Ballarat Memorials to the Australian POW's and the Montevideo Maru

The commemoration of both the Australian Prisoner-of War Memorial (6 February 2004) and the Memorial for those who died on board the Montevideo Maru (7 February 2004) was attended by a number of PNGAA members.  Articles, including photographs, were received from Max Hayes, Erice Pizer and John McNabb.  As only one of the articles was published in the June 2004 issue of "Una Voce", for completeness (as each author treats the subject matter differently), the full text of each article follows -

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Montevideo Maru Memorial Commemoration at Ballarat, Victoria - By MR Hayes (published in Una Voce, June 2004, page 16.

The commemoration of the $1,800,000 130 metre polished black granite wall at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens to honour and name the 35,675 Australian POW from the Boer War and subsequent wars took place on Friday 6 February 2004.

The POW wall commemoration was a much publicised event with our Governor General, Major General Michael Jeffery, General Cosgrove, the Victorian Premier and other dignitaries taking a prominent part in the proceedings to commemorate our POW until the Korean War concluded in 1953 (there were no POW in Vietnam). This event was very well covered by all national and regional newspapers and TV stations. Some 8000 including about 500 surviving POW attended this event.

By contrast, whilst the City of Ballarat, as sponsor for the commemorations, worked hard locally to make the events of Friday and Saturday a success, it was almost impossible to achieve any publicity for the Montevideo Maru commemoration on Saturday 7 February. I personally contacted ABC Radio, ABC TV and Melbourne newspapers – none sought fit to refer to this event, save by obscure oblique references relating to the ship, and none advised of the Saturday commemoration, making this event virtually a secret rivalling some of the best Second World War secrets. Why??

Prior word of mouth and phone calls by those interested did, however, attract some 400 people to this event on a beautiful day; and some seating was provided, though seating and tents etc, were being noisily knocked down and carted away during the ceremony. Mr Kim Beasley MP was in attendance, having a personal interest in the loss of his uncle, a missionary carpenter who did not survive.

It was pleasing to see the Veterans’ Band of The Salvation Army in attendance and their performance was much appreciated. It was the Brunswick Salvation Army Band which volunteered in 1941, en masse, to join the 2/22nd and all were lost, save for one, in the Rabaul events.

Presiding Officer for the Ceremony was Brigadier Keith Rossi (retd), AM, OBE, RFD, ED. After introductory welcomes by the Mayor of Ballarat and the Project Officer of the Memorial; Mr Norman Furness, President of the 2/22nd Battalion Lark Force Assoc (one of those to escape Rabaul after the Japanese invasion of 23-1-1942) and Mr John Clark, representing relatives of those who died on the Montevideo Maru, Mr Ian Hodges of the Australian War Memorial, and Mrs Margaret Reeson delivered summary and background commentaries.


Memorial To Those who Died On The Montevideo Maru - 1st July 1942

On the 23rd January 1942 the Japanese invaded Rabaul, on the island of New Britain, and quickly defeated the small Australian garrison – LARK Force.About 160 of the Australian soldiers who surrendered were massacred in February, at Tol Plantation.On the 22nd June 1942, the Japanese ordered 845 Australian POW’s and 206 civilian internees to board the Japanese ship Montevideo Maru, for transport to Japan. The ship bore no markings to indicate that it carried POW’s.The POW’s were members of the 2/22nd Battalion AIF, New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, an anti-tank battery, an anti-aircraft battery, a coastal defence battery, a RAAF group and a detachment of the 2/10th Field Ambulance, uniquely the 2/22nd Band were all members of the Salvation Army bands.On the 1st July 1942, An American submarine the USS Sturgeon, attacked and sank the Montevideo Maru unaware that more than 1000 POW’s were locked in its holds.There were no survivors – no indication of its sinking nor of the tragic loss of life was given by the Japanese Government.The sinking of the Montevideo Maru is the largest wartime disaster in Australian history. 

