PNGAA Presentation at History Teachers Association of Australia National Conference, Brisbane 27-29 September 2017

History teachers from all over Australia visited the NGVR/PNGVR Museum in Brisbane on 28 September 2017 as an excursion sponsored by the PNGAA (Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Group) and PNGVR.  

Hearing about what happened in the New Guinea Islands; seeing the Japanese pamphlet promising that Australian lives would be saved if they surrendered and then …the Tol Massacre; Australian soldiers and civilians becoming prisoners of war in Australian Mandated Territory for five months before embarking a Japanese ship only to be torpedoed with the loss of all their lives; the nurses who went to Japan, the nuns who remained in Rabaul for the duration of the war years; seeing WWII artifacts including rifles and the teleradio that the coastwatchers used – all brought this incredible Australian WWII story alive.  The teachers who visited the Museum were clearly impressed.

PNGAA Presentation at History Teachers Association of Australia National Conference, Brisbane 27-29 September 2017

One of the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru books – ‘When the War Came: New Guinea Islands 1942’ was raffled at the Museum – with congratulations to Emily Donders.  Another book will be drawn in today’s raffle at the History Teachers Conference.  Additionally the PNGAA was delighted that Ian Townsend donated a copy of his recent book ‘Line of Fire’ – and one lucky winner will take that home today as well.

The excursion was an extended workshop – part of the History Teachers Association of Australia National Conference.  For the second year, Karen McPherson, from Canberra, was accepted as a presenter on behalf of the PNGAA (Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Group).  Patrick Bourke arranged for and set up a display stand at the conference so that teachers could have the opportunity to take one of the excellent Rabaul and Montevideo Maru group education packages designed to fit into one or two lessons of the year 9/10 history curriculum.

A bus was hired to take the teachers to the Museum.  

With thanks to all who share our Australian/Papua New Guinea history – and thanks to those volunteers from both the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia PNGAA), and the NGVR/PNGVR Ex members Association, who enable the story to be told.