Last Post Ceremony
Australian War Memorial Saturday, 1 July 2023 Canberra turned on a beautiful, sunny day for this year’s 1 July 2023 Last Post Ceremony. Held on the 81st anniversary, the Last Post Ceremony remembered all...
Category: Rabaul and Montevideo Maru
Finding the MV Montevideo Maru – 1 August 2023 – Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne
The loss of the Montevideo Maru is the worst maritime disaster in Australian history, and until 2023, the exact location of its final resting place remained a mystery. Its discovery in April off the...
Lest We Forget – by CAITLIN NASH
The impenetrable darkness sets upon the Pacific Ocean. It is the 22nd of June, 1942. Deep beneath the waves, an American submarine, the USS Sturgeon, lines up its oblivious target. The crew waits...
Finding Montevideo Maru
The ship at the centre of the worst maritime disaster in Australia’s history has been discovered more than 4,000 metres beneath the sea—81 years after it sank. Japanese transport ship, MS Montevideo Maru,...
MEMORIAL NEWS
Unveiling of a Commemorative Seat and Storyboard at Mornington Memorial Park A special community event on 23 January 2023 remembered the 1,053 Australian soldiers and civilians who died as prisoners on the hell ship,...
Are You Interested in a Trip to Rabaul?
Memorial News Are You Interested in a Trip to Rabaul? A number of people have expressed an interest in returning to Rabaul with a group of interested travellers. The week around Anzac Day 2023...
Japanese Prison Ships
Readers of PNG Kundu are familiar with the sinking of the Japanese prison ship, Montevideo Maru, on 1 July 1942, and that 20 of the Japanese crew successfully abandoned the ship leaving the prisoners...
MEMORIAL NEWS
80th Anniversary of the Sinking of the Montevideo Maru and the Fall of the New Guinea Islands Commemorative Ceremony On 1 July 2022 the 80th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony was held at the Stone of...
Last Post Ceremony at AWM commemorates the NGVR and Cpl George Williams Spensley NGX490 – 1 July 2021
On 1 July 2021 the Last Post Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, will commemorate the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles and Corporal George William Spensley NGX490. Anyone is welcome to attend however you...
Montevideo Maru – Australia’s Greatest Maritime Disaster
Few Australians know this story – but all should. Seventy-seven years ago today 1053 civilians and Australian troops were about to begin their last tragic journey from Rabaul, the capital of Australian-mandated New Guinea....
Memorial News – PNG Kundu Dec 2020
Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Signing of the Surrender of Japanese Forces at Rabaul, 6 September 2020 The Papua New Guinea Association of Australia commemorated the 75th Anniversary of the signing of...
Memorial News – Sept 2020 Kundu
The Rabaul & Montevideo Maru Society was established in 2009 and integrated into the PNGAA in 2013. The society encourages students and adults to explore the significance of WWII in the Papua New Guinea...
MEMORIAL NEWS
The Rabaul & Montevideo Maru Society was established in 2009 and integrated into the PNGAA in 2013. The society encourages students and adults to explore the significance of WWII in the Papua New Guinea...
Montevideo Maru – Australia’s greatest tragedy of the Pacific War
With the sinking of the MONTEVIDEO MARU – Australia suffered the greatest single tragedy of the war in the Pacific.
The fate of those who had embarked at Rabaul on the Japanese Naval auxiliary transport on the 22 Jun 1942, remained a mystery for
2019 Upcoming PNGAA Events
A number of gatherings are planned for PNGAA members and their friends through 2019 – they’re always enjoyable days so please support your association and come along! We thank all our organisers. This list...
