Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Society in Roseville, New South Wales, Australia | Non-profit organisation

Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Society

Locality: Roseville, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 409 031 889

Address: PO Box 453 2069 Roseville, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.memorial.org.au

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• Community group
• Non-profit organisation
• Social service

25.01.2022 This is an interesting article which continues on about Andy Bishop, from yesterday's post, who was part of the 2/22nd Battalion at Rabaul . Having met Andy at Trawool, he really makes a mark on you - a true gentleman, and someone who wants to share their story and has a great recollection of the invasion of Rabaul and his escape journey. https://www.abc.net.au//anzac-diggers-australian/10991908

24.01.2022 For those that attended the 75th Anniversary Commemoration Service in Canberra, they would have heard the beautiful song 'Montevide Maru 1942' written and performed by Kylie Adams-Collier. Today, we would like everyone to listen to take the opportunity to hear Kylie perform her song, which she penned as a heartfelt tribute for her grandfather Harry Adams and to all who died on the Montevideo Maru. Kylie is an inspiring ambassador for the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia’s & the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Group, she is also kindly donating 50c from every Little Stone Album to the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia to help raise awareness of the Montevideo Maru. Please head to www.kylieadams-collier.com/montevideo-maru for more information.

24.01.2022 75th anniversary service at the Australian War Memorial today. This service commemorated the signing of the Instrument of Surrender on HMS Glory near Rabaul on... 6 September 1945. On that day General Hitoshi Imamura, Commander in Chief of the Japanese Imperial Southeastern Army formally surrendered to the Australian 1st Army under the command of Lieutenant General Sturdie. Director of the Australian War Memorial, Mr Matt Anderson, welcomed guests. General Angus Campbell AO DSC, Chief of the Defence Force, gave a thoughtful commemorative address. Mr Michael White, representing the NGVR/PNGVR Ex-members Association, read the Ode. PNGAA was grateful to the Australian Federation Guard for providing the Colour Flag Party, and to the Band of the Royal Military College, Duntroon for their Bugler and Vocalist who sang both the Australian and Papua New Guinea national anthems. See: https://pngaa.org/13486-2/ See more

23.01.2022 If you are unable to get to Canberra, the Shire of Remembrance in Victoria will be holding a Last Post Service on 04 July 2021 at 04:45 pm. "Today we remember the sinking of the Montevideo Maru. On 1 July 1942, the ship was carrying over 1000 prisoners of the Japanese forces, most of them Australians. Unmarked as a prisoner transport ship and moving without escort, it was targeted and sunk by the USS Sturgeon. All prisoners on board were killed. Date & Times: 04 July 2021 04...:45 pm - 04 July 2021 05:15 pm Location: Second World War Forecourt, Shrine of Remembrance, Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne, VIC 3001 Free admission Accessible venue Child friendly Join us at week's close to honour those who have served and sacrificed so that we may enjoy our lives of relative peace, comfort and freedom. Each Sunday we pause to remember a different event from Australia's military history. We remember the men and women who took part in those events, and the lives lost or forever changed."

22.01.2022 On 4 July 2021, at 4.45pm in the Second World War Forecourt at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the Shrine will remember the sinking of the Montevideo Maru. The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne holds a weekly Last Post Service on Sundays to honour those who have served and sacrificed so that we may enjoy our lives of relative peace, comfort and freedom. The Shrine writes: 'On 1 July 1942, the ship was carrying over 1000 prisoners of the Japanese forces, most of them... Australians. Unmarked as a prisoner transport ship and moving without escort, it was targeted and sunk by the USS Sturgeon. All prisoners on board were killed.' This service will be live streamed. We will advise this link when available. This 15-minute service takes place every Sunday* at 4:45pm and includes bugle calls and piper, Shrine Guard in historic uniform, a wreath-laying, recital of the Ode, and lowering of the flags. All are welcome and wreaths can be laid. Please let us know as soon as possible if you can attend. See more

22.01.2022 Not all of the casualities of the Montevideo Maru were soliders, some of the men were civilians caught up in the conflict. This article looks at the 12 Methodist Missionaries and mission personnel that were captured by Japanese and were being transported with the soldiers.

