Original Australian WWII Era Applique Large Heavy Cotton Flag by Smith Copeland & Co – 33″ x 71″ Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This large flag is the ‘Excelsior’ heavy cotton flag and is complete with wooden securing toggle. There is a minor amount of staining on the large white 7 point star stain, though more importantly, the overall condition is very good, there are no tears or holes and the colors are still very vivid.

The flag of Australia is a defaced Blue Ensign; a blue field with the Union Flag in the canton, and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter. The fly contains a representation of the Southern Cross constellation, made up of five white stars – one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars.

The flag still has the manufacturers label present on the hoist side header:

SMITH COPELAND & Co PTY LTD
Aberdeen
Trade Mark
Phone 51 5044
10-24 VINCENT ST. MARRICKVILLE

The flag measures in at 71in long and 33in high, and is in very good condition, having been well taken care of. Ready for display or to fly outside your station!

History of Australia’s Flag
The flag of Australia is based on the British Blue Ensign—a blue field with the Union Jack in the upper hoist quarter—augmented with a large white seven-pointed star (the Commonwealth Star) and a representation of the Southern Cross constellation, made up of five white stars (one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars). There are other official flags representing Australia, its people and core functions of government.

The flag’s original design (with a six-pointed Commonwealth Star) was chosen in 1901 from entries in a competition held following the Federation, and was first flown in Melbourne on 3 September 1901, the date proclaimed as Australian National Flag Day. A slightly different design was approved by King Edward VII in 1903. The current seven-pointed Commonwealth Star version was introduced by a proclamation dated 8 December 1908. The dimensions were formally gazetted in 1934, and in 1954 the flag became recognised by, and legally defined in, the Flags Act 1953, as the Australian National Flag.

Australia During WWII
Australia entered World War II on 3 September 1939, following the government’s acceptance of the United Kingdom’s declaration of war on Germany. Australia later entered into a state of war with other members of the Axis powers, including the Kingdom of Italy on 11 June 1940, and the Empire of Japan on 9 December 1941. By the end of the war, almost a million Australians had served in the armed forces, whose military units fought primarily in the European theatre, North African campaign, and the South West Pacific theatre. In addition, Australia came under direct attack for the first time in its post-colonial history. Its casualties from enemy action during the war were 27,073 killed and 23,477 wounded. Many more suffered from tropical disease, hunger, and harsh conditions in captivity: of the 21,467 Australian prisoners taken by the Japanese only 14,000 survived.

Australian Army units were gradually withdrawn from the Mediterranean and Europe following the outbreak of war with Japan. However, Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Australian Navy units and personnel continued to take part in the war against Germany and Italy. From 1942 until early 1944, Australian forces played a key role in the Pacific War, making up the majority of Allied strength throughout much of the fighting in the South West Pacific theatre. While the military was largely relegated to subsidiary fronts from mid-1944, it continued offensive operations against the Japanese until the war ended.

World War II contributed to major changes in the nation’s economy, military and foreign policy. The war accelerated the process of industrialisation, led to the development of a larger peacetime military and began the process with which Australia shifted the focus of its foreign policy from Britain to the United States. The final effects of the war also contributed to the development of a more diverse and cosmopolitan Australian society.