Montevideo Maru tragedy remembered 67 years on

The ill-fated Montevideo Maru. Picture supplied by KEITH JACKSON

Artist's impression of the Montevideo Maru. Picture supplied by KEITH JACKSON

USS Sturgeon, the US sumbmarine which torpedoed the Montevideo Maru. Picture supplied by KEITH JACKSON

Members of the Rabaul-based Lark Force, many of whom perished on the Montevideo Maru. Picture supplied by KEITH JACKSON

Australia’s worst maritime tragedy, which intimately involves Papua New Guinea, is the sinking of the Montevideo Maru off the Philippines coast on July 1, 1942.
Japanese hospital ship Montevideo Maru was carrying 845 troops from Australia’s Lark force and 208 civilians – 1,053 men – taken prisoner of war after Japan invaded the beautiful town of Rabaul, East New Britain province, in Jan 1942.
These civilians included men who may have helped build pre-war Rabaul, capital of then New Guinea until the volcanic eruption of 1937, and included administration workers and missionaries.
There were even members of an Australian Salvation Army band.
The unmarked Japanese ship left occupied Rabaul on June 22, 1942, but nine days later on July 1, American submarine USS Sturgeon torpedoed it off Luzon in the Philippines.
The saddest thing is that the wreck has never been found to this day, and both Australia and PNG do not know the names of those killed, as the official nominal (katakana) roll – which might give a clue to the identities of those on board – has not been located
Now, 67 years later, Australian families who lost loved ones in Australia’s worst maritime tragedy, want the shipwreck to be found and made a war grave by the federal government.
Relatives of men onboard the ill-fated ship have set up the Montevideo Maru Memorial Committee to mark the tragedy they say has been overlooked by officials.
Former Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Kim Beazley has accepted the role of patron of the committee.
A plaque to commemorate the sinking of the Montevideo Maru will be unveiled at Subic Bay in the Phillipines on Wednesday, July 1.
A powerful new documentary film, ‘The Tragedy of the Montevideo Maru’, produced by Australian filmmaker John Schindler, is due to be released in November and promises to shed more light on this calamity of Australian and PNG WW11 history.
Committee member and former PNG kiap Keith Jackson provided documents and pictures of the Montevideo Maru tragedy as the anniversary of its leaving Rabaul and tragic sinking near.
After the Japanese invasion of Rabaul in Jan 1942, an early decision was by the Australian government to evacuate women and children from Rabaul and the islands, but to leave behind the male (and Chinese and mixed-race civilians), and a small garrison of Australian troops, known as Lark Force.
"Lark Force was the bastion against the Japanese advance,” Mr Jackson says.
“The bulk of these troops comprised the 2/22nd Battalion of the Australian Army.
“Amongst their number was the Brunswick Salvation Army band from Melbourne.
“In January 1942, Rabaul was overwhelmed by a far superior Japanese force.
“Disaster ensued.
“Precious few of the troops and but one bandsman, Fred Kollmorgen, escaped alive.
“The Japanese executed many more.
“Of the many men taken prisoner – 1,053 troops, civilians and the bulk of the Brunswick Band – died when the Montevideo Maru was torpedoed off the Philippines on July 1, 1942.”
Jackson stressed in no uncertain terms that the tragedy of the Montevideo Maru must never be allowed to fade away.
“Firstly, there are the victims’ relatives and their thirst for knowledge and need for closure,” he said.
“Because there remain so many questions about the tragedy, it is impossible for these people to assure themselves that the full story has been told.
“In the dishonouring of the rights of the relatives to official recognition of this tragedy, there is an implicit dishonouring of the memories of the 1,053 men who died.
“Second, there is much that is unknown about political decisions made in Canberra in January 1942 that left just 1,400 Lark Force troops to defend Rabaul against a strong Japanese invading force supported by overwhelming air and naval power.
“Third, there was the discreditable official silence, for the entire duration of the war, surrounding the fate of the 1,053 (it is thought) troops and civilians loaded on to the Montevideo Maru.
“And then there was the unsolved puzzle of who exactly was on board the vessel.
“There was a roll kept by the Japanese that apparently fell into Australian hands after the war.
“It went missing.
“Fourth, there has been the unfathomable official reluctance to give due recognition to the Montevideo Maru tragedy, which is at least as significant as the sinking of the light cruiser Sydney (645 deaths) and the hospital ship Centaur (268 deaths).
“Fifth, there are stories that Australians should know about our history.
“This is surely one of them.
“These are the reasons why this matter must be pursued.”
Keith Jackson can be contacted on email benelong@bigpond.net.au or visit his PNG Attitude blog http://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/.

