Rhodesian flag : Ms D Johnstone, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Large cotton flag with three vertical panels of green, white and green. Superimposed centrally on the white panel is the Rhodesian coat of arms. The arms are of a shield with a pick, symbolising the importance of the gold mining industry, set on a green field which represents the agricultural dominance of the country. Above the pick are a lion and thistles from the arms of Cecil John Rhodes, the country's founder, who is also referred to in the motto 'Sit Nomine Digna' meaning 'may she be worthy of the name'. A bird surmounts the arms and is a representation of the soapstone bird at the Great Zimbabwe Ruins. The shield is supported on either side by sable antelopes.

This flag belonged to the Commonwealth Ceasefire Monitoring Force (CMF) in Rhodesia and was collected by Di Johnstone of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In 1980 she worked with the department at Salisbury and Inyanga, Southern Rhodesia, as part of the Australian contingent to the CMF. The CMF comprised 1500 members from Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Fiji and Kenya and their aim was to monitor the ceasefire between the Rhodesian Security Forces and the Nationalist Guerillas following the signing of the Lancaster House Agreement in December 1979. This agreement was sponsored by the British Government and put an end to 14 years of civil war. Elections were held in February 1980 and Robert Mugabe was elected President, later to become Prime Minister. The CMF began withdrawing on 2 March 1980 and this was completed within two weeks. This type of Rhodesian flag was in use from 1968-79.