 

(Inscription on Plaque)



 

It then fell to Mrs Lorna Johnston MID (nee Whyte) who came from New Zealand for the event, formerly of the Australian Army Nursing Service and who was captured in Rabaul and transported to Japan as a POW on the Naruto Maru where she remained for three years until the end of the war, to address those present and unveil the polished black granite monument, which is situated adjacent to the centre of the long POW wall. Today there are only three of the nurses who were taken to Japan alive (one Army, one Missionary and one civilian). It seems appalling to me that the best recognition which can be offered this brave woman was a MID.

Following this, the dedication of the monument was lead by Canon John May MBE who was Padre of the 2/22nd Battalion, and also captured and taken to Japan.

Wreaths were then laid by several persons on behalf of the fallen and poppies laid in personal remembrance by hundreds at the monument.

This monument is largely the inspiration of Dr Les Drew of Canberra, in memory of his older brother, a member of the Salvation Army Band. The monument lists the services, 2/22nd, NGVR, various army units, RAAF and field ambulance which were lost when this ship carrying 1053 was torpedoed on 1-7-1942. There appear to have been several accidental omissions in naming those units listed on the face of the memorial; 1st Independent Company, the battery at Praed Point, Fortress Engineers/Signals/Artillery, and those Norwegian crew of the ‘Herstein’ sunk at Rabaul. It is intended to have the surface reground and etched with further unit names. The designer of the memorial, Peter Blizzard, kept the same black granite format as utilized in the POW wall. The monument is a solid piece of black granite set into a concrete base at a slight reclining angle.

 

On Friday night, a book by Carl Johnson, entitled ‘Little Hell’, the Story of the 2/22nd Battalion and Lark Force, was launched by Kim Beasley before a gathering of about 200 persons at the Bell Tower Motel, Ballarat. Enquiries for this book of 320pp in A4 size, case bound with dust jacket priced at $115 posted should be directed to History House at jenkinaust@optusnet.com.au.

 

 

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AUSTRALIAN EX-PRISONERS OF WAR MEMORIAL AND COMMEMORATION SERVICE FOR THOSE WHO DIED ON BOARD THE MONTEVIDEO MARU - Article and photographs by Erice Pizer

A Dedication Service was held at the Ballarat Botanical gardens on Friday 6th February 2004 for the Australian ex-Prisoners of War Memorial. The service was officially opened by the Chief of the Defence Force, General Peter Cosgrove, AC MC.
The Memorial honours more than 35,000 Australian men and women who were held prisoners during the Boer War, the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War. About 8,600 Australian Prisoners of War died in captivity and of these, 4,000 have no known grave. The Memorial also honours 59 Australian Nurses who were captured and held as Prisoners during World War 2.

The POW Memorial - Joan and Brian Turner (Joan, nee Ashby - ex Kavieng - was evacuated 28 December 1941

The Monument is a stark 130 metre long, highly polished black granite wall, engraved with the names of all Australian Prisoners of war who were in the Australian Forces. At the end of the granite wall where the pathway ends there is a large stone simply engraved “Lest We Forget”. Water flows from beneath the stone along the base of the granite wall and into the Reflection Pool in which Obelisks stand. This cycle of flowing water symbolising spirituality, healing, cleansing, birth and re-birth.

At the centre of the Memorial are six large basalt obelisks with the names of all countries where Australians were held as prisoners of war. As mentioned, the Obelisks stand in a large Reflection Pool with one falling across the pool to represent those who have no known grave.

The Obelisks

Local sculptor Peter Blizzard designed the Memorial, which was built by a Ballarat Construction firm.

On Saturday 7th February, a Commemoration Service was held for those who died on board the Montevideo Maru. On the 22nd June 1942 the Japanese ordered 945 Prisoners of War and 208 Civilians to board the Montevideo Maru for transport to Japan. On 1st July 1942, an American submarine attacked and sank the ship; it bore no markings to indicate that it carried 1153 Prisoners of War that were locked in its holds. There were no survivors and no indication of its sinking was given by the Japanese Government. The sinking of the Montevideo Maru is the larges maritime disaster in Australian history.

