Earlier this year, before the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the Whyalla Maritime Museum received a very special donation into its collection.
Mr Barry Hacker and his wife Bronwyn travelled from Port Macquarie, New South Wales, in order to personally deliver WWII artefacts into the care of the Maritime Museum.
Mr Hacker’s father John (Jack) Hilton Hacker, served as an officer of the Australian Army during the Papua New Guinea campaign during the years of 1943 – 1944.
Jack Hacker and his patrol captured a Japanese Samurai sword and flag in Finchhafen (Papua New Guinea), after a battle with a Japanese platoon. Other items including dog tags, a pistol pouch, belt, map case and compass were also carried by Jack throughout his days in Guinea and Borneo.
Jack Hacker passed away in 1991 at the age of 75, and his family have held onto the artefacts for the last three decades.
After a visit to the Whyalla Maritime Museum last year, Barry realised that he had found a permanent home for his father’s war relics.
However, due to covid-19 and the subsequent government-mandated closure of the Maritime Museum, installation of the artefacts had to be postponed.
This time was spent planning on how to best display the artefacts and undertaking further research on the provenance and significance of the items.
The Samurai sword, flag and dog tags have now been installed in the Japanese section of the WWII gallery of the Whyalla Maritime Museum, along with interpretive signage explaining their story.
The other donated items have been safely stored in the Museum Depository where they will be taken care of and preserved for future generations.
The Whyalla Maritime Museum is open from 10am-4pm, 7 days per week.
Pictured below is part of the WWII Gallery in the Maritime Museum with the Samurai sword and flag displayed