21.01.2022 When the Japanese invaded Rabaul on New Britain in January 1942, a group of 45 F.M.I. Sisters refused to give up their faith. Instead, they risked their lives t...o help save hundreds of Australian and European missionaries and civilian detainees who were held captive by the Japanese for three and a half years, first at Vunapope and then in the dense jungle of Ramale. In 2018, Lisa Hilli, an Australian artist of Gunatuna (Tolai) heritage, discovered their little-known story while researching Australia and Papua New Guinea’s shared war history as part of a creative commission for the Australian War Memorial, supported by the Anzac Centenary Arts and Culture Fund. Recently Lisa spoke to the Memorial’s writer Claire Hunter about her research and the women in this photograph who inspired her new artwork for the collection: http://ow.ly/KlW250BqKIS Image: AWM 096864

21.01.2022 The Bega District News of 27 October 2020 carries the following article. An excerpt re those from Rabaul says: ‘Mrs A Alcock, of Bemboka, has been notified by the Minister for the Army that her son, Tom, is officially listed as missing believed dead. Tom was one of a group of five Bega and district boys who enlisted together and became attached to the ill-starred 2/22 battalion, which was captured at Rabaul, and now it seems that he has shared the fate of three of his mates from Bega in the lost Japanese prison ship, Montevideo Maru. The only survivor of the five mates is ex-gunner Max Hazelgrove who had a miraculous escape after being shot and bayoneted by the Japanese. The anti-aircraft unit to which the boys were attached was credited with having brought down the first enemy plane on Australian territory.’

20.01.2022 From the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia - Website: 'Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Memorial Dedication Service 1 July 2012... The Governor-General and Mr Michael Bryce were joined by over a thousand people at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra for the dedication of the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Memorial. The service marked the 70th anniversary of the sinking of the Japanese prisoner ship Montevideo Maru by the American submarine USS Sturgeon. The action killed 1050 Australian Prisoners of War who had been captured in Rabaul, as well as civilian internees. Ms Bryce laid a wreath in memory of the Australians who were killed and met some of their families, before viewing the memorial created by Melbourne sculptor James Parrett.

18.01.2022 On 1 July 2021 the Last Post Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, will commemorate Corporal George William Spensley NGX490 of the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles. Currently the Last Post Ceremony is a ticketed event due to Covid-19. Tickets are now available but please let us know if you can attend by emailing [email protected] so that tickets can be booked as a group and you will be kept informed of any details. Please email names of all those attending, emai...l address, home address, any mobile phone contact and if you intend laying a wreath. If you prefer to book your own tickets via the Memorial’s website, please visit https://www.awm.gov.au/visit The tickets do not need to be printed/presented. Those who are booked in just need to let staff know their name on arrival at the AWM. It is also a requirement in the ACT to check in using the Check in CBR app. If attendees do not have the app, AWM staff can assist at the Front Entrance to the Memorial. If you would also like to join a group for dinner following the Last Post Ceremony, please also email! This is just being organised and emails will go to those who have indicated interest. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1696746

16.01.2022 Due to the Covid19 lockdowns many people who had planned to be in Canberra for the 1 July Last Post Ceremony are unable to be there, and this includes the family of George William Spensley. In discussion with the family of Bill Spensley, the AWM have decided to reschedule his story and, instead, speak about another young man from the Roll of Honour who was lost on Montevideo Maru, whose story they have also researched. The new subject for this Thursdays ceremony will now be... Lance Corporal Andrew Craig Baird VX24605 of the 2/22nd Infantry Battalion. His Roll of Honour Details can be seen on the below link. Several Canberra based members will be attending the Last Post Ceremony on 1 July 2021 to honour the service of L/C Andrew Baird. Anyone attending the ceremony will need to wear a mask. Andrew Craig Baird | https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1706369 See more