Pacific Storms Opening

Pacific Storms, a contemporary art exhibition of significant Pacific island issues curated by Joycelin Leahy opened to a record crowd of 425 people at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery last Wednesday night.

It was opened by the Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Affairs, Mr Duncan Kerr. The turn out included audiences from around Australia, Pacific islanders, residents of Bundaberg Region and 27 of 33 artists who exhibited in the show.

In his speech, Mr Kerr said the artworks challenges the traditional perceptions of Pacific Cultures and their arts. He called Pacific Storms a “superb example of contemporary Pacific Island Culture”.

“I am sure that those who visit the exhibition will be surprised and perhaps startled by what they see. The works on display present a contemporary perspective of Pacific societies and cultures. It is a perspective that many Australians, including those in the art world, may not be prepared for,” Mr Kerr said.

He also said the exhibition brings an important understanding of Australia to its closest neighbors and the fact that Pacific islands’ concerns and their worlds are not so different to Australia’s.

Australia has committed $150 Million over three years under the Climate Change Adaptation Initiative to help meet high priority adaptation needs of vulnerable countries in the region which focuses on Pacific Islands and East Timor.

Responding to other major social issues highlighted in Pacific Storms, Mr Kerr said development assistance alone cannot improve long-term economic outlook or Pacific Islands, therefore Australia has placed a greater priority on trade and economic cooperation with its Pacific partners.

Since its opening, there have been a number of public programmes organised by curating partner, Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery. These included leis making and weaving which drew another crowd of 378 people on Saturday at the gallery. During the week, PNG artists, Daniel Waswas and Peter Leo Ella engaged with Bundaberg School children to discuss their style of artwork and talk about Pacific people and the culture.

Pacific Storms will remain on show at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery until July 12.

 

 

 

Airlines PNG commences regular commercial flights to Bulolo

The historical mining town of Bulolo, Morobe province, took another giant step forward last Friday with the commencement of a regular passenger transport (RPT) by Airlines PNG.

Media personnel as well as the first batch of passengers were on board the Dash 8 flight to Bulolo last Friday morning, which was greeted by management and staff of PNG Forest Products, which owns the land on which the Bulolo Airport is built.

Captain Ross Fieldus and his first officer Russell Yappa made it look like just another ‘milk run’ with the flight taking just 40 minutes.

The Bulolo service, which will be every Monday and Friday, promises to greatly boost business and tourism in Bulolo, as well as the surrounding electorates of Menyamya, Huon, Markham and Lae.

Airlines PNG systems and distributions manager, Tremaine Flynn, said the decision to commence an RPT to Bulolo stemmed from its charter business.

“A year ago,” he said at a small reception at the Bulolo airport terminal, “we commenced a contract with Morobe Mining Joint Venture to move their personnel in and out of Bulolo with three flights a week.

“This has progressed into a daily service.

“We believe that many stakeholders are also recognizing the development and growth in this region of Morobe as more and more of them set up either direct or indirect services here.

“The introduction for this new RPT service not only represents confidence in the community and business sectors but it also sets the stage for new opportunities for business to begin.

“The flow-on effect of improved services and industry to the region will mean that the people in the community will directly benefit and we now encourage the community to take full advantage of this new service.

“Therefore, we believe that our decision to introduce the RPT service between Bulolo and Port Moresby is timely and will be supported by the community and business industry throughout the Wau/Bulolo area.”

Mr Flynn commended Bulolo MP Sam Basil, MMJV, and PNGFP for their support in making the service possible.