Mr John Clark represented the relatives of all those who died on the Montevideo Maru. Mrs Lorna Johnston (nee Whyte) was a nurse taken prisoner and sent to Japan 1942-45. Mrs Johnston spoke of her time as a prisoner with other nurses in Japan. Mrs Margaret Henderson laid a wreath for the relatives of civilians that were lost. The civilian’s names are not recorded on the Memorial.
 

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Commemoration Service for those who died, 1st July 1942, on board theMontevideo Maru - Article by John McNabb

7th February, 2004 at 11.00 AM was a very warm morning with brilliant sunshine where some 500 - 600 people gathered at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens to dedicate a Monument and pay tribute to those who lost their lives on the Montevideo Maru 1st July, 1942. The Presiding Officer was Brigadier Keith Rossi AM, OBE, RFD, ED - RSL Historian.

The assembled gathering stood for the singing of the hymn - “God Save the Queen”

Brigadier Rossi welcomed distinguished visitors including -

Cr. David Vendy - Mayor of Ballarat
Mr. Les Kennedy - Project Officer - Australian ex-Prisoners of War Memorial
Mr. Norman Furness - President 2/22nd Battalion Lark Force Association
Mrs. Lorna Johnston (nee Whyte) AANS Rabaul 1941-2 Japan 1942-5
Cannon John May OBE Padre 2/22 Batt. Lark Force Association
Mr. Kim Beasley - Member of Parliament
 

The assembled gathering stood for the singing of the hymn -“O God our help in ages past”.
Introductory remarks of the occasion were remembered by Mr. Norman Furness –

He expressed how some 1500 men fought bravely and inflicted heavy causalities on the enemy with little or no support. Some died in the invasion, some 160 were massacred at Tol and Gasmata whilst 825 were captured and 300 escaped and are here to tell of their amazing accounts.

Mr. John Clark representing relatives of all those who died on the Montevideo Maru, expressed sadness of having lost their loved ones.

A Summary of Relevant History.
Mr. Ian Hodges - Military History Section - The Australian War Memorial gave a detailed talk on the events from the time the Units moved into Rabaul and New Britain in 1941, to the attack on Rabaul on the 23rd January, 1942, to the embarkation of 1053 POW’s and civilian personnel onto the Montevideo Maru which, on its way to Japan was sunk by the USS submarine USS Sturgeon, unaware that there were POW’s on board.  (Click here for full text of Ian Hodge's talk)

Social Commentary
Mrs Margaret Reeson - author of “A very long War” and “Whereabouts unknown” gave a wonderful speech of her reflections during her time in New Guinea

The Unveiling of the Monument
Mrs. Lorna Johnston (nee Whyte AANS) spoke of her experiences in New Guinea. She said” I couldn’t believe my eyes when the Japanese fleet moved up Rabaul harbour” On the approaching attack by the Japanese, she with other hospital staff moved the sick and wounded from Rabaul Hospital to Vunapope Mission near Kopoko where she eventually raised the white flag of surrender. Cannon John May - Padre of the 2/22 Batt. was with Sister Whyte at the time of surrender. Both spent the next 3 years in Japan.

Mrs. Johnston with Mr. Norman Furness unveiled the covers to reveal the black marble monument with inscriptions telling of the Japanese raid on Rabaul on 23rd January, 1942, about 160 surrendered soldiers that were massacred in February 1942 - Tol Plantation, the boarding of 845 Australia POW’s and 208 civilians onto the Montevideo Maru, which the American submarine UUS Sturgeon attacked and sunk unaware that it was carrying more than 1000 personnel locked in its holds and the sinking of the Montevideo Maru being the largest maritime disaster in Australian History.

Dedication of the Monument
Cannon John May ORE. Padre 2/22 Batt., read the Readings, took the prayers and with the assembled gathering, the response dedication of the monument. It was a very moving ceremonial service. There was a Celtic Blessing.

