Lae War Cemetery
Introduction The '''Lae War Cemetery''', established in 1944, is located adjacent to the Botanical Gardens in the centre of the city of Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, in Papua New Guinea. The cemetery is managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.In World War II, Japanese and Commonwealth soldiers fought to hold the strategic areas of Papua New Guinea, and the Morobe Province was the site of several heated campaigns in late 1942–1943; by 1944, the Japanese had been driven off the island. The cemetery holds the remains of over 2,800 soldiers, many of whom died in the Salamaua–Lae campaign, but also those who died in Japanese detention on the Island. As the remains of missing soldiers are recovered, they are interred in the cemetery.
History In the early months of 1942, Japan dominated the skies. Lae and Salamaua were bombed on 21 January 1942 by 100 planes, and 3,000 land troops arrived on 7 March. There were also landings at Salamaua, followed on 21 July by further landings at Buna and Gona on the east coast, as the Japanese prepared to push through the Owen Stanley Mountains across the Papuan Peninsula to Port Moresby. Lae became one of the bases from which the Japanese launched their southward drive, until it was stopped at Ioribaiwa Ridge, a point within  from Port Moresby.
Cemetery The cemetery was dedicated in 1944 by Lieutenant-General Sir Leslie Morshead, assisted by Chaplain C. M. Swan and Chaplain J. W. Drakeford. The Commonwealth Graves Commission assumed responsibility for it in 1947.The Lae Memorial commemorates 300 men of the Australian forces (including Merchant Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, and the Australian Army) who lost their lives and have no known grave. It contains a total of 2,800 burials, of which 444 are unidentified.File:Lae War Cemetery frontGate.jpg|The front gate of the Lae War Cemetery.File:Lae War Cemetery front-view.jpg|The view towards the memorial once through the front gate.File:Lae War Cemetery TokPisin sign at front gate.jpg|Sign at the entrance.File:Lae War Cemetery TokPisin sign at front gate2.jpg|Sign at the entrance.File:Lae War Cemetery Indian Army-front gate.jpg|The gate to the Indian section. Left side of the main gate.File:Lae War Cemetery Indian Army Grave.jpg|Close up of one of the graves.File:Lae War Cemetery Australian Grave Row A.jpg|Australian section. Row AWX15729 Private H.P Wilson 2/11 Infantry Battalion 6 January 1943 – Age 22 - For King and country – his duty nobly done.File:Lae War Cemetery infopanel.jpg|Panel inside the Lae Memorial.File:Lae War Cemetery register.jpg|Cemetery Register compartment in the Lae Memorial.===Design===Rising from the Cemetery forecourt, a wide flight of steps leads to a flat-topped colonnade. The central span of the colonnade frames a view of the Cross of Sacrifice, found in every Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery of more than 40 burials. The cross stands on an expansive lawn in which bronze plaques mark the grave sites.===War Memorial===The Lae Memorial to the Missing stands in the cemetery, to commemorate 328 officers and men of the Australian Army, the Australian Merchant Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force who died in Papua New Guinea and have no known grave. The naval casualties were killed, or died of injuries received, on HMS ''King George V'', HMS ''Glenearn'' and ''Empire Arquebus'', and the four men of the Merchant Navy were killed when the SS ''Gorgon'' was bombed and damaged in Milne Bay in April 1943.Photo of A Chowne headstone. VC recipient at Lae War CemeteryPhoto of W.E. Newton headstone. VC recipient at Lae War Cemetery===Burials===The cemetery contains two classifications of burials, the identified and the unidentified. Most of the 2,818 burials are identified. Graves also include 426 Indian soldiers who were taken prisoner by the Japanese in the Malaya and Hong Kong and interred in Papua New Guinea. (See the 7th Rajput Regiment and the 14th Punjab Regiment). Most of the dead were killed in the Salamaua-Lae campaign in 1943, in particular, action at the Ramu Valley, Shaggy Ridge, and the Finisterre region. (See Australian 3rd Division. )The cemetery also contains the grave of William Ellis Newton VC. Newton was awarded the Victoria Cross on 19 October 1943 for his actions on 16–18 March, becoming the only Australian airman to earn the decoration in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II, and the only one while flying with an RAAF squadron.Lieutenant Albert Chowne (1920–1945) is buried there too. Chowne had served enlisted in the 2nd/13th Australian Infantry Battalion in Tobruk, Libya in 1941.Upon receiving his commission, he was with the 2nd/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion in New. Guinea when he was killed attacking an enemy foxhole. He received the Victoria Cross for his actions.
