Memorial observes 75th anniversary of Milne Bay and Kokoda

Over the next week the Australian War Memorial will hold a series of commemorations to mark the 75th anniversaries of the battle of Milne Bay and the Kokoda campaign.

Milne Bay was a turning point in the Pacific war in which the Australian forces repelled the Japanese invasion force in the latter’s first decisive defeat on land.

Fought between 25 August and 7 September 1942, the battle raged through incessant rain, thick jungle, and malaria-ridden swamps; some of the worst conditions faced by Australian forces in the Second World War. The enemy’s target was an airstrip, which would have given the Japanese momentum towards Port Moresby and dominance over Papua. Research shows the Japanese believed they were facing a small number of defenders; in actuality there were almost 9,000 Allied troops, including the 7th and 18th Australian infantry brigades. The Allies had the additional advantage of air support, as No. 75 and No. 76 Squadrons of the Royal Australian Air Force were based at Milne Bay. Their Kittyhawks played a crucial role in the battle, destroying Japanese landing barges and stores and strafing enemy positions from tree-top level.

A new exhibition launched today highlights the conditions and physicality of the fighting at Milne Bay through technology and artefacts from the battlefield, as well as art and photographs.

Memorial Director Dr Brendan Nelson said the battle represents a pivotal moment in Australian military history that is sometimes lost among the more familiar elements of the fighting in Papua and New Guinea.

“The battle of Milne Bay was the first time Australian forces got the upper hand in what had been an irrepressible Japanese advance across south-east Asia. It illustrated the strategic skill and determination of our fighting forces to stop the Japanese in their tracks, and provided a much- needed morale boost on both sides of the Coral Sea,” Dr Nelson said.

“Kokoda has become synonymous with Australian sacrifice. The fighting there was so brutal and the conditions so extreme that this campaign, more so than any other in the Second World War, continues to resonate in the Australian psyche. Our vital interests were at stake and these men prevailed against extraordinary odds.”

On Wednesday 30 August this campaign will be commemorated at a ceremony held in the Commemorative Area at the Memorial. From 7 am cadets from “Kokoda” company at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, will recite the names of the 641 Australians who died in the three months of fighting on the Kokoda Trail. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

The following day, one of Australia’s leading historians Emeritus Professor David Horner of the Australian National University will be delivering a special War Studies Seminar titled Remembering the 75th anniversary of the battle of Milne Bay.

These events will form part of a program of activities honouring the service and sacrifice of all those involved in these campaigns. Please visit www.awm.gov.au for full details.