PNGFP deputy general manager Marinus Valks said: “PNG Forest Products is very pleased to see the return of a regular passenger service out of Bulolo again.

“We’re sure that the community is going to support this new service.

“It’s also a great opportunity for Airlines PNG, since the commencement of regular charter services last year.”

 

You needed to know this!!...

AT 5 MINUTES AND 6 SECONDS AFTER 4 A.M., ON THE 7th OF August, THIS YEAR,
THE TIME AND DATE WILL BE: 04:05:06 07-08-09
THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN UNTIL THE YEAR 3009!!!

Don't you feel better for knowing that?

"Unlearn and relearn," say industry experts to small and medium enterprises

Issued by the APEC Secretariat

 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 5 June 2009 – “If you build it, they will come,” say guests of the APEC SME Technology Entrepreneur Seminar. 

 

The economic landscape has incurred some dramatic changes: budget cuts, climate change, social and demographic shifts pose a new set of challenges.  However, say industry experts, for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are able to adapt, such changes offer a wealth of opportunities:

 

• Perhaps counter-intuitively, established players insist that now is the time to spend money on research and development.  According to Choo Hua Wee, Director of Corporate Affairs, Microsoft will invest 9 billion in research and development in 2009 – a billion more than the previous year.

 

• Open innovation is key to advances in technology.  Gone are the days when companies angled to attract the best and the brightest and used patents and copyrights to keep everyone else away, explains Robert Kramer, Vice President of Public Policy at Comp TIA: “Intellectual Property Right isn’t just a means of protection; it’s a bargaining chip.”  External research is as important as internal research and ideas are regularly bought and sold. 

 

• Challenges associated with demographic shift and climate change will demand solutions.  BYD, the Chinese Hybrid/Electric Car Company in which Warren Buffet invested last year, will launch the Pure EV-e6 “rechargeable car” in China by the end of 2009. 

 

• Outsourcing auxiliary tasks allows companies to concentrate on their core business.

 

• The convenience of technology allows small businesses to operate with very little overhead.  Explains Ryan Brock of AMI Partners, “like everyone, SMEs have had to do more with less.”  Technology makes business more efficient and frees up time for maintaining good client relationships.

 

• Technology offers an alternative means of export – a largely untapped arena for SMEs.  Steven Liew, Director of Government Relations, eBay Asia Pacific points out: “1.3 million sellers use eBay as their primary or secondary source of income; and of these sellers, 530,000 operate standalone stores on eBay.”

 

The seminar, which drew members of the SME community as well as large corporate representatives from organizations including Microsoft, Dell, PayPal/eBay, and BYD, has issued a set of recommendations to the APEC SME Working Group.  The Working Group is responsible to APEC’s senior officials, whose work is instrumental in shaping public policy throughout the APEC region.

 

For more information, contact:

Carolyn Williams at cdw@apec.org or at (65) 9617 7316

Anita Douglas at ad@apec.org or at (65) 9172 6427

 

 

 

Pictures of the first commercial Airlines PNG flight from Port Moresby to Bulolo on Friday, June 5, 2009

Macdhui is an icon of Papua New Guinea history

The wreckage of the mv Macdhui as seen from Kanudi

Bradley Gewa shows the bell of the mv Macdhui on the roof of St John's Anglican Cathedral in downtown Port Moresby

Mast of the mv Macdhui at the Royal Papua Yacht Club in Port Moresby

The bell of the mv Macdhui on the roof of St John's Anglican Cathedral in downtown Port Moresby