Commemorations The annual dawn service is held every ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) day to commemorate the dead. The day is celebrated on 25 April, the landing of the Australian and New Zealand forces at Galipoli during World War I. The typical service is patterned on the military dawn "stand-to," followed by an introduction, hymns, prayer, an address, the laying of wreaths, a recitation or two, followed by the playing of the Last Post. The service concludes with a minute of silence, Reveille, and the New Zealand and Australian national anthems.
Recent burials On 13 January 1999, two men who had died on a 1944 jungle reconnaissance flight were buried at the Lae War Cemetery. A Wirraway aircraft flown by RAAF Flight Lieutenant Denis John Unkles crashed into the Papua New Guinea jungle on 15 April 1944, killing Unkles and his passenger, Army Lieutenant John Rawdon Fethersonhaugh. The flight had departed from the Gusap Strip on 15 April 1944, for an operational reconnaissance of the Wantoat area. When the aircraft's wreckage was located in the Finisterre Range,  north-west of Lae, it was covered in  of jungle growth. Unkles' granddaughter played the last post.In April 1999, RAAF Flying Officer Maurice Ambrose Bellert of the No. 82 Squadron RAAF, originally from Bundaberg, Queensland, was buried in Lae War Cemetery with full military honours. His P-40 Kittyhawk crashed into the sea off Irian Jaya on 18 October 1944, after a raid on Japanese positions. His fate and location remained a mystery until 1999, when an Indonesian fisherman discovered the wreckage in  of water several kilometres off Manokwari. His name was removed from the memorial for the missing, and he received a headstone of his own.
Nearby war cemeteries The Bomana War Cemetery was established across the island,  north of Port Moresby on the road to the town of Nine Mile, and is approached from the main road by a side road called Pilgrims Way. This cemetery contains 3,819 Commonwealth burials, 702 of them unidentified. It was started in 1942 by the Australian Army and is the only Papua New Guinea cemetery to contain white marble headstones and a Stone of Remembrance.
Names recorded in Memorial Photo of plaque between panels at the Lae Memorial at the Lae War Cemetery===Panel 1===Photos of Panels 1,2,3 on the Lae Memorial.Australian Imperial ForceHeadquartersLieutenant ColonelsNX484 Fenton A.G. MBEMajorsQX43794 Hopkinson R.E.DCaptainsNGX189 Evensen M.GNX42188 Massie J.H.HNX112723 Watson W.PLieutenantsNGX48 Barracluff J.T.VX20171 Fetherstonhaugh J.RQX26597 Graham P.OAustralian Light Horse2/2 Cavalry Commando SquadronTroopersWX34934 Beadman R.L.NX57432 Brown H.NX51317 Cole H.JVX117978 Mitchell P.R2/5 Commando SquadronTroopersQX28187 Duffy G.P.NX114117 Ireland F.J2/6 Commando SquadronTroopersQX60160 Mathiesen R.L2/9 Commando SquadronLance SergeantsNX5515 Ochiltree E.GTroopersNX202873 Hanly A.G2/10 Commando SquadronTroopersNX202130 Noonan J.DAustralian Armoured Corps2/4 Armored RegimentTroopersWX16831 Skinner