Australia remembers 80 years since the Battle of Milne Bay

Courtesy of the Department of Defence

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

The Battle of Milne Bay was fought between Allied Australian, American and Papuan forces and Japan in August–September 1942. The Allied victory proved to be an important turning point in the war, as it was the first time Japan had been defeated on land, shattering the myth of Japanese invincibility.

The bay was of strategic importance for both the Allies and the Japanese. For the Allies, the bay was a defensive bastion guarding the maritime approaches to Port Moresby and a base to launch air operations to support the American landings at Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

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. 

A ceremony commemorating the event was held in Papua New Guinea. Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Robert Chipman, represented the Australian Defence Force.

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 1942, 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 on board the craft provided the 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.

'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.

The Allies and the Japanese paid a heavy toll in the battle of Milne Bay. Just under 1,000 Papuan, Australian, American and Japanese were killed and at least another 500 were wounded, 80 years ago.

This month we remember the hardships and sacrifices made that helped build the conditions of peace that we have enjoyed for so long.

Lest we forget.

See the full article on the Department of Defence website.