Laying of the Wreaths

Mr. Norman Furness - President, 2/22 Battalion Lark Force Association
Mrs. Ailsa Nisbet - Representative of relatives of Lark Force
Mrs Margaret Henderson - Representative of relatives of civilians
Cr. David Vendy - Mayor of Ballarat
There were other wreaths laid by individuals
 

Those in attendance then sang the hymn “Abide with me”. The Ode - was said by Mr. Sam Balby - Sgt 2/22nd Batt., and the Service was concluded with “The Last Post”.

Silent Reflection - Brigadier Rossi - LEST WE FORGET, followed by “The Reveille”, “the National Anthem” and the laying of poppies at the monument in personal remembrance.

Sincere thanks was expressed to Dr. Les Drew from Canberra who was the driving force behind bringing the monument to Ballarat. Special thanks also went to the Salvation Army who kept cool bottles of water up to the assembled gathering on that very warm morning.


Lorna Johnston, Former Army Nurse and John May, ex Lark Force Padre and Norm Furness (Photos courtesy Ballarat Courier)
 

ADDENDUM
Due to the numerous queries from widows of servicemen who said their husband’s unit is not mentioned on the monument, queries from servicemen who were in Rabaul at the time and their Unit is not mentioned and more information about the “civilians,” it has been decided to make a new plaque containing all amendments and place it over the existing monument. Things missing (just to name a few):-

  • Units
  • Fortress Engineers - Main Group at Rabaul
  • Fortress Signals
  • 1st Independent Coy
  • Fortress Heavy Artillery
  • 22nd Inf. Battalion (the support for the Garrison)

A detailed check of the plaque revealed only 178 civilian names, yet there were allegedly 208 Civilians on board. Then it was remembered that the Norwegian ship “ Herstein” was bombed by the Japanese - 30 of its sailors were captured and eventually put on board the Montevideo Maru. Soon the plaque will show 845 Australian POW’s, 30 Norwegian sailors and 178 civilians.

I believe Dr. In Drew is attending to the new plaque. The new plaque will cost approximately $6,000 and 2/3rds of that amount has already been donated. It is believed that the Norwegian Embassy in Canberra will be asked for a donation and given an invitation to a new Memorial Service and re-dedication of the new Monument. The new plaque should be ready for fixing to the existing Monument with a re-dedication Service being held about November 2004.

Lorna Johnston (nee Sister Whyte MID) and Norman Furness - President of the 2/22 Battalion unveiling the Monument at the Montevideo Maru Memorial Service

(The Granite Wall commemorating Australian POW's is behind the people on the left)

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Full text of the speech that Mr Ian Hodges, Military History Section, AWM, gave at the Memorial Service.

I am honoured to have been invited to speak here today at the unveiling of a memorial that commemorates a tragic, but all too little-known, episode in Australia’s history; the loss of more than one thousand lives in the sinking of the Montevideo Maru on the 1st of July 1942.

The opening months of 1942 were a disastrous time for the Allies in Asia and the Pacific. Within a matter of weeks Japanese forces had overrun great swathes of territory. Singapore fell with the loss of the 8th Division in February and by the end of the month Japanese forces had occupied Java and Timor, just a few hundred kilometres from Darwin.

New Britain fell early in January 1942. Lark Force, as the Australian defenders of the island were known, were hopelessly outnumbered, poorly equipped and had no plan of withdrawal. The Chiefs of Staff recognised that they had no chance of repelling an invasion, but felt, nonetheless, that the Japanese should be made to fight for the island. The defenders put up a brave fight, but the outcome was never in doubt. Of some 1,500, 30 were killed in the fighting and about 400 escaped the island. Another 160 were killed in the Tol plantation - one of a series of massacres of prisoners committed by the Japanese in the opening months of the war.