C.JRoyal Australian Artillery2/3 Field RegimentGunnersNX53000 McDonald J.D.ANX37718 Shaw A.SNX18075 Switzer L.H Served as Dearden L.HNX17833 Weatherston J.F2/7 Field RegimentGunnersTX8234 Eiszele T.J14 Field RegimentBombardiersNX49992 O'Halloran W.J2/1 Tank Attack RegimentSergeantsQX4666 Hanson R.JBombardiersQX12516 Heuston V.VGunnersQX3146 Dark J.WTX1227 Hadfield R.P2/4 Light A.A RegimentMajorsNX34795 S Beecraft V.E172 Light A.A. BatteryGunnersVX133932 Hyland M.J===Panel 2===Australian Imperial ForceRoyal Australian Engineers2/3 Field CompanySappersNX11154 Pearson W.W2/14 Field CompanySappersNX165877 McGovern C.B9 Workshops and Park CompanySappersNX128663 Matthews J.5 Mechanical Equipment CompanySappersNX204635 MacDougall J. F3 A.A. Fortress CompanySappersQX34329 Tormey R. J16 Small Ships CompanySappersSX38108 Bushell R.M.FAustralian Corps of SignalsSignalmenQX64904 McBarron L.JAustralian Infantry"Z" Special UnitLieutenantsNX82924 Gubbay A.R.Lance CorporalsNX202843 Walklate S.H.PrivatesNX92651 Eagleton R.E"M" Special UnitCaptainsPX178 Pursehouse L.SergeantsNX143314  Siffleet L.G2/3 Independent CompanyLance CorporalsNX44160 Cooper R.APrivatesVX105900 Snadden J.W2/4 Independent CompanyCorporalsWX25155 Pitos J.PPrivatesWX25054 Hamersley A.J.T.P2/5 Independent CompanyMajorsNX65838 Kneen T.PPrivatesVX122008 Bonnell J.M.VX108572 Pedder E.A2/7 Independent CompanyCaptainsNX55542 Owen G.TLance CorporalsQX8505 Flynn P.DPrivatesQX8764 Dickson J.HVX113027 Else R.CNX115168 Graham E.CQX31869 Johns J.NSX20274 Linton R.C.HSX15805 McKay R.HVX120127 MacMahon A.JSX16040 Medland H.E.J2/3 Infantry BattalionPrivatesNX4584 Bateup L.ATX14609 Chilcott D.LNX122705 Davis R.NX120151 Kendall K.BNX4614 Shiel T.K===Panel 3===Australian Imperial ForceAustralian Infantry2/5 Infantry BattalionLieutenantsQX6681 Doneley A.R. M.CCorporalsVX56539 Allen J.FNX72456 Gay A.CPrivatesNX201879 Douglas T.GVX33825 Feeley H.JVX53333 Marks T.G.HVX7533 Whitelock G.B.R2/6 Infantry BattalionCorporalsVX36060 Grant R.CPrivatesVX33800 Carracher W.A.JNX161891 Hennessy C.B2/7 Infantry BattalionPrivatesQX27523 Thomas V.L2/8 Infantry BattalionPrivatesQX33063 Rains F.G2/12 Infantry BattalionPrivatesNX108177 Bowden K.J2/14 Infantry BattalionPrivatesQX30038 Hubner G.H2/15 Infantry BattalionPrivatesQX15253 Owens M.J2/16 Infantry BattalionPrivatesWX5591 Henderson W.JNX126131 Tindall J.IWX4726 Wallace L.C.L2/17 Infantry BattalionLance CorporalsNX85704 O'Brien L2/23 Infantry BattalionCaptainsVX46713 Reid R.K. M.CNX169503 Gomm N.LQX54584 McAlorum J2/25 Infantry BattalionLieutenantsQX14258 Shaw J.TCorporalsQX9328 Austin R.GNX88924 Morel P.FPrivatesVX87082 McKenzie G.F2/27 Infantry BattalionCorporalsSX8157 Kemp D.C.WPrivatesSX27529 Smith M2/28 Infantry BattalionSergeantsWX6697 MacGregor A.CLance CorporalsWX1092 Peacock S.WPrivatesWX11974 Ashby J.JWX6027 Bell T.HWX20198 Brown E.GWX109541 Calder A.JWX13684 Caporn B.LeRVX18801 Carter H.R.WWX17939 Chilvers J.DWX19351 Forsyth A.LWX20153 Fowler N.SWX20056 Grimwood DNX21625 Haim JWX17874 Heath G.HWX19845 Leonard