1940’s – Qantas began operations in PNG with two light aircraft stationed in Lae

 

1940 – Charles Karius died of cancer at age 47. He had been the Resident Magistrate in the Murray Administration, and he with Ivan Champion, successfully completed the expedition from the Fly River to the Sepik River in 1927-1928

 

1940 – (Sir) Jack Keith Murray was made Commanding Officer of the 25th Battalion, Darling Downs Regiment. He had enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force.

 

1940 – the first freeway in the United States was opened, the Arroyo Seco Parkway, (now the Pasadena Freeway, Highway 110), between Los Angeles and Pasadena in California

 

1940 - The Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB) was raised

 

1940 – by this time 50% of homes in the USA had refrigerators

 

Early 1940 – the Kienzle family leased 7,700 acres of agricultural land including 900 acres of rubber

 

9 Jan 1940 – the Australian Imperial Force sailed to the Middle East

 

16 Jan 1940 to 22 Jul 1940 – term of Mitsumasa Yonai, Prime Minister of Japan

 

27 Feb 1940 – Sir John Hubert Plunkett Murray, Lieutenant-Governor of Papua, and Knight Commander of the Grand Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG), passed away at Samarai. He had been treated for several years for pernicious-anaemia. His funeral ovation was broadcast and relayed to Australia, the first time any such event in Port Moresby had been so reported. The Papuans also honoured him with an old tribal death feast called “Masi Ariana”, the first time ever held for a white man.

 

28 Feb 1940 - Herbert Champion was appointed Acting-Lieutenant Governor of Papua. He had on a number of occasions been the Acting Administrator of the Territory of Papua at various dates between 11 Apr 1916 and 11 Mar 1923 and had on a number of occasions been the Acting-Lieutenant Governor of the Territory of Papua at various dates between 4 Nov 1927 and 27 Dec 1939.

 

Mar 1940 – David Marsh arrived in Port Moresby alone at age 18 aboard the ‘MV MacDhui’

 

 

Mar 1940 – population of Port Moresby was 325

 

Mar 1940 to Apr 1942 - David Marsh worked at Yodda / Mamba for Herbert Kienzle – in gold, rubber, and cattle

 

Post Mar 1940 - David Marsh herded cattle from Sanananda to Yodda

 

Post Mar 1940 - Claude Champion was the Assistant Resident Magistrate at Kokoda

 

Post Mar 1940  - Atkinson was the Resident Magistrate at Buna

 

19 Apr 1940 - Permission granted for volunteers to join the Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB)

 

10 May 1940 to 26 Jul 1945 – term of Winston Churchill as Prime Minister of Great Britain – Conservative party

 

15 May 1940 – the American fast food restaurant McDonald’s was founded by Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernadino in California. The Golden Arches were added to outlets in 1953. Expansion of the franchiser occurred when Ray Croc joined on 15 Apr 1955. Today it is the largest fast food restaurant chain in the world serving 69 million customers daily in 100 countries across more than 40,000 outlets.

 

23 Jun 1940 – politician Josephine Abaijah was born at Misima Papua

 

30 Jun 1940 – the Year Book Australia 1941 states at page 230 that the main native medical conditions treated in Papua in the year were “yaws, ulcers, lung affections, hookworm, venereal and skin diseases”.

 

A training school was established for the training natives in first aid and elementary sciences in preparation for their employment as Native Medical Assistants. Prior to the Japanese invasion they attended a 6 month course at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at the University of Sydney.

 

30 Jun 1940 – the Year Book Australia 1941 states at page 238 that in New Guinea a “new day school for natives was opened at Pila Pila during the year”.

 

30 Jun 1940 – the Year Book Australia 1942 states at page 246 that in New Guinea a “new day school for European children was erected at Bulolo in the Morobe District during the year”.

 

1 Jul 1940 to 30 Jun 1941 – Australian Government Commonwealth expenditure in Papua and New Guinea was £92,865

(per Australian Bureau of Statistics data sourced from www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage

 

22 Jul 1940 to 18 Oct 1941 – term of Prince Fumimaro Konoe, Prime Minister of Japan

 

Sep 1940 to Jun 1941 - Major George WL (Gassa) Townsend was in Salamaua

 

7 Sep 1940 to 11 May 1941 – the Blitz German bombing of London in the Battle of Britain in which there were more than 40,000 civilians killed and more than 2 million homes destroyed or damaged

 

16 Dec 1940 to 12 Feb 1942 – term of Administrator – Territory of Papua - Hubert Leonard Murray – the nephew of Sir Hubert Murray, and who had been his Secretary since 1910  

  

 

28 Dec 1940 - David Marsh turned 19 years of age

 

30 Dec 1940 to 11 Feb 1941 – term of Herbert William Champion as the Acting Administrator of the Territory of Papua.

 

1941 – Burns Philp purchased the site of the Papua Hotel and Whittens Store

 

1941 – Musgrave Street in Port Moresby was sealed with bitumen

 

Feb 1941 – the cinema was re-opened after renovation and was called the Papuan Theatre. It held screenings on Mondays and Tuesdays for members of the Services and general showings on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

 

Feb 1941 and Mar 1941 - Japanese seen and heard flying over Kokoda Station and Yodda

 

Mar 1941 - Australian authorities directed that all women and children not engaged in essential work be encouraged to return to Australia for their safety given the threat of a looming war

 

21 Mar 1941 – Australian 49th Militia Battalion arrived to garrison Port Moresby. Arrival of 1,000 troops placed a burden on the Administration and on native land and labour.

 

1 Jul 1941 to 30 Jun 1942 – Australian Government Commonwealth expenditure in Papua and New Guinea £55,887

(per Australian Bureau of Statistics data sourced from www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage

 

11 Jul 1941 – Sir John Kaputin was born on Matupit Island, East New Britain

 

14 Jul 1941 – a radio-telephone link between Port Moresby and Sydney commenced operation

 

Aug 1941 – a fire burned down the British New Guinea Development Company’s store on the corner of Port Road and Hunter Street. There was no fire brigade and volunteers unsuccessfully used buckets to try to put the fire out

 

Aug 1941 – water was first pumped from the Laloki River into the reservoir on Tougaba and it was reticulated to the buildings in Port Moresby a few weeks later. Work had started on this project in 1940 when the Australian Government made a grant of £12,000 and a loan of £36,850. At this time there were 1,000 troops in the town. A referendum had been passed in 1928 to borrow the money but the project did not proceed at the time due to the Depression.

