The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Small corner piece of a Union Jack.
This piece came from a flag that was worn around the waist of Signal-Boatswain (later Lieutenant Commander) William David Hunter during the action on the Kabakaul-Bitapaka Road in New Britain.
Hunter commanded the rear guard, made up of men who had been overtaken by reinforcements coming in from the beach and other men who had become separated from their sections. During the action he discovered an unoccupied German lookout station, after one of his men found a wire which was thought to be attached to a mine.
The Union Jack carried by Hunter was raised at Herbertshohe on 11 September 1914 by a party of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force. This event occurred two days before the official flag raising ceremony at Rabaul.
This piece of the flag was souvenired by Midshipman (later Commander) Richard Stanley Veale in January 1915. Veale had landed at Simpsonhafen on 11 September and was involved in the fighting along the Bitapaka-Kabakaul Road. The following day, he and half a company of troops marched inland to capture the wireless station at Bitapaka.
Following the surrender of German troops, Veale was involved in garrison duty and patrols in New Britain. He returned to Australia in January 1915. Veale served at several Naval stations through the rest of the war. He later also served in the Second World War. He retired from the Navy in 1952.
Naval officer's full dress black beaver cocked hat lined with loosely pleated white silk and a leather sweatband. The upper edged of the hat is edged with black silk lace woven in an oak leaf and acor
Officer's full dress sword belt with two slings, made from black silk webbing backed with black leather. Belt is 36 mm wide; slings are 25 mm wide and each is attached to the belt on a leather slide;
RAN officer's blue peaked cap with white ribbed cotton cover, black mohair band, green lined black leather peak with gold bullion oak leaf embroidery on front edge of peak, and gold embroidered King's
Studio portrait of then Yeoman of Signals (Yeo) William David Hunter, Royal Navy. Yeo Hunter joined the Royal Australian Navy on 19 December 1911. In January 1913 he was promoted to Signal Boatswain (
Pair of gold lace and bullion full dress epaulettes each with a silver bullion anchors and silver bullion eight-pointed star for lieutenant commander, and gilded brass Royal Navy officer's button. Eac
Union Jack flag. The flag is made from cotton and is double sided, with the crosses of St George, St Patrick and St Andrew sewn individually in place on both sides of the flag. Associated with the s
RAN officer's blue peaked cap with white ribbed cotton cover, black mohair band, green lined black leather peak with gold bullion oak leaf embroidery on front edge of peak, and gold embroidered King's
Officer's full dress sword belt with two slings, made from black silk webbing backed with black leather. Belt is 36 mm wide; slings are 25 mm wide and each is attached to the belt on a leather slide;
Naval officer's full dress black beaver cocked hat lined with loosely pleated white silk and a leather sweatband. The upper edged of the hat is edged with black silk lace woven in an oak leaf and acor
Pair of gold lace and bullion full dress epaulettes each with a silver bullion anchors and silver bullion eight-pointed star for lieutenant commander, and gilded brass Royal Navy officer's button. Eac
Imperial German flag which consists of horizontal black,white and red stripes, with the white stripe expanding to a roundel in the centre. The flag is finely screen printed and the centre of the round