J.EWX19112 McMaster AWX20042 Nankiville S.CWX19857 Polinelli V.JWX11520 Smith E.JWX6783 Stephen L.T===Panel 4===Photo of Panel 4 on the Lae Memorial.Australian Imperial ForceAustralian Infantry2/31 Infantry BattalionPrivatesNX78164 Ford M.JNX155390 Horwood M.R.SQX69848 Jorgensen A.TTX16004 Oakley L.TNX203686 Ray I.T.LNX92958 Smith D.W2/33 Infantry BattalionLance CorporalsNX67141 Kelly P.LPrivatesNX6777 Ellis J.A2/43 Infantry BattalionCaptainsSX8899 Buring O.G24 Infantry BattalionLieutenantsVX104167 Young M.JLance SergeantsVX104437 Fox W.PLance CorporalsVX104402 Betson APrivatesVX143605 Arnold R.EVX104448 Hellens W30 Infantry BattalionCorporalsSX23089 Phelan O.C. MM31/51 Infantry BattalionLance CorporalsQX37339 Barbouttis A58/59 Infantry BattalionCorporalsVX56605 Beaumont A.G.W2/3 Machine Gun BattalionSergeantsNX3947 Hall V.RCorporalsNX86092 May F.RPrivatesNX79521 Gordon R.CSX14341 White R.M2/2/Pioneer BattalionLieutenantsNX69757 White R.B2/4 Pioneer BattalionPrivatesSX25862 Coombe L.A1 Papuan Infantry BattalionLieutenantsQX55175 Bruce T.ANew Guinea Volunteer RiflesLance CorporalsNGX460 Anderson F.T.B===Panel 5===Photo of Panel 5 on the Lae Memorial.Australian Imperial ForceAustralian Army Service CorpsSergeantsVX116524 Richards L.JCorporalsNX156810 Latham SNX31956 Welch G.JAustralian Army Medical CorpsCorporalsNX87378 Kelson G.Australian Army Ordnance CorpsPrivatesQX26044 McDowall I.SCorps of Electrical and MechanicalEngineersCraftsmenNX139655 Coste JAustralian Army Provost CorpsCorporalsSX9093 Feuerheerdt A.WAustralian Army Transportation CorpsLieutenantsQX4655 Jones A.MAustralian Labour ServiceLance SergeantsNX88349 Hyde A.JPrivatesVX47535 Lipp BAustralian Commonwealth Military ForcesAustralian Infantry24 Infantry BattalionPrivatesV260513 DeLacy R.R35 Infantry BattalionPrivatesQ148482 Kraut JNew Guinea Volunteer RiflesLance CorporalsNG2003 Vernon R.E===Panel 6===Photos of Panels 6,7,8 on the Lae Memorial.Royal Australian Air ForceWing Commanders260411 Barker N.WSquadron Leaders402853 Dey P.A224 Lewis M.V574 McKenny C.R255 Sage C.W.LFlight Lieutenants407161 Badger N.T., DFC415620 Crisp E.E563 Eddion E.D409038 Fielfing I.H415733 Horne C.AV406784 Hughes J.T270808 Jones E.A545 McDonnell P.R405321 O'Farrell R.H418562 Park G.L402133 Paxton R.R411824 Plowman K.W400736 Satchwell C.A404683 Thomas R.J408766 Unkles D.J402097 White E.M406121 White G.HFlying Officers403794 Amess J.W.B260770 Anderson B.H410192 Anderson S.L431161 Bate A.V.E419023 Beach R.E404001 Bellert M.A413520 Boyce R.F429646 Buckland J.A409289 Burnell N.G408042 Carington-Smith E431737 Chisholm C.L427498 Clarke S.C437399 Cornell J.R439416 Dalglish A406923 Davidson J.E406124 Davies A.C.C437476 Day R.V412120 Donnan J.C428699 Fletcher R.J428386 Glendinning W402595 Gurney D.A426223 Hayes T.F415159 Lucas G.A416874 McLaren L.M401984 Manger G.V7246 Morrell A.K10941 Munro H.C422872 Negus E.R401660 Oliver J.P401145 Page A.R403398 Shade C.R421110 Stibbard N.R400106 Summons H.D418989 Thewlis N.McK422895 Thompon J.G402812 Wormald J.APilot