 

29 Aug 1941 to 7 Oct 1941 – term of Arthur Fadden - the 13th Prime Minister of Australia - Country Party (replaced Robert Menzies of the United Australia Party)

 

7 Oct 1941 to 5 Jul 1945 – term of John Curtin - the 14th Australian Prime Minister – 1st term - Labor Party (replaced Arthur Fadden of the Country party)

 

12 Oct 1941 - Bishop Strong and the missionaries Miss Brenchley and Miss Lashmar arrived at Yodda for a visit from the Sangara Mission. David Marsh had afternoon tea with them.

 

18 Oct 1941 to 22 Jul 1944 – term of Hideki Tojo, as Prime Minister of Japan

 

Nov 1941 – the Government ordered the evacuation of all civilians from PNG other than those fit for military service

​

Nov 1941 – Building of a new Papua Hotel was completed by Burns Philp (who had demolished the previous Papua Hotel), but it was not opened to the public until after World War II on 21 Nov 1947. During the War it was occupied by the army.

 

7 Dec 1941 - Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii

 

7 Dec 1941 – Japan also attacked the United States base in Manila in the Philippines, and the British Army in Malaya

 

7 Dec 1941 - Thomas Grahamslaw was the Collector of Customs, Shipping Master, and Post Master at Samarai

 

8 Dec 1941 - Japan attacked Malaya

 

10 Dec 1941 - Australia declared war on Japan

 

11 Dec 1941 - Bert Kienzle returned to Yodda from holiday in Sydney, Australia

 

12 Dec 1941 - Government decision that all women (739) and children (471) excluding nurses and missionaries who chose to remain, to be compulsorily evacuated

 

18 Dec 1941 – Sydney Elliott-Smith’s first wife Myola (aged 44) and their 2 children Myola (age 7) and Myee (age 3) and her mother Mary Wilson (age 77), were evacuated from Samarai, Papua by a RAAF Flying Boat to Townsville, Queensland

 

26 Dec 1941 - Hong Kong fell to Japan

 

28 Dec 1941 - David Marsh 20 years old

 

1942 - Estimated number of kiaps was 120

 

1942 - Captain Austen distributed two shillings and six pence each (25 cents) to native coffee growers in the Popondetta area, a pittance which was rejected by them

 

1942 - the Abau airstrip was built

 

1942 - Alan Champion was the Resident Magistrate at Buna Station

 

1942 - Donald Cleland was posted to Port Moresby as DAQMG (Deputy Adjutant and Quarter Master General), ANGAU

 

1942 – Port Moresby’s pre-war commercial radio station 4PM was closed with the evacuation of the civilian population. A station “Wonga” on the residence of MR JR Clay near Six-Mile was maintained during the War which linked the Coastwatchers who reported on Japanese shipping and aircraft movements.

 

1942 – Patrol Officer Murray Edwards was killed at Kavieng New Ireland. Details unknown.

 

Jan 1942 – the Government ordered the evacuation of Samarai

 

Jan 1942 – the “Papuan Courier” paper was issued for the last time. It had been critical of some of the activities of the troops who were occupying the town, and its printing press was seized by the army

 

3 Jan 1942 - 4,500 Allied troops started arriving in Port Moresby (the 29th and 53rd Batallions joined the 49th in Moresby)

 

4 Jan 1942 - Japanese started bombing Rabaul New Britain, 22 bombers

 

20 Jan 1942 - Japanese continued bombing Rabaul New Britain, 100 bombers

 

21 Jan 1942 - Japanese started bombing Lae, 27 bombers, and then Salamaua, 24 bombers, and then Bulolo, 5 bombers

 

22/23 Jan 1942 - 5,000 Japanese invaded and attacked Rabaul, New Britain defeating Australians forces there. Approximately 1,400 Australian military personnel were stationed in Rabaul at the time. About 400 eventually escaped to Australia, while most of the remaining personnel became prisoners of war (POWs). In addition, over 200 civilians in the area were interned.

 

23 Jan 1942 to Nov 1942 - Japanese Commander of occupied New Guinea and Papua, Tomitarō Horii 

 

23 Jan 1942 to 15 Aug 1945 – New Guinea campaign of the Pacific war in World War II

 

23 Jan 1923 – first air-raid warning sounded in Port Moresby, a false alarm that day, but very unsettling for the male European residents and the Papuans  

 

24 Jan 1942 to 12 Feb 1942 – term of Administrator, New Guinea - Kenneth Carlyle McMullen (acting for McNicoll)

​

25 Jan 1942 - All white able bodied males who were British subjects between the ages of 18 and 45 in Papua and New Guinea were called up for military service. In charge was Brigadier BM Morris a veteran of World War I and the Australian Imperial Forces. The effect was to remove most of the men in Moresby from administration and private sector jobs, and stores and offices were forced to close. Papuans who by then were used to the stores for sustenance began to suffer.

 

Feb 1942 – the Papuan Theatre closed after the first bombing in the town

 

Feb 1942 – the Bank of New South Wales, the first bank to open in Port Moresby, closed due to the bombing

 

Feb 1942 – the army took over the Steamships Trading premises in Port Moresby. Captain Fitch did not regain control of the store until 1945.

 

Feb 1942 - Ivan Champion joined the Navy as a Lieutenant

 

1 Feb 1942 - Japanese started bombing Wau, 9 bombers

 

3 Feb 1942 – at 3am the first Japanese air raid of Port Moresby of about 6 bombs - killing 1 person, injuring 2 servicemen and 1 civilian, and causing mass exodus of natives who deserted their employment and headed for the bush, hills, or Daru. Town almost deserted other than troops.

 

3 Feb 1942 – Ambon in Indonesia fell to the Japanese

​

5 Feb 1942 – a second Japanese air raid damaging the Burns Philp store. Australian troops looted the town – stores, houses and churches. The Japanese were expected to invade the town and the troops saw no point in preserving anything for the enemy.

 

5 Feb 1942 - Miss Hayman and Miss Parkinson began to walk from Buna to Kokoda with a group from Salamaua (Gona was the site of an Anglican Mission Station and Hospital) until intercepted by Father Benson. Tragically they were subsequently killed by the Japanese near Popondetta 13 to 16 August 1942.

 

14 Feb 1942 - Civil government / administration in Papua and New Guinea was suspended and military control commenced. The Administrator Leonard Murray left Port Moresby.