15.01.2022 Flashback Friday : To our 'Project 150' Education Team's display at the National History Teachers Conference in Brisbane. The PNGAA/Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Group's display stand includes its excellent lesson plan with worksheets, on WWII in the New Guinea Islands...great for 1 or 2 lessons in the tight year 9/10 history curriculum.... With thanks to Patrick Bourke and Belinda Macartney for manning the stand today at the History Teachers' Assn of Australia annual conference... at All Hallow's School in Brisbane. Tomorrow Karen McPherson is doing a combined presentation and workshop during an excursion to the NGVR/PNGVR Museum at Wacol, with thanks to the PNGVR for their collaboration too. If you know a school that embraces new ideas and might be interested in teaching students this unique and extraordinary history, please contact [email protected] ' These wonderful resources are still available - please reach out and let us know if know any teachers or schools that would be interested. DM or email.

13.01.2022 You can read more about Andy Bishop’s escape story in our 75th Anniversary Commemorative Book - ‘When the War Came: New Guinea Islands 1942’ which is available for purchase via our website (link below) or DM for more information. #VPDay75 LINK FOR BOOK PURCHASE:... https://pngaa.org/pngaarmvm-book-when-the-war-came-new-gui/ See more

11.01.2022 Hidden in the Trove Archives are a treasure of stories and personal accounts, of the men that made it home and their journey to escape the invading Japanese Army in Rabaul in 1942. This article was published in the 'Papua New Guinea Post-Courier' Newspaper : Friday 27/04/1973. * * * This is an extract of the complete article, which is attached to this post:...Continue reading

11.01.2022 HI everyone - just a reminder that if you wish to join this group, please include an answer to the application question so that we know you have a genuine interest. Many thanks.

10.01.2022 MEDIA RELEASE - 70th Anniversary Commemoration : ABC Canberra '1 July, 2012 - The unveiling of the memorial, which has been designed to commemorate the Australians who died in the defence of Rabaul, and those who later died as prisoners in the sinking of the Japanese ship the Montevideo Maru. The memorial was unveiled by Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, on 1 July 2012, the 70th Anniversary of the sinking of the Montevi...deo Maru, There was a fly-over of three historic aircraft a Wirraway, a Hudson bomber, and a Catalina flying boat. These planes were closely linked to the battle for the New Guinea islands 70 years ago. The Montevideo Maru was a Japanese ship transporting Australian soldiers and civilians captured in New Britain when it was sunk by an American submarine off the northern coast of Luzon. Over 1,000 Australian lives were lost in the disaster. The Rabaul and Montevideo Marumemorial was designed by noted Melbourne sculptor James Parrett. The memorial is fabricated in stainless steel and stands around 3.5 metres high."

10.01.2022 PNGAA's new publication, LAND OF THE UNEXPECTED: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, is out now! With 100 large-format pages and over 200 colour photographs, covers many of the different facets of this amazing country - including a complex overview, public services, flora, fauna and the environment, industries, art, culture, sport, the diverse history and some of those who helped to shape the nation - and will be a great gift or addition to your library. PNGAA subscription members have had a... head start on orders with an email sent out earlier this week. There are limited copies now available. If you would like to purchase a copy, please click on the link below. You are welcome to share this post. Sales proceeds will be dedicated to fund-raising for a special PNGAA program - we are working on details currently and these will be announced as soon as possible. https://pngaa.org/land-of-the-unexpected/ See more

08.01.2022 Special offer and fundraiser - Niugini Arabica Coffee!

07.01.2022 Tonight we will leave you these words spoken by Peter Garrett in Parliament : House debates, Wednesday, 22 August 2012, Statements on Indulgence - Montevideo Maru 'Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) On indulgence, I rise to speak on Australia's greatest maritime tragedy, an event that is still not widely recognised in our nation. But, following the commemoration of its 70th anniversary at the Aust...Continue reading

07.01.2022 All in one history: The heartbreaking story of a incredibly neglected event in Australian and PNG history - and the heartwarming tale of survivor Barney Cain. The stories of the Fall of Rabaul and Escape from Rabaul through the eyes of a survivor.