The bell of the mv Macdhui

The mv Macdhui being bombed by Japanese planes

The mv Machdhui on fire

The mv Machdhui...unknown date

A small but significant anniversary takes place on Thursday, June 18, 2009.
This will be the 67th anniversary of the sinking of the mv Macdhui, sunk in the Port Moresby harbour by Japanese bombs on that day in 1942.
One of the best-known landmarks in Port Moresby is the wreck of the Macdhui in the waters just off the Port Moresby Technical College at Kanudi.
Many people just drive or walk past without knowing the significant role that the maritime legend Macdhui played in the development of then Papua and New Guinea.
In 2007, I was asked to be a tour guide for a retired US veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars, and one of the World War 11 relics I showed him was the wreck of the Macdhui.
As we stood at Kanudi looking out to sea, I wondered what stories the deep blue sea, the rolling hills, and the wide sky could tell me about what they saw that fateful day in 1942.
The Macdhui, 4630 tonnes, built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1930, was owned and operated on the Australia-Papua New Guinea service by Burns Philp and Company Limited.
Macdhui’s maiden voyage took place in March 1931, sailing to Suva, Fiji, via the Azores, Jamaica, and the Panama Canal, with a load of coal.
Then the Sydney to Rabaul route for Burns Philip with 167 first-class passengers’ accomodation.
On June 20, 1931, a fire broke out on another voyage between Madang and Lae, but the passengers were safely taken ashore in lifeboats.
MacDhui was safely towed to Salamaua, New Guinea's then administrative capital, by Neptuna, another Burns Philp & Co vessel.
After patching at Salamaua, MacDhui was sailed to Sydney for six weeks of repairs.
With the onset of war the ship was commandeered by the Navy and used to evacuate civilians from New Guinea, then carrying Australian troops back to Port Moresby.
On June 17, 1942, the Macdhui was attacked by Japanese bombers as it was discharging to lighters in Port Moresby harbour.
It began zigzagging around the harbour but took one direct hit which caused considerable damage.
The vessel later went alongside the main wharf to unload dead and wounded.
The next day, at 10.45am, there was another air-raid warning and the Macdhui moved out into the harbour and began manoeuvring.
Soon after the raid began, it took a direct hit.
The captain headed towards shallow water where his ship finally keeled over onto a reef.
Ten of the crew of 77 were killed along with five Australian gunners from 39th Battalion.
Altogether, the Macdhui took four direct hits.
The dramatic sinking was captured on a black and white movie film shot by the famous Australian cameraman, Damien Parer from a nearby hilltop.
The loss of the Macdhui was a great blow to the morale of the Australian troops in Port Moresby.
Until then it had been the only regular and reliable link between Australia and Port Moresby.
After the war, the Australian government compensated Burns Philp for its loss.
The wreck itself is now deeply pitted and corroded under the waterline.
It is gradually breaking up but even if it does slip completely under the surface part of the Macdhui will remain in Port Moresby.
In the late 1960s the mast was removed and now stands outside the Royal Papua Yacht Club as a memorial to those who died.
One of the bells was erected in the tower of St John’s Anglican Church in Port Moresby and to this day still calls parishioners to worship.
Former vice-commodore of the Royal Papua Yacht Club, Trevor Kerr, tells of a supernatural experience in 1979 when the ashes of the late Captain J. Campbell, skipper of the Macdhui, were laid to rest with his ship.
The powered launch Tina, owned and skippered by yacht club committee member Russ Behan, approached the wreck with Captain Campbell’s two sons, a United Church minister, and Kerr on board.
“The weather in the harbour was unusually placid, not a zephyr stirred,” writes former Port Moresby diver Neil Whiting in Wreck and Reefs of Port Moresby.
“The sea was so clear that the superstructure of the Macdhui could be seen below the surface of the water.
“There was not a ripple on the surface or current drift to break the calm.
“With heads bowed in prayer, the United Church minister upturned the urn containing Captain Campbell’s ashes and scattered the contents into the sea.
“Trevor, observing the ceremony in a more-detached fashion than the others, observed the most-amazing sequence of events.
“The ashes initially clouded the water as one would expect, but almost immediately condensed into a form similar to a teardrop.
“Then, the most amazing phenomenon occurred.
“The teardrop cloud quite rapidly crossed the six-metre intervening gap between the Tina and the Macdhui and disappeared into the hull.
“At a nudge from Trevor, Russ glanced up and also observed the incredible event.
“The engines of the launch were quickly started and in a state of chilled awe, the funeral party motored away.
“Captain Campbell had returned to his ship.”