North East New Guinea and Papua were under Allied (Australian) military administration until 23 June 1946

 

14 Feb 1942 to 10 Apr 1942 - Head of the Papuan Civil Administrative Unit (PAU) - in Port Moresby - was Sydney Elliott-Smith           

 

14 Feb 1942 to 15 Feb 1942 - Head of the New Guinea Administrative Unit (NGAU)- in Port Moresby -

was George Wilfred Lambert Townsend  

​

15 Feb 1942 to 10 Apr 1942 - Head of the New Guinea Administrative Unit - in Port Moresby -
was Kenneth Carlyle McMullen     

     

15 Feb 1942 - Surrender of Singapore to Japan with 14,972 Australian troops and more than 85,000 British Empire troops becoming Prisoners of War (POWs)

​

13/15 Feb 1942 to 31 Oct 1945 – the Australian Army under Major General Basil Moorhouse Morris, Military Administrator (commander of the 8th Military District) assumed control of Papua and New Guinea.

 

19 Feb 1942 - First Japanese bombing of Darwin. Darwin was subjected to a further 63 bombing raids, intermittently, until the last in November 1943.

 

19 to 20 Feb 1942 – Japanese attacked Dili in East Timor

 

28 Feb 1942 – an estimated 124 Japanese bombs were dropped on Port Moresby near the new Airfield at 7 Mile, and also the RAAF hangar on the harbour shore was hit. The 2 Catalinas were sunk.

 

The 4 anti-aircraft guns on the top of Tougaba shot down a Japanese Mitsubishi 96 aircraft and the pilot was taken prisoner

 

Mar 1942 – the buildings on Samarai were scorched.

Sgt Les Arnold destroyed / torched town buildings on order of the British to prevent use by the invading Japanese.

 

 

Mar 1942 - The Bishop of New Guinea, the Rt Reverend Philip Strong visited all mission stations aboard the mission vessel ‘The Maclaren-King’. He had a narrow escape from death on 10 March 1942 when ‘The Maclaren-King’ was fired upon by a Japanese seaplane. On the beach at Buna he also had a narrow escape from Japanese bullets. In the northern regions he travelled by night to escape detection by enemy planes.

​

1 Mar 1942 - Japanese second bombing of Wau

 

2 Mar 1943 to 4 Mar 1943 – Battle of the Bismarck Sea was fought over the Japanese attempt to reinforce Lae with troops sent by sea from Rabaul, an attempt foiled by sustained Allied attack on the Japanese troop transports

 

8 Mar 1942 - 3,000 Japanese troops landed on the New Guinea mainland in Salamaua and Lae occupying the towns

 

12 Mar 1942 – Java fell to the Japanese

 

17 Mar 1942 – US General MacArthur arrived in Australia

 

20 Mar 1942 – insurrection in Angoram – Assistant District Officer George Ellis refused to leave the Angoram Station and refused to follow the war evacuation orders. He refused to hand over to ADO Taylor who had travelled from Wewak. Taylor was wounded but subsequently recovered. Ellis shot himself dead. Before so doing he had ordered his native police to kill any whites they saw. Patrol Officer Strudwick was killed as were miners G Eichorn, J Wilton, J Mitchell, R Beckett, and a Chinese person Ah Sang.

 

21 Mar 1942 – the Papuan Administrative Unit (PAU) commanded by Sydney Elliot-Smith and

the New Guinea Administrative Unit (NGAU)commanded by GWL Townsend, were

merged to form ANGAU under the command of Major - General Morris. He was also in command of the Papuan Infantry Battalion and the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles. The ANGAU official start date was 10 Apr 1942. The RAAF in Port Moresby had consisted of 2 squadrons of flying boats, 6 Hudsons, 4 Wirraways, and 2 Catalinas.

 

21 Mar 1942 – after 17 further heavy Japanese air raids, Australian fighters from the No 75 Squadron of the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) arrived in Port Moresby

 

26 Mar 1942 – Thomas Blamey appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Military forces

 

28 Mar 1942 to 10 Apr 1942 - in very dangerous conditions Alan Timperley aboard the small vessel ‘Mascot’ saved 156 lives by arranging their evacuation from Rabaul to Milne Bay and then on to Port Moresby 

 

31 Mar 1942 - Arrival of the first American assistance in Port Moresby – the 8th Bombardment Squadron

 

31 Mar 1942 - Orders from Assistant Resident Magistrate Peter Brewer to Bert Kienzle at midnight that all Kokoda / Yodda operations were to cease and for all staff to proceed to Port Moresby

 

Apr 1942 & May 1942 - US Army Air Force bombers, fighters and engineers started arriving in Port Moresby

 

Apr 1942 - Jack McKenna was in charge of Kokoda. He had previously been the Acting District Officer at Ioma.

 

Apr 1942 - Kokoda labourers were paid their full entitlements and were ordered to leave to safety

 

Apr 1942 - Port Moresby native labourers were told to leave for their safety

 

Apr 1942 - Claude Champion was at Abau and then went to Australia

 

Apr 1942 - Major WS (“Bill”) Lambden was in charge at Abau. He was subsequently to become the father-in-law of David Marsh.

 

Apr 1942 - David Marsh travelled with the Kokoda group including Kienzle’s father Alfred Kienzle and Kienzle’s father-in-law Hubert Holliday, from Kokoda to Sanananda, Tufi, Samarai, Milne Bay, and Abau

 

6 Apr 1942 - David Marsh (aged 20) and his group boarded the vessel at Buna. It was Easter Monday.

 

Apr 1942 - Anderson (son of the missionary) was in charge of the Tufi Station

 

Post 6 Apr 1942 - David Marsh and the Alfred Kienzle / Hubert Holliday Kokoda group were at Gaba Gabuna, Milne Bay

​

Apr 1942 - David Marsh and his Kokoda group met Alan Timperley and Ivan Champion at Gaba Gabuna, Milne Bay

​

Apr 1942 - Tom English resided at Gaba Gabuna, Milne Bay

 

5 Apr 1942 to 14 Apr 1942 - Alan Timperley, Commanding Officer of the ‘Mascot’ like Ivan Champion, evacuated 160 survivors (civilians and service personnel) of the Rabaul garrison from Jacquinot Bay, a risky mission in Japanese-controlled seas.

 

9 Apr 1942 to 12 Apr 1942 - Ivan Champion, Commanding Officer of the ‘Laurabada’ like Alan Timperley, evacuated 160 survivors (civilians and service personnel) of the Rabaul garrison from Jacquinot Bay, a risky mission in Japanese-controlled seas, and landed in Port Moresby

10 Apr 1942    - ANGAU official establishment date

Australia began joint administration of the Papua and New Guinea Mandated Territory through the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit

 

10 Apr 1942 to 12 Aug 1942 - ANGAU Head (in Port Moresby) - Kenneth Carlyle McMullen

          

Mid Apr 1942 – General Morris reported that Ward’s strip airfield had been built and other strips were operational or nearing completion, at 7 Mile, Kila Kila, Bomana, Rorona, and Laloki

 

18 Apr 1942 - US General Douglas MacArthur appointed Commander-in-Chief of the South West Pacific area

 

23 Apr 1942 - David Marsh and his Kokoda group were at Table Point in the Abau District. The 3 American bombers including Captain Bender (meeting # 1) and Sergeant Thompson crashed near Table Point.

