MV Manunda Association

Collection relating to the Second World War service and legacy of the hospital ship MV Manunda, Merchant Navy, Australia, Japan, Egypt, Borneo, and the Solomon Islands, 1940-c.2001. Collection consists of two scrapbooks which were complied by the two secretaries of the MV Manunda Association, Arthur Whiter and Eric Marchoni. Of particular note are the frequent entries in both scrapbooks about the Japanese bombing of Darwin and Manunda's role as a hospital ship.

Scrapbook 1 is a large grey fabric-covered scrapbook with the 2/1 Australian General Hospital patch attached to the cover. The scrapbook contains photographs, newspaper clippings, postcards, Christmas cards, letters, tickets, and other miscellaneous paper ephemera relating to the MV Manunda both during the Second World War, and activities relating to the Association following the war. The items in this scrapbook are largely from the Second World War period, with some select information about a later trip to Japan during the British Commonwealth Occupational Forces period in 1946. An oversized folder contains loose mterial originally housed in the rear of this scrapbook. This material includes two advertising posters showing deck plans - one of the MV Manunda, and one of the MV Manoora, while they were part of the Adelaide Steamship company around the 1930's.

Scrapbook 2 is a brown, faux-leather covered scrapbook, with 'The Manunda Family' embossed in gold. This scrapbook largely relates to details of the Manunda Association and reunions following the Second World War. The scrapbook however, does contain a listing in the beginning of every place visited by the ship with associated dates and other minor details spanning the period 17 August 1940 to 19 July 1947. This scrapbook contains details about reunions and information about the personal lives of members of the association. This includes lists of people that attended ANZAC Day celebrations, reunion dinners, newspaper clippings and a ‘Last Post’ section for members who had recently died. Ephemera found in this scrapbook is largely restricted to obituaries, photographs and newspaper clippings. Wallet 1 contains loose material originally housed in the rear of this scrapbook.