northern territory memorial

NORTHERN TERRITORY MEMORIAL

Northern-Territory-Memorial-Adelaide-River_02.jpg

NORTHERN TERRITORY MEMORIAL​

HISTORY INFORMATION
This is one of several memorials erected to commemorate the men of the Australian Army, the Royal Australian Air Force and the Australian Merchant Navy who lost their lives in the south-west Pacific region during the 1939-1945 War and have no known grave.

The Northern Territory Memorial commemorates 290 members of the Australian Army, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Australian Merchant Navy and the Services Reconnaissance Department who lost their lives in operations in the Timor and Northern Australian regions and in waters adjacent to Australia north of Latitude 20 South, and who have no known grave (Men of the Royal Australian Navy lost in this area who have no known grave 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).

Northern Territory, Australia, contained during the war the largest operational base in the south-west Pacific. Darwin, the capital, was heavily bombed in 1942 and within a month of the first air raid became the heart of this important base. From its airfields the Royal Australian Air Force raided Timor, Dutch New Guinea, Borneo and the islands in the Arafura Sea; and it was from Darwin that the Services Reconnaissance Department moved by aeroplane, flying-boat or submarine to their operational areas.

Timor, 450 miles from the north-western coast of the continent and of vital strategic importance, was the scene of a gallant resistance put up against overwhelming odds by "Sparrow Force", a small body of Australian troops sent there early in December 1941 to assist the Dutch in holding the island. Sparrow Force joined a contingent of the Dutch forces and a formation of the Royal Australian Air Force at Koepang, on the south-western tip of the island where lay the Dutch aerodrome and radio station. The Japanese struck the first blow a heavy air raid on the Koepang aerodrome on January 26th 1942. This was followed by blows at keypoints in both Dutch and Portuguese Timor, prior to the landing of the Japanese troops. On the initial violation of Portuguese neutrality an Australian Independent Company (a Commando force) was detached from the main Australian body and with Dutch East Indian troops left Koepang for Portuguese Timor.

There they tried to organise some sort of defence of Dilli, the capital, with the object of denying the Japanese the use of its aerodrome and other facilities. Then came simultaneous air attacks on Koepang and Dilli, and at the same time Japanese carrier based bombers and planes from Amboina blasted Darwin, effectively preventing the despatch of reinforcements to Timor. Faced by odds of twenty to one the small force held out, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy, until at last the main body at Koepang was compelled to capitulate on February 23rd 1942.

Remnants of the force made their way into Portuguese Timor and linked up with the Australian Independent Company operating in the Dilli region. When this place in turn was over-run by the enemy this small party put up a terrific resistance, one group of 20 Australians holding up 500 Japanese for six hours. Finally, having destroyed the aerodrome, the Australian Independent Company together with a Dutch Guerilla force withdrew to the wild, heavily timbered mountains of Fronteira province. There they began a historic and most successful guerilla campaign which lasted until they were evacuated early in 1943.
  1. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Walker, John William Ernest

    SURNAME Walker FORENAME John William Ernest UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Staff Sergeant NUMBER VX41872 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of John William Henry and Leila Doris...
  2. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Thomas, George Edgar

    SURNAME Thomas FORENAME George Edgar UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX12592 DATE OF DEATH 11th November 1942 AGE 28 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 4 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Albert Paul and Isabella Thomas,Boulder,Western...
  3. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Stanton, Charles Leonard

    SURNAME Stanton FORENAME Charles Leonard UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX10455 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Charles and Rose Stanton,Leederville,Western...
  4. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Smith, Frederick Cecil

    SURNAME Smith FORENAME Frederick Cecil UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX12840 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 19 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Edgar Frederick and Sophia Elida Maria...
  5. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Smeaton, Andrew

    SURNAME Smeaton FORENAME Andrew UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX5537 DATE OF DEATH 11th November 1942 AGE 24 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 06.01.1918, Stirling, Scotland occupation farm hand single...
  6. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Simpson, John Frederick

    SURNAME Simpson FORENAME John Frederick UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Lance Corporal NUMBER WX8341 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 36 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of John Scott Elliott and Mary Alice Annie...
  7. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Pollard, James

    SURNAME Pollard FORENAME James UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX12341 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 7.7.1919 Fremantle,Western Australia son of Richard and...
  8. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Murray, Reginald Herbert

    SURNAME Murray FORENAME Reginald Herbert UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX7906 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 24 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of James Lewis and Emma Ida Murray,Collie,Western...
  9. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Marriott, Harvey William

    SURNAME Marriott FORENAME Harvey William UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX13354 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 35 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Douglas Harvey and Euphemia...
  10. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Lane, Anthony John

    SURNAME Lane FORENAME Anthony John UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX12342 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of George and E. Lane,Boulder,Western Australia KIA Timor
  11. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Hogg, Kenneth Tasman

    SURNAME Hogg FORENAME Kenneth Tasman UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX8339 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Wallace Bain and Flora Margaret Hogg KIA Timor
  12. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Gannon, Bryant Illong

    SURNAME Gannon FORENAME Bryant Illong UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX10548 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 29 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of George and Charlotte Catherine...
  13. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Crowder, Frederick Thomas

    SURNAME Crowder FORENAME Frederick Thomas UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX12318 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 25 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of William Frederick and Dorothy Crowder,Midland...
  14. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Chiswell, Gordon Albert

    SURNAME Chiswell FORENAME Gordon Albert UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Lance Sergeant NUMBER VX38419 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 20.9.1919 Irymple,Victoria son of Thomas...
  15. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Chalmers, Robert Stanley Raymond

    SURNAME Chalmers FORENAME Robert Stanley Raymond UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER VX34811 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Alexander Thomas and Grace Selma...
  16. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Alford, Francis Joseph

    SURNAME Alford FORENAME Francis Joseph UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX10460 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 19 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 16.05.1920, Fremantle, Western Australia son of...
  17. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Alexander, Reginald Gordon

    SURNAME Alexander FORENAME Reginald Gordon UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX191 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 24 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 20.09.1917, Bootle, Lancashire, England civil...
  18. AUSTRALIAN COMMANDOS Airey, Donald Hylton

    SURNAME Airey FORENAME Donald Hylton UNIT 2/2 Independent Company RANK Private NUMBER WX12316 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1942 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Australia Panel 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 10.07.1920, Wagin, Western Australia son of Robert...
  19. ZSU Liversidge, Eric Joseph

    SURNAME Liversidge FORENAME Eric Joseph UNIT A.I.F. RANK Lieutenant NUMBER VX 26937 DATE OF DEATH 20th November 1944 AGE 25 GRAVESITE Northern Territory Memorial,Northern Territory,Australia ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Charles Eldred and Lilian Amy Liversidge,Albert...
  20. ZSU Barnes, Thomas Joseph

    SURNAME Barnes FORENAME Thomas Joseph UNIT A.I.F. RANK Lieutenant NUMBER VX 6078 DATE OF DEATH 13th April 1945 AGE 29 GRAVESITE Lae War Cemetery, Lae, Lae District, Morobe, Papua New Guinea. Joint Grave M.C. 3-4 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 06.04.1916, Cootamundra, New...
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