 

24 Apr 1942 - David Marsh and the Kokoda group arrived in Abau

 

24 Apr 1942 - David Marsh searched for the 3 downed US bombers

 

4 May 1942 to 8 May 1942 - Battle of the Coral Sea

Attacking by both sides was carried out by fighter planes from the carriers in the respective fleets and by land based planes

 

8 May 1942 – the Philippines fell to Japanese forces

 

8 May 1942 - Japanese naval fleet’s invasion of Port Moresby halted and they retreated to Rabaul

 

Post 8 May 1942 – David Marsh searched for survivors of the Battle of the Coral Sea

​

11 May 1942 - Alfred Kienzle (father of Herbert Kienzle) and Hubert Holliday (father-in-law of Herbert Kienzle) arrived safely in Townsville, Australia from Port Moresby after David Marsh had safely led them from Kokoda to Abau via Milne Bay

 

27 May 1942 - David Marsh enlisted into the Army, Service Number P473

 

31 May 1942 - Japanese midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour. One of the Japanese midget subs fired a torpedo which sunk HMAS Kuttabul.

 

Jun 1942  to May 1943 - David Marsh was a Patrol Officer at Abau

 

3 Jun 1942 - the Battle of Midway in the central Pacific took place. Japanese naval power was checked with the loss of four aircraft carriers.

 

6 to 12 Jun 1942 – the MV ‘MacDhui’ sailed for the last time from Sydney to Port Moresby

 

9 to 14 Jun 1942 - David Marsh on patrol from Abau to Mailu village to collect head tax and take the census

 

15 Jun 1942 – General Morris was faced with manning a Battalion across the Owen Stanley mountain range and a long supply chain, as well as maintaining the defence of Port Moresby. Morris invoked the National Security Regulations to terminate all existing labour contracts and to provide the conscription of native labour required by the Army. Bert Kienzle managed much of the Papuan labour force for the military, including the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels in the Kokoda area. At the height of the Kokoda Campaign there were 1,500 native carriers and workers in forward areas.

 

17 Jun 1942 to 18 Jun 1942 – the Burns Philp ship MV ‘MacDhui’, while its cargo was being unloaded in Port Moresby from its last trip from Sydney, was bombed on 2 separate days by the Japanese, set on fire, and run aground with loss of at least 4 lives. The Master at the ship on both days was Captain J Campbell.

 

Jul 1942 to Nov 42 - Kokoda Track Campaign

 

Jul 1942 - David Marsh was on patrol from Abau to Keveri and Mount Suckling, Mount Obree and Aimari. He rescued the US Captain Bender / Harry Bitmead / Jack McKenna group at Aimari.

 

Jul 1942 - Tom Grahamslaw left the Buna area

 

1 Jul 1942 to 30 Jun 1943 – Australian Government Commonwealth expenditure in Papua and New Guinea £6,826 (per Australian Bureau of Statistics data sourced from www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage

​

1 Jul 1942 – 4 months after the fall of Rabaul to the Japanese in January / February 1942 in World War II, the unmarked Japanese vessel the MS ‘Montevideo Maru’ was tragically sunk by the US Navy submarine ‘Sturgeon’ who was unaware that the ship was carrying more than 1,000 allied prisoners of war and civilians who were being transported from Rabaul to the Chinese island Hainan. It is considered to be Australia’s worst maritime disaster. Among those presumed killed were Assistant District Officer JR Daymon, District Officer HA Gregory, District Officer FW Mantle, and Patrol Officer EH Mitchell.

 

3 July 1942 - Native conscription commenced discussed above at 15 Jun 1942

 

7 Jul 1942 - Australian troops (Maroubra force) commenced operations along the Kokoda Track

 

21 Jul 1942 - Japanese Army Forces landed at the Anglican Mission Station near Gona on the north coast of Papua

 

21 Jul 1942 - Japanese Naval Forces landed near Buna, Papua

 

23 Jul 1942 - Australians confronted the Japanese near Awala

 

26 Jul 1942 - David Marsh second meeting with US Captain Bender

 

29 Jul 1942 – Japan was successful in the First Battle of Kokoda. The Australian commander Colonel Owen was killed and the Australians retreated to Deniki.

 

7 Aug 1942 - US marine forces landed at Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands

 

8 Aug 1942 to 10 Aug 1942 - Second Battle of Kokoda. Under Colonel Cameron the Australians counter attacked from Deniki and retook Kokoda. They were unable to hold it and again retreated to Deniki.

 

10 Aug 1942 - Japanese army occupied the Kokoda airstrip

 

12 Aug 1942 to 14 Aug 1942 - Battle of Deniki

 

12 Aug 1942 to 24 Jun 1946 - Basil Moorhouse Morris was appointed controller of ANGAU

               (in Port Moresby, from Oct 1945 Lae) and General S Rowell was appointed Commander of the New Guinea Force

        

13 Aug 1942 to 16 Aug or late Aug 1942  - Deaths of Miss May Hayman and Miss Mavis Parkinson on a coffee plantation near Popondetta after having been held captive by the Japanese in a nearby coffee storehouse

 

14 Aug 1942 - Miss Lashmar, Miss / Sister Margery Brenchley, and Revd Vivian Redlich from Sangara Mission, Mr John Duffill, and Reverend Henry Holland from Isivita Mission, Mr Anthony Gore, his son and wife Mrs Gore were allegedly captured by a group of locals as they were crossing a river, moving from one place to another seeking safety, then handed to, and beheaded by the Japanese (by company commander Sub Lt Komai group - Sasebo No. 5 Special Navy Landing Party (SNLF) commanded by Tsukioka Torashigo) at Buna. Their bodies were never recovered and were possibly thrown into the sea.

 

Lucian Tapiedi, the Papuan teacher-evangelist at Sangara, who had accompanied the missionaries in their travels, protested to the Papuan captors that they were good people who were in the country to help them. But it was in vain and, for his trouble, he was struck down by a local with an axe and killed.

