80 years since victory at Battle of Milne Bay

This year, 2022, marks 80 years since Australia fought in the Battle of Milne Bay, located in modern-day Papua New Guinea.

The Battle of Milne Bay, fought between Allied and Japanese forces in August-September 1942, was an important victory for the Allies. It was the first time that Japanese forces had been defeated on land, shattering the myth at the time of Japanese invincibility.

For the Allies the bay was a defensive bastion guarding the maritime approaches to Port Moresby and a base from which to launch air operations in support of the American landings at Guadalcanal in the Solomons.

For the Japanese, Milne Bay represented a base from which to attack Allied shipping in the south west Pacific and to provide air support to their attack along the Kokoda Track.

Commemorating this important event, a ceremony was held in Papua New Guinea. Representing the Australian Defence Force, Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Robert Chipman.

During his speech, Air Marshal Chipman said that with so much at stake, it was surprising that the opening encounter of the Battle of Milne Bay was a quiet and barely noticeable encounter.

"Just after 1am on the 26th of August, eighty years ago, a solitary Air Force crash rescue boat was standing guard at the entrance to Milne Bay," Air Marshal Chipman said.

"Out of the darkness emerged a Japanese invasion fleet of warships, troop transports and landing craft.

"The message from the Air Force personnel onboard the small craft provided the essential warning that the enemy had come and the Battle of Milne Bay was about to begin."

The AIF's Infantry Brigades defending the region stood-to as did the American engineers and air defence units. The Air Force's Numbers 75 and 76 Squadrons readied their aircraft for take-off and elements from Numbers 6 and 32 Squadron prepared for maritime strike missions.

And the Air Force crash rescue boat, known simply as 08-5, remained out in the Bay.

"Over the next 13 days the AIF units fought tenaciously against relentless ground attacks by the Japanese Marines. Overhead the Air Force Kittyhawk fighters made repeated attacks against the invader's ground forces and air raids," Air Marshal Chipman said.

Slowly, inexorably the invaders were pushed back into the sea. It was the first land defeat of the Japanese of the war. For some though, he noted the battle didn't end on 6 September 1942.

"In Melbourne, a fortnight after the guns had fallen silent in Milne Bay, a young Australian woman by the name of Elizabeth Donegan sat with a telegram in hand and cried tears of joy.

"John had previously reported as missing in action had been found safe and was now recovering from his wounds in hospital. What the telegram didn't say was that Elizabeth's husband had been part of the crew of the crash boat 08-5 and one of the first Australians to come into contact with the Japanese. John was the Air Force mechanic on board when the crew located the invasion convoy and passed on the critical warning to alert the troops ashore.

"In the following days they provided intelligence on Japanese movements out in the Bay, rescued cut off soldiers and had transported supplies.

"On the night of 29 August John and his crew mates' luck ran out. While crossing the Bay they were caught in the spotlight of an enemy destroyer and came under immediate fire. With three of the crew killed and the boat destroyed, a badly wounded John was adrift for 18 hours before making landfall behind enemy lines.

"John evaded capture by the Japanese, and was hidden by local Papuans, foremost of which was the nurse Maiogaru Taulebona.

"Maiogaru risked her life to treat, care and protect Elizabeth's husband until John could be smuggled across the Bay to allied lines.

"Elizabeth and Maiogaru never met. Unknown to each other they were never-the-less linked by the Battle Milne Bay. They will forever represent the relationship we share as friends and neighbours."

The Allies and the Japanese paid a heavy toll in the battle of Milne Bay. Just under 1000 Papuan, Australian, American and Japanese were killed and at least another 500 were wounded over 80 years ago.