HMAS STUART 10TH DESTROYER FLOTILLA NAVAL PENNANT - CIRCA 1940S-1950S

A SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLE OF ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY CEREMONIAL REGALIA, THIS PENNANT REPRESENTS HMAS STUART, A NAVAL DESTROYER THAT SERVED WITH DISTINCTION DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND BEYOND. THE PENNANT IS CONSTRUCTED FROM NAVY WOOL FELT WITH ELABORATE GOLD PRINT THROUGHOUT.

DESIGN AND INSIGNIA:
THE PENNANT FEATURES THE NAVAL CREST OF HMAS STUART AT THE HOIST END, RENDERED IN GOLD PRINT WITH DETAILED HERALDIC ELEMENTS INCLUDING A CROWN, ROPE BORDER, AND CENTRAL SHIELD BEARING THE SHIP'S BADGE. THE VESSEL'S NAME 'STUART' APPEARS IN FLOWING GOTHIC SCRIPT IN GOLD PRINT, ACCOMPANIED BY THE DESIGNATION '10TH DESTROYER FLOTILLA' IN ITALIC CAPITALS. THE DESIGN REFLECTS THE FORMAL HERALDIC TRADITIONS OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY DURING THE MID-TWENTIETH CENTURY.

CONSTRUCTION:
- PRIMARY MATERIAL: NAVY WOOL FELT
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- FORM: TRADITIONAL PENNANT SHAPE WITH POINTED FLY END
- MOUNTING: TWO FABRIC TABS SEWN TO HOIST EDGE FOR FLAG POLE ATTACHMENT
- DIMENSIONS: APPROXIMATELY 63CM LENGTH X 23 CM WIDTH AT HOIST

CONDITION: THE PENNANT PRESENTS IN GOOD CONDITION CONSISTENT WITH AGE AND HISTORICAL USE. THE GOLD PRINT RETAINS EXCELLENT COLOUR AND DEFINITION. THE WOOL FELT SHOWS MINOR SURFACE WEAR AND LIGHT SOILING FROM STORAGE, WITH NO TEARS, HOLES, OR SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. THE MOUNTING TABS ARE SECURE AND FUNCTIONAL. SOME CREASING IS EVIDENT FROM STORAGE BUT DOES NOT DETRACT FROM THE OVERALL PRESENTATION.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: HMAS STUART (H84/D86) WAS A V-CLASS DESTROYER THAT SERVED THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY FROM 1937 THROUGH THE SECOND WORLD WAR AND INTO THE POST-WAR PERIOD. THE 10TH DESTROYER FLOTILLA DESIGNATION INDICATES THIS PENNANT'S USE DURING THE VESSEL'S OPERATIONAL SERVICE. SUCH PENNANTS WERE FLOWN FROM THE MAST DURING FORMAL OCCASIONS, NAVAL REVIEWS, AND CEREMONIAL DUTIES, MAKING THEM IMPORTANT SYMBOLS OF NAVAL IDENTITY AND PRIDE.

PROVENANCE: PRIVATE AUSTRALIAN COLLECTION. NO ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION ACCOMPANIES THE LOT.

NAVAL PENNANTS OF THIS QUALITY AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE ARE INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO LOCATE, PARTICULARLY THOSE REPRESENTING SPECIFIC AUSTRALIAN NAVAL VESSELS WITH DOCUMENTED SERVICE RECORDS. THIS EXAMPLE REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF AUSTRALIAN NAVAL HERITAGE AND WOULD APPEAL TO MILITARY HISTORIANS, NAVAL COLLECTORS, AND THOSE WITH FAMILY CONNECTIONS TO HMAS STUART.

Item Size: Height: 23cm, Width: 62cm, Depth: 0.01cm, Weight: 0.04Kg

Condition: Fair - Refer To Images

TOORMINA
548799+2

Location of item: 9 Hi-Tech Drive, Toormina, NSW, Australia

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