 

14 Aug 1942 - Captain Louis Austen Service Number P377, and Tony Cors (native aide to Captain Austen) are believed to have been beheaded by the Japanese (by company commander Sub Lt Komai group - Sasebo No. 5 Special Navy Landing Party (SNLF) commanded by Tsukioka Torashigo) at Buna or elsewhere at another time

 

17 Aug 1942 – 75 mixed-race residents and Chaplain Henry Matthews of Port Moresby were ordered to be evacuated to Daru. Their boat the ‘Mamutu’ was shelled and destroyed by a Japanese submarine with only 1 survivor Mr Billy Griffin.

 

23 Aug 1942 - Brigadier Arnold Potts assumes command of Maroubra Force

 

24 Aug 1942 to 7 Sep 1942 – Battle of Milne Bay with the invading Japanese defeated in such battle

 

26 Aug 1942 to 30 Aug 1942 - Battle of Isurava

 

27 Aug 1942 – Lieutenant-Colonel KH Ward, Commanding Officer of the 53rd Battalion AIF, was killed at age 39 in battle in the Kokoda Campaign. Earlier that year he had organised the construction of an airfield in the Waigani valley, Wards Strip. It was the first of 7 airfields constructed in 1942 in the Port Moresby area.

 

29 Aug 1942 - Private Bruce Kingsbury awarded the only VC of the Kokoda campaign. The out-numbered Australians were defending Isurava. Firing his Bren gun from the hip, Kingsbury broke a path through the enemy to recapture the position. Felled by a sniper, he was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously.

 

30 Aug 1942 - Lieutenant Colonel Norman Fleay ordered the scorching of Bulolo and Wau

 

31 Aug 1942 – the Australians withdrew from Isurava

​

1 Sep 1942 – Assistant District Officer AF Kyle and Patrol Officer Greg Benham were executed by the Japanese on Nago Island near Kavieng New Ireland

 

2 Sep 1942 - Australians withdrew to Eora Creek

 

2 Sep 1942 - 3 Japanese dive bombers landed near Table Point/Bay

 

3 Sep 1942 - Australians withdrew to Templeton’s Crossing

 

4 Sep 1942 - Australians withdrew to Myola

 

4 Sep 1942 - Japanese suffered their first land defeat by Australian troops at Milne Bay

 

5 Sep 1942 - the 6 Japanese airmen from the 3 Japanese dive bombers which landed near Table Point/Bay on 2 Sep 1942 were tracked down and killed by the David Marsh group. The 3 aircraft were salvaged by allied personnel in late Sep 23 and relocated to Brisbane Australia.

 

7 Sep 1942 to 8 Sep 1942 - Japanese victory in the Battle of Brigade Hill near Efogi

 

7 Sep 1942 - End of Battle of Milne Bay

 

10 Sep 1942 – Brigadier Arnold Potts recalled by General Thomas Blamey

 

10 Sep 1942 - Australians withdrew to Nauro

 

16 Sep 1942 – Japanese victory in the Battle of Ioribaiwa

 

16 Sep 1942 - Japanese General Horii received a message to retreat following the Japanese defeat at Guadalcanal. The Japanese were at Ioribaiwa Ridge which is only a day’s trek away from the Sogeri Plateau, which is only 50km by road from Port Moresby.

 

17 Sep 1942 - Australians withdrew to Imita Ridge

 

24 Sep 1942 - Japanese withdrew from Iorbaiwa

 

27 Sep 1942 - The Australian advance commenced

 

28 Sep 1942 – when Brigadier Eather attacked Ioribaiwa Ridge, he found the Japanese had gone

 

30 Sep 1942 – the Australian 2/25th battalion patrols re entered Nauro and found it unoccupied

 

Late Sep 1942 - David Marsh took the US Colonel Sverdrup group north from Abau to Aimari, Moni River, and Kumusi River

 

3 Oct 1942 - David Marsh & the Colonel Sverdrup group arrived back in Abau

 

11 Oct 1942 - Japanese delaying action near Mt Bellamy

 

11 Oct 1942 - a large Colonel Sverdrup group travelled from Abau to Safia

 

12 Oct 1942 or 2 Nov 1942 - US General Douglas MacArthur (on his first trip to PNG) and Australian General Thomas Blamey, were photographed outside the Papua Hotel in Port Moresby

 

16 Oct 1942 to 21 Oct 1942 - Battle of Templeton’s Crossing

 

18 Oct 1942 - David Marsh and the US Colonel Sverdrup group built the Abel’s (Gasari / Fasari) Airfield

 

19 Oct 1942 – The first plane (a DC3) landed on the newly built Abel’s airstrip

 

20 Oct 1942 - David Marsh and group travelled from Safia to Embessa. Building of the Embessa Airfield was completed in November, 1942.

 

22 Oct 1942 to 29 Oct 1942 - Battle of Eora Creek

 

22 Oct 1942  - General Sir Thomas Blamey informed Brigadier Arnold William Potts DSO, OBE, MC that he would be replaced by Brigadier Ivan Dougherty

 

28 Oct 1942 – General MacArthur replaced Major-General Arthur "Tubby" Allen with Major-General George Vasey

 

Late Oct 1942 to early Nov 1942 - David Marsh and the US Colonel Sverdrup group built the Pongani Airstrip 

 

Nov 1942 - David Marsh, native labour, and the US Colonel Sverdrup group completed building of the Embessa Airfield

 

Nov 1942 - David Marsh, native labour, and the US Colonel Sverdrup group built the Kinjaki Airfield near Popondetta

 

2 Nov 1942 - Australians reoccupied Kokoda unopposed

 

3 Nov 1942 – General Vasey hoisted the Australian flag in a ceremony at Kokoda. A Japanese rearguard had retreated 2 days earlier.

 

4 Nov 1942 - Australians reoccupied the Kokoda airfield

 

5 Nov 1942 to 12 Nov 1942 – the Japanese were defeated in the Battle of Oivi-Gorari

 

6 Nov 1942 - Natives rewarded for their efforts by General Vasey at Kokoda

 

6 Nov 1942 – General MacArthur took up residence in Port Moresby

 

7 Nov 1942 – the US “Swamp Rat” plane was the first of the transport aircraft to land at the Pongani Airfield which David Marsh had built with the local labour

 

9 Nov 1942 – General Sir Thomas Blamey delivered his “Rabbits” address to the 21st Brigade at Koitaki Cricket Ground (near Sogeri). Unexpectedly instead of congratulating the men of the Maroubra Force for their efforts in holding back the Japanese, he delivered a stern demoralising message “You have been beaten by inferior forces”. He reminded them that “no soldier should be afraid to die.” His famous line was “Remember, it’s the rabbit who runs who gets shot, not the man holding the gun.”

