Today, Remembrance Day, PNG
Attitude publicly releases the submission that will be the subject of a
You can read the submission in its entirety here.
It is a document that blends history with clear proposals of how the Australian government can better recognise the tragedy of the fall of Rabaul and the sinking of the Montevideo Maru in 1942 – events that led to the deaths of some 1500 people, 1053 of them on the ship.
The submission also provides a voice for
the victims’ relatives. See Annex II. For me, reading this is always an emotional experience.
for Recognition was prepared under my general
editorship and reviewed by eminent historian, Emeritus Prof Hank Nelson.
The story it relates is one that has for very many years been steeped in controversy and mythology, but the submission seeks to tell it correctly for the historical record.
The submission begins by looking briefly at
In February 1941, with
Soon after the attack on
The Australian War Cabinet was determined that Lark Force and civilian administrators would remain to defend Rabaul. A decision to evacuate unnecessary civilian personnel came too late to be put into effect.
Soon after midnight on Friday 23 January, the Japanese invaded Rabaul. Less than 12 hours later Australian military commander Colonel John 'Joe' Scanlan ordered “every man for himself” as Lark Force was overwhelmed. So Rabaul fell.
While about 450 people escaped through
In June 1942, 845 prisoners of war from Lark Force and 208 interned civilian men were marched from their camps to board the Montevideo Maru moored in Rabaul harbour.
The ship was to take the prisoners to
The doubts about who died at sea, who died on land and how they died linger to this day. Many relatives feel no sense of certainty and no feeling of closure. They believe there has been no appropriate national recognition. Most feel that successive Australian governments have taken their sacrifice for granted and that they have been let down.
In late 1941, the Australian government did realise the dangers of stranding an under-strength and under-supported garrison in Rabaul but it conscientiously believed this measure was justified in the defence of the Australian mainland.
Given this truth, it can be argued that this wartime decision and the terrible consequences it wrought, obligates the Australian nation to these people and, for so long as the matter remains inadequately resolved, to their relatives.
The submission proposes that this condition be
remedied: since it discredits the sacrifices that were made in the defence of
The document proposes a straightforward approach as to how the continuing anguish of the relatives can be satisfactorily and permanently resolved.
I hope you enjoy reading Time for Recognition. It tells an
epic story of
Lest we forget.
Graphic: Throughout Australia, Friends of Montevideo Maru are keeping the memories alive. This feature was organised for her local newspaper, the Bayside Bulletin, by Carole Worthy. Left click on the image for a larger version.