Autographed Japanese flag : Sergeant J Lanyon, War Crimes Trials, Morotai

Silk Japanese flag with printed red hinomaru in the centre, and leather reinforcing pieces on each end of the fly with two tie strings each end. At the top of the flag in black ink is 'Our Dear Mr Lanyon / We wish you happy / Thank you very much at Morotai Dec. 1945.'. In the bottom right corner is 'As my love no finish / I will not forgotton you / Lt Bob Dalton'. The rest of the flag is covered with Japanese names with their 'mock' English translations. There is a small drawing of a sword in the upper left corner which is annotated 'Maj Tamua', as well as a symbol for 'father' and 'Baisen'. The English names include 'Shorty'. 'Jessie James and 'Robin Hood'. The Japanese names are written in a radial pattern around the central hinomaru and may be part of the original good luck flag, rather than being specifically written for Sergeant Lanyon. Translated they are: Kawara Yoshabura, Shiba Yoneo, Kato Mitsua, Tashira Hanbei, Saka Masuzo, Nakajima Taro, Nakamura Senji, Ogawa Hatsue, Yamada Keiji, Matsui Renji, Negishi Hiromu, Kumagai Yasuharu, Kuwajima Akuri, Murakami Senjira, Ogawa Kinjiro, Sakai Kanzuo, Sano Fukuji and Tomizawa Umeji.

Given to NX120109 Sergeant John Harold Lanyon who was in an Army unit guarding Japanese war criminals on Morotai in 1945. The flag was originally presented to Japanese soldier Tsuchiya Akira for luck, with the phrase 'We wish you success in war', probably on his enlistment. It was added to and modified as a gift for Sergeant Lanyon.