​

9 Nov 1942 to 6 Sep 1945 - Japanese Commander of occupied New Guinea and Papua - Hitoshi Imamura (at Rabaul in charge of New Guinea islands) 

 

9 Nov 1942 to 13 Sep 1945 - Japanese Commander of occupied New Guinea and Papua - Hatazō Adachi (commander of 18th Army)

​

10 Nov 1942 - The “Flying Dutchman” US aircraft crashed near Mt Obree on the way from Port Moresby to Pongani Airfield

 

11 Nov 1942 - Major WS (Bill) Lambden (future father-in-law of David Marsh) moved from Abau to Kokoda to be the Acting District Officer (ADO) of the Mambare District

 

12 Nov 1942 - 4 crew of the crashed “Flying Dutchman” departed crash site to search for help

 

12 Nov 1942 - The Japanese withdrew from Guadalcanal after their largest attempt to reinforce the island failed in a naval battle

 

15 Nov 1942 - Battle of the Sanananda track commenced

 

15 Nov 1942 - Major Elliott-Smith flew from Port Moresby to Kokoda to open the Mambare District up again which had been in enemy hands

 

16 Nov 1942 - Major Elliott-Smith was on patrol with David Marsh from Kokoda to Ilimo

 

16 Nov 1942 - Major Elliott-Smith received instructions to prepare a landing strip near Popondetta. He requested that David Marsh supervise the labour. Over the next few days the native labour force increased to 350 and then 500 and within a week 4 airstrips were built. Refer 20 Nov 1942 to 26 Nov 1942 below.

 

16 Nov 1942 - Warrant Officer II David Marsh was appointed a Magistrate for Native Matters. Gazetted 13 Dec 1942.

 

16 Nov 1942 - the Japanese, pursued back to their main base in Papua, dig in around Gona, Sanananda, and Buna where they were attacked by Australians and Americans

 

16 Nov 1942 - Second group of 4 crew from the crashed “Flying Dutchman” departed crash site to search for help and were rescued some 10+ days later

 

17 Nov 1942 - Two airmen from the Flying Dutchman, Pvt Carlos D Failing and Pfc Gerald M. Grove, were recorded as being killed in action

 

17 Nov 1942 - Major Elliott-Smith was on patrol with David Marsh from Ilimo to Wirorope and Sasimbata

 

18 Nov 1942 - Major Elliott-Smith was on patrol with David Marsh from Sasimbata to Sangara Mission

 

18 Nov 1942 - Battle of Gona commenced

 

19 Nov 1942 - Battle of Buna commenced

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19 Nov 1942 - David Marsh single handedly peacefully arrested the local man named Embogi Agena near Sangara Mission. Embogi then assisted David Marsh source local labour and built airstrips for the allies.

 

20 Nov 1942 - Major Elliott-Smith and David Marsh were at Sangara Mission

 

21 Nov 1942 - Dobuduru (Dobodura) Popondetta airstrip clearing by David Marsh with 350 natives – 650 yards were cleared

 

22 Nov 1942 - Dobuduru (Dobodura) Popondetta airstrip clearing by David Marsh with 350 natives – 1,000 yards cleared in total and a Douglas Transport plane landed and took off from such Airfield

 

23 Nov 1942 -  A second plane (Douglas DC3) landed at the Dobuduru (Dobodura) Popondetta Airfield

 

23 Nov 1942 – Japan’s Major General Horii drowned near the bombed Wairopi Bridge on the Kumusi River

 

24 Nov 1942 - Australian Lieutenant General Herring landed at the Dobuduru (Dobodura) Popondetta Airfield

 

25 Nov 1942 - 36 heavy transport landings on the Dobuduru (Dobodura) Popondetta airfield. Further work by the David Marsh group on the airstrip

 

26 Nov 1942 - Dobuduru (Dobodura) Popondetta further airstrip clearing by David Marsh with 500 natives

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26 Nov 1942 - HQ requested Elliott-Smith to obtain 3,000 natives within 3 days to build airstrip at Dobuduru (Dobodura). He advised impossible to source that quantity of labourers in that time span.

 

27 Nov 1942 – David Marsh and team of locals continued work on the Dobodura airstrip

 

28 Nov 1942 - David Marsh working on the Hegata airstrip site with 78 natives and they cleared 1,200 yards

 

Dec 1942 - David Marsh was Officer-In-Charge of Abau with the rank of Warrant Officer

 

Dec 1942 - Japanese Army occupied Angoram until end of the Pacific war. Allied aircraft attacked it in 1943 and 1944.

 

4 Dec 1942 - Major William Lambden moved from Kokoda to Port Moresby to take over the position of District Officer

 

7 to 9 Dec 1942 - Gona fell to the Australians

 

9 Dec 1942 - Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Honner sent famous message “Gona’s Gone” indicating Australian success against the Japanese in Gona.

 

12 Dec 1942 - On Abau Island David Marsh debriefed 2 survivors (Thomas and Butler) of the 4 that set out on 12 Nov 1942 from the “Flying Dutchman” US aircraft which crashed near Mt Obree on 10 Nov 1942

 

13 Dec 1942 - Gazetted that Patrol Officer David Marsh became a Magistrate for Native Affairs pursuant to an order dated 16 November 1942

19 Dec 1942 - Major William J Lambden was evacuated to Australia

 

25 Dec 1942 - David Marsh searched for survivors of the crashed US “Flying Dutchman” aircraft on this Christmas Day

 

28 Dec 1942 - David Marsh 21 years old

 

29 Dec 1942 - Padre Barron from the crashed “Flying Dutchman” passed away

 

31 Dec 1942 – ANGAU Australian Army Lieutenant (Assistant District Officer) Roy George Mustav Mader died with 5 Papuans from a knife attack while trying to arrest the “Cargo Cult” leader Burlga on Motorina Island / Misima Island in Milne Bay

 

1943 – 110,000 Japanese troops occupied Rabaul

 

1943 (estimate) - David Marsh established the Safia Patrol Post

 

Jan 1943 - Bodies of Miss May Hayman and Miss Mavis Parkinson were exhumed from a grave near Popondetta, and were reinterred in graves at Sangara Mission

 

2 Jan 1943 - Buna fell to the Australians and Americans

 

22 Jan 1943 - Final Japanese beach foothold at Sanananda was annihilated and the enemy was cleared from Papua

 

23 Jan 1943 - Official end of the Papuan Campaign

 

29 Jan 1943 to 31 Jan 1943 – Battle of Wau and the Japanese were repelled

 

23 Feb 1943 - Blamey directed that the operational role of Australian forces in New Guinea would be taken over by the Americans

 

2 Mar 1943 - The Battle of the Bismarck Sea. The Japanese convoy of eight transports and a destroyer escort subjected to three days of air attacks from the Royal Australian Air Force and the United States Army Air Force which sank all the transports and four of the destroyers. At least 2,890 Japanese were killed.

