Piece of shrapnel from Japanese bomb which hit SS Hanyang

Piece of brown black coloured shrapnel from a Japanese aerial bomb.

The SS Hanyang, a 2987 ton defensively equipped merchant ship (DEMS), was operated by the United States Army. Its officer's were British, its deck crew Australian, and its gunners United States Army personnel. It was armed with a twelve pound gun on the stern and an Oerlikon gun on both wings of the bridge. On the afternoon of 11 April 1943, while enroute from Milne Bay to Oro Bay, New Guinea, with a cargo of ammunition, fuel and coal, the Hanyang and escort vessels were attacked by twelve Japanese dive bombers. The Hanyang was hit by two bombs and raked with machine gun and cannon fire. Both bombs pierced the upper decks then exploded, causing moderate damage, starting several fires, and disabling the steering gear. Edwin Southan, a trimmer, was killed and was subsequently buried at Oro Bay. Five other crewmen were injured. This piece of shrapnel came from one of the bombs. It was picked up by Able Seaman Alan Wickow, an Australian crewman aboard the vessel when the incident occurred.