Officers428901 Bernie W.B35952 Bevan K.H423606 Boyd A.S403903 Byrnes K.G412502 Fairfax R.L410973 Glew W.C423121 Howe E.M416868 Lloyd S.L412675 Passmore L.A.J405647 Petrie A,M426955 Richards J.D401793 Smith G.T408886 Starling J418197 Stewart L405427 Stirling J.McL429418 Wallace D.J413293 Warbrook C.S.J437187 Williss C.J406122 Wilson R.MWarrant Officers412376 Campbell A404670 Giles A.E414566 Hughes A.C411069 Hunter A.J420571 Keyes R.J412081 Mogg G.C405883 Schlengker P.G416644 Tunbridge D.V421950 Watson C405949 Wilkinson E421952 Willis M.W===Panel 7===Royal Australian Air ForceFlight Sergeants427775 Boyd H.J434615 Brown R.P.s409504 Burrowes T427446 Davies A.J10424 Devitt L.M409528 Fairbairn M417834 Guster P.F417366 Harnden W.H434252 Hay R.N56177 Hay T.N437825 Hewett M.J415983 Hobbs R.G408151 Ikin C.A416776 Jackson M.H415663 Kenny J.E416770 Lamb J.B442351 Lambert R418154 McDonald F.G416771 McLean N.D433732 Macgregor R.A410995 Maloney F431510 O'Brien B.M401048 Patterson C.F433741 Peatfield G.A434897 Pratt W.H418466 Richards J.J22750 Richardson E.R414841 Salter A.J6188 Sawrey A.G433966 Tonge C.N27141 Wiles K.R418033 Wise T.W425801 Yates W.JSergeants11321 Allott R.M405710 Bailey L.M60200 Barter R.T47042 Blackmore F.L.H435439 Brown L.E13356 Burgess F.T414541 Dawes L405839 Desmond D.W13055 Eastwood B.G407360 Ellis M.C408805 Friday A.I405549 Gibson J.A13362 Gluyas R.J39426 Hamilton D431282 Hattersley, S.J401779 Kerr R.T411504 Marsh T11398 Maxted R.H.D61752 Standing J.A23771 Tyrrell M.B442288 Way D.ACorporals11000 Burns A34759 Maxwell W.J.C26974 Penrose I.L6461 Perrett J36648 Sharland D.A.J47773 Whittaker W.A12217 Wyche J.RLeading Aircraftmen11085 Anthony F.H16961 Bone C.V140267 Burns K.J32579 Clarke L.T140811 Coleman I.S425276 Cook G.W73200 Costigan W.A33871 Cox J.L22050 Craigie J.E.B23560 Grouch A.H16809 Downes A170241 Dunderdale W.R25843 Edwards G.J149300 Haddow D.E71457 Harland E.J72043 Lyons S.E153077 Mann S.D73231 Marshall B.A9034 Meadow A.D88726 Morgan V.A69438 Street FAircraftmen Class 1149289 Luck W.B146748 Smith J.H.ARoyal Australian Air Force Nursing ServiceSisters501399 Craig M.E (now identified as being buried at Bomana War Cemetery)===Panel 8===Papua New Guinea Infantry1 Papuan Infantry BattalionLance CorporalsAtitonaEvoaKoriPrivatesBagawiEreFrankGosiHeoreImcheKiloNaromaiNupugiOganowaSimora1 New Guinea Infantry BattalionPrivatesAgi2 New Guinea Infantry BattalionCorporalsEstromTangoliLance CorporalsPaprikoPrivatesEibilWilli3 New Guinea infantry BattalionPrivatesKatin-GoriLokanguruAustralian New Guinea AdministrativeUnitCorporalsKokimaraPrivatesBekaEriwellKokaeMoukiNabuoiNankoWanbumaminiWaworoPacific Island RegimentPrivatesBranimuKarmunOmbolaTominitNew Guinea Police ForceSergeantsLusMasSapliaConstablesBailiDarokJuliamKalampsiKeuKundiMoPaliauPeriSaumanAustralian Imperial ForceHeadquartersWarrant Officers 2Strudwick R.B
See also * List of Australian military memorials
References
External links * P. Applebee,  Alphabetical list of internees Australian War Graves and PBG War Forum. 2001. * *