 

5 Mar 1943 - David Marsh promoted to Lieutenant in the Australian Army

 

17 Mar 1943 - The US Navy boats PT-67 and PT-119 were sunk at Tufi Harbour during refuelling accidents which also sunk the Australian ship AS16

 

20 Mar 1943 to 9 Sep 1976 – rule of Mao Zedong Chairman of the Communist Party of China

 

Apr (estimated) 1943 - David Marsh and his team built the Cape Rodney airstrip

 

Apr 1943 to May 1943 - End of David’s post at Abau

 

24 Apr 1943 - Australian troops occupy Madang

 

May 1943 – construction of the causeway linking Tatana Island with the mainland was completed. The Americans had constructed a wharf on Tatana Island.

 

12 May 1943 - Government Anthropologist and godfather to Alison Marsh (nee Lambden), Francis Edgar Williams, tragically died in a Kokoda plane crash

 

Jun 1943 to Oct 1943 - David Marsh in Australia on medical leave

 

Jun 1943 to Sep 1944 - US Military Commander of the 6th Army was Walter Krueger 

 

Jun 1943 to Dec 1944 - US military occupation of North East New Guinea with Australian civil administration

 

Jun 1943 – some of the plantation owners returned to their properties and ANGAU handed over control of the plantation industry to the Production Control Board which was chaired by Brigadier Donald Cleland

 

Mid 1943 – American actor Gary Cooper visited the Dobodura airfield

 

Jul 1943 to Sep 1943 - Hangings at Higaturu (a native village 8 miles from Mount Lamington) of at least 21 Orokaiva men including Embogi

 

1 Jul 1943 to 30 Jun 1944 – Australian Government Commonwealth expenditure in Papua and New Guinea £6,827

(per Australian Bureau of Statistics data sourced from www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage 

 

2 Aug 1943 – the Japanese Destroyer ‘Amagiri’ crashed at night into the much smaller US Navy boat PT-109 near the Solomon Islands (then known as the British Solomon Islands Protectorate) splitting the boat in two and killing two men and injuring 26 year old Lieutenant John F Kennedy and another sailor. Kennedy assisted the injured sailor and they swam to the nearest island (now called Kennedy Island), and then on to another larger island.

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8 Aug 1943 - John F Kennedy and his 10 crew were rescued by 2 Solomon Islanders, Eroni Kumana and Biuku Gasa. Kennedy engraved a message on a coconut. Kumana and Gasa took the coconut and travelled by canoe through waters patrolled by Japanese ships to another island, 35 miles (55km) away where an allied Australian Coastwatcher was stationed and a rescue mission was arranged.

 

The two were invited to US President Kennedy’s Inauguration 20 Jan 1961 but were unable to attend. The engraved coconut husk was used as a paperweight when President JF Kennedy occupied the Oval Office and is now on display at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

 

Kennedy was a hailed a hero for saving the lives of his crew and was awarded a Navy and Marine Corps Medal and a Purple Heart.

 

17 Aug 1943 - End of Port Moresby Campaign

 

5 Sep 1943 - American and Australian parachutists landed at Nadzab, 42 km from Lae

 

11 Sep 1943 - Salamaua was recaptured from the Japanese by the Australians

 

16 Sep 1943 - Lae fell shortly afterwards to the Allies, bringing the Salamaua – Lae campaign to an end. 

 

21 Sep 1943 - Eddie Ward, a Minister in the Labor John Curtin Ministry, was demoted from Minister for Labour and National Service, to Minister for the External Territories and Minister for Transport

        

Oct 1943  - David Marsh was on a train from Sydney to Townsville with troops (but the troops deserted from the train)

 

Oct to Dec 1943 - David Marsh was in Tufi / Cape Nelson / Baniara Station / Uiaku

 

26 Oct 1943 – Australians launched the Aitape-Wewak Campaign in northern New Guinea  

 

4 Nov 1943 – Australians landed on Bougainville and New Britain

 

Dec 1943 - David Marsh established the Pongani Station and Patrol Post

         

Dec 1943 (estimate) - David Marsh took US General Robert Eichelberger to the Agaiambu Swamps near Sanananda

 

4 Dec 1943 - Goropu volcano eruption while David Marsh was in the Uiaku / Baniara area

27 Dec 1943 – date of Lieutenant David Marsh report about craters erupting observed from Tufi Station

 

28 Dec 1943 - David Marsh was 22 years old

 

Late 1943 - Father Harris was executed by Japanese marines in New Britain. He had chosen to remain there with the locals rather than be evacuated to Australia.

 

1943 to 1945 - Alison Lambden, upon turning 18 years of age, enlisted in AAMWS the Australian Army Medical Womens’ Service, and worked near Albury, Australia for 2 years

 

1944 - David Marsh established the Pongani Station

 

1944 - David Marsh was on a Sepik River patrol

 

1944 – the Australian Army Canteen Service erected a temporary officers’ club on Ela Beach which later was occupied by the RSL

 

1944 – Patrol Officer Lt Leigh Vial was killed when a military plane crashed in the Highlands

 

1944 – both the 1st and 2nd New Guinea Infantry Battalion were formed

 

1944 – Quinine, a drug previously used for malaria, was first synthesized in a laboratory. It had been isolated in the bark of the cinchona tree in 1820. Bark extracts had been used to treat malaria since at least 1632. Treatment of malaria with quinine is one of the first known uses of a chemical compound to treat an infectious disease.

