaman William Manson Sneddon, H2176 Able Seaman Maxfield Dillon, PM7428 Able Seaman John William McMahon, H2239 Able Seaman John William McCarthy.

F4441 Able Seaman Brian Van Popelan Roach, S4619 Able Seaman Alexander John Richmond, B4293 Able Seaman Jack Longland, F5031 Able Seaman Desmond Richard Morrison, B3684 Able Seaman Eric Joseph Parker, H1441 Able Seaman Peter Leo Collidge, S7882 Able Seaman Leonard Norman Coombs, S/8450 Able Seaman Keith Harrison McLay, PM2375 Signalman Allen John Roberts, S/9945 Able Seaman Peter Gregson Coward, PM4309 Able Seaman Robert Alexander Haslam, PA/3330 Able Seaman Kenneth James Stark, S7532 Able Seaman Stanley Andrews Price, PM7686 Able Seaman Edward Noel Sinclair, PM6130 Able Seaman Ian Stanley Cox, PA2198 Able Seaman Daniel Murdoch McLean, F5492 Able Seaman Brendan Avon Gobby, PM4731 Able Seaman Reginald Allen, PM3592 Able Seaman Douglas Hamilton White, PM5750 Able Seaman Milton Gregory Sutcliffe, 21745 Able Seaman Alwyn Frederick Hooker, PM4177 Able Seaman Samuel James Wilson.

PM5900 Able Seaman Kenneth William Davies, 23838 Able Seaman Vincent George Lansdowne, PM5396 Able Seaman Carson Alexander Mackintosh, PM2789 Able Seaman William Lister Hales, PA4906 Able Seaman Maxwell Andrew Reynolds, 24733 Able Seaman Edward Hanns, PM6284 Cook Allen Goodwin, 1303 Constable (Interim Force) Leslie Arthur Long, S/10057 Stoker William Maxwell Dunn, 23908 Leading Electric Mate Donald Rivers, 34376 Sea Transport Officer Mechanic Hugh Anderson, W2964 Stoker Joseph Christopher Keogh, W1769 Stoker Robert Woodrow Fisher, H2677 (36874) Able Seaman Harry Verey, PM4176 Able Seaman Donald Stewart Anderson, 24489 Electrician (TI) Reginald Harrington, W2296 Stoker Henry Donald Higgins.

B4046 Stoker Graham Herbert Jones, PA4247 Stoker Kennedy Keith Kakoschke, PA2793 Able Seaman Richard Dean Fisher, PM3131 Leading Stoker Edward John Lewis, PA2636 Able Seaman (Radar) Alfred James Morgan, PA2106 Leading Seaman Stephen Archie Martin, B4415 Able Seaman (Radar) Bryan Riley Lewis, S/5949 Able Seaman (Radar) Charles Edgar Morris, S/7066 Able Seaman Colin Raymond Symons, PM3362 Leading Stores Assistant Noel James Cumming, PM3278 Able Seaman Joseph Stanislaus Crosbie, S6220 Able Seaman Ivan Frank Mullins, S2891 Able Seaman Richard John Hills, S6369 Able Seaman John Keith Taylor, 21507 Able Seaman Aubrey James Heron, PA3060 Able Seaman Ronald Godfrey Shiers, PM7775 Stores Assistant Robert Raymond Truran, B/2299 Able Seaman Kenneth Thomas Hussey, B3569 Ordinary Seaman Radar Allan Campbell.

This flag is believed to have been collected by PM4916 Able Seaman Edward Charles Marshman during his Second World War service aboard HMAS Napier. It has been signed by numerous members of the destroyer to commemorate the end of the war and the official surrender of the Japanese forces.

Marshman enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy on 11 September 1942 with the rank of ordinary seaman second class. He initially served at various shore establishments including HMAS Cerberus, HMAS Moreton and HMAS Melville before serving aboard the corvette HMAS Fremantle. Rated ordinary seaman on 7 June 1943 and able seaman 6 May 1944 Marshman joined the crew of the HMAS Napier on 2 August after the destroyer had gone through a long re-fit at Melbourne.

Rejoining the Eastern Fleet, Napier took a leading part in India and Burma operations before joining the British Pacific Fleet. In April 1945 she arrived in the Philippines and the following month operated on the screen of the Fleet Carriers attacking Sakishima as part of the Okinawa Campaign.

During the final stages of the Pacific War, Napier continued to operate on the screen of the task forces carrying out air strikes against the Japanese mainland. When hostilities ended on 15 August 1945 Napier was still at sea with the combined American and British strike forces.

With her sister ship Nizam in company she anchored in Tokyo Bay at noon on 30 August 1945 and was present for the formal Japanese surrender. After taking part in the occupation landings, she sailed for Sydney, arriving on 22 September 1945.

Returning to the naval base HMAS Lonsdale early the following year Marshman was discharged on 10 April 1946.