China – Naval – the ‘Nanking Incident’ a naval ‘Blue Ensign’ flag, bearing several holes which are assumed to be bullet holes, together with a finely executed silk panel bearing a depiction of HMS Emerald with the flags of various nations including the UK, USA and Japan, and with the title piece ‘In memory of the Fall of Nanking, 24th March 1927’. Silk panel in fine condition with brilliant vibrant colours, laid to a large sheet of heavy duty paper, approx 20x17ins. Accompanying this lot is a letter dated 2008 to a previous owner from the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, referring to the Nanking Incident, and the present lot : ‘The story has become a little confused but does check out. There was a civil war in China during 1926 and 1927 and a naval force was deployed to protect British interests. The British Consulate in Nanking on the Yangtze was attacked and looted. The Consul – Mr Bertram Giles was shot in the leg and with his wife, was amongst a group of foreigners rescued from the city by a landing party of marines from HMS Emerald and bluejackets from the USS Preston and Noa. ‘Mr Giles returned to the United Kingdom where he died a year later. I should imagine the ensign was worn by the ship’s barge from Emerald when it had the Consul on board. ‘The item does have some historic value particularly because of its relevance to Anglo-Chinese relations. If you are considering disposing of it please get in touch with us as we may well be interested...’ It would seem as well as can be established therefore that this flag was flown at the very height of the rescue of the British Consul during what is now known as ‘The Nanking Incident’