 

9 Jan 1944 – date of the Lieutenant David Marsh report on the Gorupu volcano

17 Jan 1944 – Patrol Officer Lt Lloyd Pursehouse was killed by a Japanese sniper at Sio near Finschhafen in the World War II Huon Peninsula campaign

 

24 Mar 1944 - ANGAU assumed administrative control of the Papuan Infantry Battalion

 

24 Apr 1944 – Madang was captured by the Australians from the Japanese. Most of the area had been destroyed and had to be rebuilt

 

8 May 1944 - VE (Victory in Europe) Day

 

1 Jun 1944 – the Sogeri (Teacher training) School opened (also known then as the Papuan Training School or the Native Boys School)

 

1 Jul 1944 to 30 Jun 1945 – Australian Government Commonwealth expenditure in Papua and New Guinea £6,748

(per Australian Bureau of Statistics data sourced from www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage

 

22 Jul 1944 to 7 Apr 1945 – term of Kuniaki Koiso, Prime Minister of Japan

 

 

Sep 1944 to Dec 1944 - U.S. Military Commander of the 8th Army was Robert Lawrence Eichelberger 

  

4 Sep 1944 to 9 Dec 1944 - ANGAU General Officer Commanding, - Donald Mackinnon Cleland (acting for Morris) (in Port Moresby)

  

26 Oct 1944 - Australians launched the Aitape-Wewak Campaign in northern New Guinea

 

Nov 1944 to 24 Jun 1946 – the single Pacific Islands Regiment (PIR) was formed by the grouping together of the Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB) with the 1st and 2nd New Guinea Infantry Battalions. The battalions each had about 77 Europeans and 550 native soldiers. During World War II more than 3,500 Papuans and New Guineans served in the ranks of the PIR.  Casualties (both Europeans and natives) recorded are 65 killed, 16 missing, 75 death by other causes, and 81 wounded. Losses inflicted on the Japanese include more than 2,201 killed, 118 wounded, and 196 captured.

 

28 Dec 1944 - David Marsh was 23 years old

 

Late 1944 - David Marsh was on holiday in Australia

 

End of 1944 – there were 28,000 Papuans at work, twice the number ever employed before, and in addition 5,000 to 6,000 were voluntarily enlisted in the Papuan Infantry Battalion

 

Around this time – radio broadcasting to the Papuans commenced – twice weekly – from the Army Station on the property “Wonga’ of Mr J Clay – General MacArthur opened the ANGAU Station

 

1945 - David Marsh was posted to Daru

 

1945 - David Marsh established the Bamu River Patrol Post

 

1945 - David Marsh established the Gaima Station 30 miles up the Fly River and he built the hospital ward there

 

1945 - JR Foley was the Officer-in-charge at Daru

 

1945 - Camilla Wedgewood was in Daru

1945 - David Marsh trips to the Dutch New Guinea border returning prisoners

 

1945 - the 3rd New Guinea Infantry Battalion was formed. The 4th New Guinea Infantry Battalion also began forming but was soon disbanded.

 

Feb 1945 – a school to train administrative officers was opened in Canberra with 40 students, the School of Civil Affairs. The Chief Instructor was Colonel Jack Keith Murray who had been the Principal of Gatton Agricultural College and Professor of Agriculture at the University of Queensland.

 

1 Apr 1945 - Americans landed at Okinawa, Japan

 

2 Apr 1945 – Qantas began to use the Jacksons Field airfield in Port Moresby when it commenced Sydney / Port Moresby flights. The airfield had first been built and used by the Army on the racecourse there in 1942. It was named after Squadron Leader Johnny Jackson, DFC, who was with the first squadron of fighter aircraft to operate from the new strip. He was killed when his Kittyhawk was shot down by Japanese during one of the early raids on Port Moresby. At first DC3 aircraft were used and then later the larger DC4’s or Skymasters. Then in the early 1950’s Sandringham flying-boats were added and the first pressurised Super-Constellation aircraft from January, 1959.

 

7 Apr 1945 to 17 Aug 1945 – term of Baron Kantro Suzuki, Prime Minister of Japan

 

12 Apr 1945 to 20 Jan 1953 – term of Harry S Truman, the 33rd President of the USA – Democratic party

 

30 Apr 1945 – end of Adolf Hitler Dictatorship of Germany

 

7 May 1945 - Germany surrendered  

 

10 May 1945 – Albert Charles English died in Sydney.

 

He had been the Resident Magistrate at Rigo and was present at the abortive annexation ceremonies of Henry Chester in 1883. Ian Stuart’s book “Port Moresby yesterday and today” on page 202 states English was sent to New Guinea by the Rothschild family to collect bird-of-paradise plumes. He settled at Rigo and established a plantation there and he ferreted out the murderers of George Hunter.

 

1 Jul 1945 to 30 Jun 1946 – Australian Government Commonwealth expenditure in Papua and New Guinea £6,654

(per Australian Bureau of Statistics data sourced from www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage

 

Jul 1945 - ANGAU at its peak strength - 366 Officers and 1,660 soldiers

 

5 Jul 1945 - Prime Minister John Curtin died aged 60 - Labor Party

 

6 Jul 1945 to 13 Jul 1945 – term of Franke Forde - the 15th Prime Minister of Australia - Labor Party

 

7 Jul 1944 – the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMFG) were established at the Bretton Woods Conference in New Hampshire in the USA after the end of World War II

 

13 Jul 1945 to 19 Dec 1949 – term of Ben Chifley - the 16th Prime Minister of Australia - Labor Party - replaced Franke Forde

 

26 Jul 1945 to 26 Oct 1951 - term of Clement Atlee as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom – Labour Party

 

6 Aug 1945 - Hiroshima atomic bomb dropped in Japan

 

9 Aug 1945 - Nagasaki atomic bomb dropped in Japan

 

15 Aug 1945 - Japan surrendered

            - VJ Day (Victory against Japan)

            - End of World War 2

 

17 Aug 1945 to 9 Oct 1945 – term of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni as Prime Minister of Japan

 

17 Aug 1945 to 12 Mar 1967 – term of Sukarno (Koesno Sosrodihardjo), leader of the Indonesian struggle for independence from Dutch colonialists, the first President of Indonesia

 

2 Sep 1945 - Japan signed surrender document at Tokyo         Bay aboard the USS Missouri

 

Oct 1945 - Ivan Champion discharged from the Navy and assumed the role of District Officer of Daru

 

9 Oct 1945 to 22 May 1946 – term of Baron Kijuro Shidehara, Prime Minister of Japan

 

11 Oct 1945 – a single Provisional Administration Service was formed to take over from the military authorities in each of the Territories of Papua and New Guinea.

 

11 Oct 1945 to 30 Jun 1952 – term of Administrator, of the Territories of Papua and New Guinea – Colonel Jack Keith Murray (provisional to 1 Jul 1949). His original annual salary was £2,000 plus an annual entertainment allowance of £500

 

21 Oct 1945 – the United Nations commenced operations

30 Oct 1945 - ANGAU administrative control ended. Major General Morris handed power over to the new civil administration with Colonel Jack Murray the new Administrator thereby transferring from military to civil control.

 

28 Dec 1945 - David Marsh 24 years old