An Eden couple presented a flag from the first HMAS Ballarat flown at the end of World War II to the captain of its namesake, the current HMAS Ballarat.
Jeff and Diane Swane were invited aboard the ship when it docked at Twofold Bay on Tuesday, April 19 to load ammunitions.
The pair returned an Australian flag Jeff's father, Frank Charles Swane, had kept from the original HMAS Ballarat.
The flag had been flying when HMAS Ballarat I took part in the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.
The flag is a bit tattered on the end, due to flying in the elements, but still in pretty good condition after 60 years.
All the sections of the Union Jack, and the Commonwealth star and those in the Southern Cross, have been stitched onto the blue fabric.
"It was just in a plastic bag sitting in Frank's desk," Mrs Swane said.
"We were trying to think what to do with it.
"We were going to give it to the city of Ballarat, but didn't get around to it," she said.
"Then dad got an invitation to attend the commissioning of HMAS Ballarat II on June 26, 2004, and we thought 'this is where the flag should be'," Mr Swane said.
Frank Swane was born on May 23, 1917, and left school to work as a printer.
After he was unable to gain indentureship, he applied to join the Royal Australian Navy.
He joined the communications branch of the RAN on May 30, 1935, and until 1939 spent time at Cerberus in Victoria and Penguin in Sydney.
He also worked on the HMAS Sydney and the HMAS Adelaide.
Frank was aboard the HMAS Hobart, working as a signalman, when Australia declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939.
In August 1941, Frank served as yeoman of signals aboard his favourite ship, the HMAS Nizam.
He was then based at HMAS Orana in New Guinea, and then served aboard HMAS Ballarat between January 1945 and February 1946.
Frank spent his final years in the navy on board HMAS Arunta and received his discharge papers on June 24, 1947.
"Frank had a lot of pressure put on him to stay in the navy, particularly from M J Clark, the captain of the Nizam," Mr Swane said.
"But Frank thought 12 years in the navy was enough."
HMAS Ballarat I was the first of 60 Bathurst Class minesweeping corvettes built during World War II.
"It's a feeling of relief to be able to give back this flag, it's finally home," Mrs Swane said.The Swanes also had a plaque made which reads: ‘Presented to HMAS Ballarat by the family of Yeoman of Signals Frank Swane O.N. 20838. This flag was flying on HMAS Ballarat in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender 02.09.1945.'
Captain of HMAS Ballarat, Commander David Hunter said returning the flag was a magnificent gesture.
"We'll have it framed and carry it with pride," he said.
"This is yet another link between the two ships, and the people that serve in them," Commander Hunter said.
Lieutenant-Commander Andy Barnes, the ship's supply officer, noted that it was the second historic flag to be carried on HMAS Ballarat.
"For the first six months after it was commissioned, we carried an original piece of the Eureka flag," he said.
After restocking in Twofold Bay, HMAS Ballarat has returned to Sydney.
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