LAE MEMORIAL
HISTORY INFORMATION
The Japanese attack on New Guinea, a necessary preliminary to the projected invasion of Australia, commenced with heavy air raids on Lae and Salamaua, followed by the landings of troops. At Lae, a town and port at the mouth of the Markham River on the Huon Gulf, 3,000 Japanese landed on 7 March 1942. There were landings, too, at Salamaua. The enemy did not however immediately attempt the conquest of the island, but on 21 July he landed troops at Buna and Gona on the east coast in preparation for a drive through the Owen Stanley Mountains across the Papuan peninsula to Port Moresby. The vital stage of the New Guinea campaign dates from that time. Lae and Salamaua became bases from which this southward drive was launched until it was stopped at Ioribaiwa Ridge, a point within 35 miles of Port Moresby.
When in January 1943 the Japanese renewed their attempts to reach Port Moresby, this time by the Markham and Bulolo valleys, their first objective was Wau, with its airfield. With reinforecements landing on the airfield only 800 yards from the enemy, the attack was held and the Japanese withdrew in February. Thereafter the initiative passed to the Australian troops who steadfastly forced the Japanese back. On 11 September 1943 Salamaua was captured and on 16 September, after attack by seaborne and airborne forces, Lae was taken.
The Lae Memorial commemorates 324 officers and men of the Royal Australian Army, the Australian Merchant Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force and some New Guinea local forces who lost their lives in operations in the area, and who have no known grave.
Men of the Royal Australian Navy who lost their lives in the south-western Pacific region, and have no graves but the sea, are commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial in England, along with many of their comrades of the Royal Navy and of other Commonwealth Naval Forces.
The Lae Memorial, contained within the entrance building of Lae War Cemetery, takes the form of bronze tablets fixed to walls linking the end columns of the building, upon which are engraved the names of members of the Australian Armed Forces. Above the tablets is an inscription which reads:
AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM
1939 - HERE ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN WHO DIED IN NEW GUINEA, ON LAND, AT SEA AND IN THE AIR, BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE KNOWN AND HONOURED BURIAL GIVEN TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH - 1945.
The memorial was unveiled in October 1953 by Field Marshal Sir William Slim, Governor-General of Australia.
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SURNAME
Ochiltree
FORENAME
Edward Graham
UNIT
2/9 Commando Squadron
RANK
Lance Sergeant
NUMBER
NX5515
DATE OF DEATH
20th January 1945
AGE
29
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial,Papua New Guinea Panel 1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 8.5.1915 Dubbo,New south Wales
son of Alfred Graham...
-
SURNAME
Smith
FORENAME
Desmond Noel Kennedy
UNIT
2/5 Independent Company
RANK
Corporal
NUMBER
WX14608
DATE OF DEATH
27th January 1943
AGE
21
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial,Papua New Guinea Panel 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
son of Claud Erskine Kennedy and Catherine Gladys...
-
SURNAME
Pedder
FORENAME
Ernest Anthony
UNIT
2/5 Independent Company
RANK
Private
NUMBER
VX108572
DATE OF DEATH
3rd February 1943
AGE
20
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial,Papua New Guinea Panel 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
son of Ernest Anton and Louisa Agnes Pedder
KIA New Guinea
-
SURNAME
Kneen
FORENAME
Thomas Paul
UNIT
2/5 Independent Company
RANK
Major
NUMBER
NX65838
DATE OF DEATH
1st July 1942
AGE
28
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial,Papua New Guinea Panel 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
son of Edwyn Corlett and Cecil Maud Kneen,Douglas,Isle of Man
educated...
-
SURNAME
Bonnell
FORENAME
John Maxwell
UNIT
2/5 Independent Company
RANK
Private
NUMBER
VX122008
DATE OF DEATH
21st April 1943
AGE
19
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial, Papua New Guinea Panel 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 25.11.1923, Richmond, Victoria, Australia
father Arthur...
-
SURNAME
Snadden
FORENAME
Joseph William
UNIT
2/3 Independent Company
RANK
Private
NUMBER
VX105900
DATE OF DEATH
10th February 1943
AGE
25
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial,Papua New Guinea Panel 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born Footscray,Victoria
son of Joseph and Hannah Snadden,Upper...
-
SURNAME
Cooper
FORENAME
Ronald Anthony
UNIT
2/3 Independent Company
RANK
Lance Corporal
NUMBER
NX44160
DATE OF DEATH
10th February 1943
AGE
19
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial,Papua New Guinea Panel 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born Bulli,New South Wales
son of Frederick Mervyn and...
-
SURNAME
Mitchell
FORENAME
Percy Robert
UNIT
2/2 Commando Squadron
RANK
Trooper
NUMBER
VX117978
DATE OF DEATH
25th October 1943
AGE
20
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial,Papua New Guinea Panel 1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
son of Stanley and Florence Anna Mitchell,Llanelly,Victoria
died...
-
SURNAME
Cole
FORENAME
Henry John
UNIT
2/2 Commando Squadron
RANK
Trooper
NUMBER
NX51317
DATE OF DEATH
27th January 1944
AGE
32
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial,Papua New Guinea Panel 1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
son of Robert Middleton and Mrs Cole,Brewarrina,New South Wales
died New...
-
SURNAME
Brown
FORENAME
Hugh
UNIT
2/2 Commando Squadron
RANK
Trooper
NUMBER
NX57432
DATE OF DEATH
25th October 1943
AGE
29
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial, Papua New Guinea Panel 1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 06.10.1914, Glasgow, UK
son of George Gibb and Margaret Brown, of 14...
-
SURNAME
Beardman
FORENAME
Roy Louis
UNIT
2/2 Commando Squadron
RANK
Trooper
NUMBER
WX34934
DATE OF DEATH
10th January 1944
AGE
22
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial, Papua New Guinea Panel 1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 29.08.1921, Mosman Park, Western Australia
son of Richard Aubrey...
-
SURNAME
Siffleet
FORENAME
Leonard George
UNIT
M Special Unit (Infantry)
RANK
Sergeant
NUMBER
NX 143314
DATE OF DEATH
24th October 1943
AGE
27
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial,Papua New Guinea Panel 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
son of Leo Vincent and Alma Elizabeth Siffleet,Gunneda,New...
-
SURNAME
Walklate
FORENAME
Spencer Henry
UNIT
A.I.F.
RANK
Lance Corporal
NUMBER
NX 202843
DATE OF DEATH
13th April 1945
AGE
27
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial, Papua New Guinea Panel 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 11.01.1918, Bushgrove, Waverley, New South Wales, Australia
son of...
-
SURNAME
Gubbay
FORENAME
Alan Robert
UNIT
A.I.F.
RANK
Lieutenant
NUMBER
NX 82924
DATE OF DEATH
13th April 1945
AGE
22
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial,Papua New Guinea Panel 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
son of Dal David and Simone Marthe Gubbay,Port Vila,New Hebrides
Op.Copper - died
-
SURNAME
Eagleton
FORENAME
Ronald Edward
UNIT
A.I.F.
RANK
Private
NUMBER
NX 9265
DATE OF DEATH
13th April 1945
AGE
20
GRAVESITE
Lae Memorial,Papua New Guinea Panel 2
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
son of Edward John and Gladys Jane Eagleton,Sutherland,New South Wales,Australia...