Addendum 23: Australian New Guinea Admministrative Unit (ANGAU)

Additional information for Chapter 6 – Surviving the Japanese invasion and Chapter 8 - Recruited into the Australian New Guinea Administrative  Unit (ANGAU) and a Patrol Officer in the thick of war

The Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU), [pronounced “angow”] was the civil administrative unit of the Territory of Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, and was formed on 21 March 1942 during World War II. The civil administrations of each of Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea were replaced by an Australian Army military government from 15 February 1942 and came under the control of ANGAU until the end of World War II.

Civil officers from both Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea were posted to ANGAU. It undertook civil tasks of maintaining law and medical services in areas not occupied by the Japanese, and was responsible to the New Guinea Force. The major responsibility of the unit was to organise the resources of land and labour for the war effort.

ANGAU was responsible for recruiting, organising, and supervising local labour for the Australian and American armed forces in New Guinea, including rehabilitation of reoccupied areas and the local inhabitants. It was also responsible for the administration of the Pacific Islands Regiment. The ANGAU officers and their New Guinean carriers, labourers, scouts, guides, and police were highly regarded by both the American and the Australian military.

After the end of World War II, ANGAU was abolished and was replaced under the Papua New Guinea Provisional Administration Act (1945–46) by the combined Government of Papua and Australian New Guinea. (Source: ---    “ANGAU - One Man Law - Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit” (2nd Edition)    Author: James, Clarrie ... 2005 ... ISBN: 1876439661).

On page 37 of his book “Men of ANGAU A History of the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit” ISBN 1 876179 60 0, Lieutenant Colonel Neil C Smith, AM Retd wrote “ANGAU reached its peak strength of 1,660 Other Ranks and 366 Officers in July 1945”. On page 43 he states that over 40 ANGAU personnel lost their lives during World War Two”. The book lists 3,300 men who served with ANGAU and acknowledged the list may not be complete.

On page 44 he wrote “The importance of native labour no doubt remains the most tangible aspect of the ANGAU support infrastructure …. Starting from humble beginnings in January 1942 of only 38 natives … the number peaked in July 1944 at over 37,000 …with 46 killed in action, 91 wounded by the enemy and just over 200 dying from other causes.”

He wrote on pages 43 and 44 “The ANGAU Medical Service focused on the … health of the natives generally…. At the end of the war the ANGAU Medical Service comprised … 50 officers and 163 others…..between October 1943 and April 1946 over 1 million natives were inspected by medical patrols and almost 250,000 were admitted to hospital with a death rate of only 1.75%”.

On page 111 of the fourth edition of his book “Field Guide to the Kokoda Track” ISBN 9780977570478, Bill James wrote that ANGAU “carried on the work of the prewar administration including police, judiciary, district and medical services, and control of production of all essential goods. Its patrols collected information about Japanese troop movements and disbursements of its members often accompanied front-line troops, acting as guides and interpreters. As the Japanese were driven back, ANGAU became responsible for the restoration of law and order, the repair and reconstruction of villages and gardens, and the provision of education and medical services”.

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The Australian Military Forces – New Guinea Force document below dated 13 December, 1942 shows the appointment of Warrant Officer II David Marsh from 16 November, 1942 to be a Magistrate for Native Matters within Australian New Guinea. This document forms part of the AWM52 Australian Military Forces, Army Headquarters, formation and unit diaries, 1939 – 1945 1/10/1 HEADQUARTERS Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit November-December 1942.