Pennant from HMAS BATAAN, 1945, Tokyo Bay- Aug-Nov 1945

Date1945

Object number00045649

NamePennant

MediumFelt

DimensionsOverall: 258 x 670 x 10 mm

ClassificationsCommemorative artefacts

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Patrick Dine and family

Terms

DescriptionThis blue felt triangular pennant is inscribed with HMAS BATAAN TOKIO BAY and the date August-November 1945. BATAAN was present in Japan in World War II during the official surrender ceremony on 2 September 1945. It stayed there until November 1945 to help repatriate allied prisoners-of-war and act as a representative of the Australia squadron.HistoryCaptain Leonard Norman Dine, RAN was born on 11 September 1910 in Randwick NSW, the son of W Dine of Sydney. He was educated at Randwick Royal Australian Naval College (RANC), Royal Naval Engineering College (RNEC) Keyham England and returned to RANC from 1926-1928 where he won the prizes for Physics and Chemistry. Dine also won the prize for Seamanship. Dine became a Midshipman in 1929, a Sub-Lieutenant in 1932, Lieutenant in 1933, Lieutenant-Commander in 1941 where he served aboard PERTH, NEPAL, SHROPSHIRE and BATAAN. In 1947, he became a Commander and during 1950 was Department Director Naval Construction and Naval Liaison Staff, London, England. Dine was an Engineer Officer aboard HMS VENGEANCE from 1950-53 and Acting Captain Fleet Engineer Officer to the Australian Fleet during 1954-56 when he then became Captain. Dine was appointed General Manager of HMA Naval Dockyard in Williamstown in Victoria 1957 until 1961 when he retired. Dine was Lieutenant Commander on board HMAS BATAAN, the third of three Australian-built Tribal class destroyers. BATAAN was commissioned on 25 May 1945 during the closing year of the war and took part in the surrender ceremony during September on board USS MISSOURI. It then assisted in the evacuation of allied prisoners of war in Japanese waters. In June 1950, BATAAN proceeded to Japan for its fifth post-war tour of duty and was in Far East waters when the Korean War broke out on 25 June 1950. In July HMAS BATAAN transferred to the US Escort Group and then joined Task Force 90 for the amphibious landing of United Nations forces at Pohang Dong. Over the following months, BATAAN would take part in a number of different Task Forces and patrols escorting allied ships in dangerous waters until on 29 May 1951, when it sailed from Hong Kong to home after steaming some 55,000 miles and being underway for more than 4,000 hours on active operations. Upon returning to Sydney, an extensive refit was carried out and it was then deployed again on 8 January 1952 for a second tour of duty in Korea which included blockade enforcement, shore bombardment and escort duty. On 17 August 1952, BATAAN began its final patrol of the Korean War and assumed command of Task Unit 95.12.4 from HMS CONCORD. On 30 August 1952, BATAAN spent its last day on operational patrols before being relieved by HMCS IROQUOIS. The ship was presented with South Korean flags by Korean leaders and thanked for its part in preserving the country from invasion. Some 35,000 miles had been steamed on operations. BATAAN returned to Sydney on 3 October 1952. Except for a visit to Singapore, the remainder of BATAAN's seagoing service was spent in Australian waters. Upon travelling with aircraft carrier HMS VENGEANCE in October 1953 to Jervis Bay, both ships encountered a cyclonic depression. The minor structural damage endured in this weather along with the collision with VENGEANCE during replenishment drew BATAAN's service to a close. After a visit to the Cocos Islands, Manus Island, Rabaul and the Solomon Islands, BATAAN was paid off at Sydney on 18 October 1954. BATAAN was later sold for scrap on 2 May 1958 to Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd of Tokyo, Japan.SignificanceThis pennant is representative of HMAS BATAAN's service during the final year of World War II and the official surrender of Japan at Tokyo in September 1945.