The survivors became prisoners of war. Several hundred foreign civilians who had been living and working on the island were also interned. Little was heard of or from, either group again. There was one occasion, however, in April 1942 when prisoners were given a chance to write to their families. The letters were dropped in mailbags over Port Moresby and about 400 were delivered. For many who received these letters it was their last contact.

On the 22nd of June 1942 just over a thousand men, military prisoners and civilians, were marched from their camps to Rabaul’s harbour. On other days they had walked the same route to work on the docks, but this time they carried whatever kit they possessed and were flanked by guards with machine guns. Chinese and New Guinean dockside labourers saw them board a ship, the 10,000-ton Montevideo Maru. They were among the last to see her human cargo alive.

Lieutenant Commander Wright, captain of the American submarine, USS Sturgeon. wrote in his log that early on the morning of the 1st of July 1942 his submarine chased a large ship as it sped from the Philippines westwards into the South China Sea. He guessed that it was heading for 1-lainan and for some time doubted whether he could catch it. But by 2:30 in the morning the submarine had drawn close enough to fire its torpedoes. Four were fired from 4000 yards, 2 hit and the ship sunk within ten minutes.

Only three lifeboats were lowered, all capsized and one was badly damaged. Even just after the sinking there were few survivors in the water and the Japanese crewmen and naval guards who had made it onto the lifeboats headed for the Philippines coast. According to Japanese accounts the captain and more than 10 of his crew reached land where most of them, including the captain, were killed by Filippino guerrillas. Five survivors set out on foot for Manila, 2 died en-route, the rest took ten days to reach the city. They reported the sinking and a search was immediately ordered, but too much time had elapsed and no trace of either the ship or survivors was found.

For the families of the men who had been on the Montevideo Maru there was never any news during the war, but Japanese authorities had known of the loss since shortly after the sinking. The ship’s owners were informed three weeks after it happened and in January the following year the Japanese Navy Department forwarded details of the sinking to the Prisoner of War Information Bureau together with a nominal roll of the prisoners and civilians on board. During the war the International Committee of the Red Cross made several enquiries concerning the men who had been captured on Rabaul but received no answer. In 1944 the Japanese Foreign Office sought information on the missing civilians from Rabaul, but no response was forthcoming and the Swiss legation made at least 7 unsuccessful attempts to get the same information. Like many who waited in Australia for news of the men who had been lost as the Japanese advanced through Southeast Asia and the western Pacific in 1942, the families and friends of the soldiers and civilians who had remained on New Britain, had spent three and a half years wondering and hoping. By the end of September 1945 lists of men recovered from Japanese prison camps were being published every day, but still more than 5,000 Australians remained unaccounted for including those from Rabaul.

Stories suggesting the loss of a Japanese prison ship carrying many of the missing men from Rahaul first appeared in Australian newspapers on the 26th and 27th of September 1945, and on the 28th an Australian officer fluent in Japanese, a Major H S Williams of the 1st Australian POW Enquiry Unit, was searching through records in Tokyo’s Prisoner of War Information Bureau when he found a list of 1,056 names. Many were of servicemen identified by name and serial number, the rest were civilians. Their place of capture was given as Rabaul and many appeared to be Australians - but the names having been translated from English into Japanese script and then back again created considerable difficulties. The Director of the Prisoner of War Information Bureau admitted that full details of what had happened to the men from Rabaul had been in Japanese possession since the beginning of 1943 and he expressed regret that no details had been transmitted to Australia. The translated roll reached Canberra in late October 1945 - telegrams were sent to families across the country confirming what they had feared; few of the men taken prisoner or interned on Rabaul in 1942 had survived the year.

As we stand here today to commemorate the loss of the Montevideo Maru, we honour those men who died and their families who spent long years waiting for news of their loved ones. Far too few Australians know that on a tropical July night in 1942 this country suffered its most terrible maritime disaster. More Australians lost their lives in a few minutes than in ten years of the Vietnam War - they, and the families and friends who endured years of not knowing their fate, deserve to be remembered.

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