06.01.2022 ELIZABETH'S STAR - HISTORICAL FICTION inspired by the events of Rabaul and the Montevideo Maru. On August 7th, 2021 Book 1 (Elizabeth's Star) in the We'll Meet ...Again Series will be published. This is the seventh novel I have written and the most important to me. Book 1 (Elizabeth’s Star) travels from western Queensland in the 1930s through to Rabaul in New Guinea, 1940/1941. The book is fiction, however is based on actual events and begins the story of Michael and Joanie, unfolding the lives of their families and friends while following the life of Gracie, a little girl left behind when her father went to war. The trilogy (so far) has been inspired by the events of Lark Force and the Montevideo Maru. My grandfather, James McGowan, was on the Montevideo Maru and my mother who is nearly 93 has shared photos and stories with me, adding to the extensive research that I have undertaken over the last ten years. This is not James's story - the characters are fictional. By writing these books I hope to educate readers about the events surrounding the war years in Rabaul. I will keep you posted (or you can follow me to keep up to date - https://www.facebook.com/valeenapress ) I hope you enjoy the books as much as I have loved researching and writing them. Kindle editions are available for pre-order via https://www.amazon.com.au/Elizabeths-Star-Book//B093Z34T34 Paperback copies can be pre-ordered through my website - https://www.rhondaforrest.com/ - or from the 7th August 2021 they will be available through all on-line stores.

04.01.2022 With enormous sadness we advise that Norm Furness OAM (VX23557),passed away on 31 August 2020. Norm, who was President of the 2/22nd/Lark Force Battalion, was involved in the formative stages, in early 2009, of the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Society which has now been integrated into the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia. He is particularly well known for his lifelong active work in support of the widows and families of the 2/22nd Battalion/Lark Force Association and ...also for his commitment to the few survivors of the battalion, despite their widely scattered homes. As Norm managed to survive the horrific onslaught of the Japanese in the early part of WWII, and managed to escape New Britain in those first months of 1942, Norm’s 70+ year commitment to the families of those who did not survive has been extraordinary. In order that history can learn from the past, and so that his mates did not die in vain, Norm has also worked to ensure that what happened to the 2/22nd Battalion, a unit which has not been reraised, and Lark Force will not be forgotten. #RIP #NormFurnessOAM #SecondTwentySecondBattalion #LarkForce

04.01.2022 Yesterday at the AWM Canberra - The Last Post "In the Last Post Ceremony for 30 June 2020, we remember and pay tribute to Gunner Ivan Hatcher and his service in the Second World War. Gunner Ivan Lee Olden Hatcher... Service number: VX129348 Death Date: 01 July 1942 Death Place: Pacific Ocean: South China Sea Final Rank: Gunner Service: Australian Army Units Heavy Battery Rabaul (Coastal Battery) RAA Lest We Forget ... Gunner Ivan Lee Olden Hatcher Service number VX129348 Death Date 01 July 1942 Death Place Pacific Ocean: South China Sea Final Rank Gunner Service Australian Army Units Heavy Battery Rabaul (Coastal Battery) RAA

01.01.2022 Today we would like to also share again this special electronic tribute that was put together by Gayle Thwaites for ANZAC Day 2016. 'In memory of those that we loved .... And those that we remember ....... Civilians, Lark Force - 2/22nd Battalion, NGVR, 1st Independent Coy Never forgotten, always held in our hearts. xx".

01.01.2022 The Bega District News of 13 October 2020 carried an article which mentioned three men, all gunners, who were taken on the Montevideo Maru - Pat Salway, Allan Cooper and R Alexander. See: See https://www.begadistrictnews.com.au//looking-back-terribl/