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This page lists websites to explore for further information and research on the The Rabaul Nurses and the fall of Rabaul in the Second World War (1939 - 1945), with emphasis on the tragedy of the Montevideo Maru. Army, Missionary and Government nurses were held in captivity in New Guinea and Japan for more than three and a half years. As one of the captive Rabaul nurses, Alice M Bowman tells their story in her book Not Now Tomorrow. When Japan entered the Second World War, on the 7th December 1941, territories fell in quick succession in the South-West Pacific Area; Rabaul was inadequately defended and fell swiftly to the then invincible Japanese in January 1942 — three weeks before the fall of Singapore.
The Rabaul Nurses recuperating in Manila - September 1945 - Bowie waving second from the left
The Rabaul Nurses 1945

AWM Neg. 19146





Related Internet Resources

The Rabaul Nurses and Montevideo Maru of WWII



More than sixty years have passed since the end of the Second World War and it is hoped the sites listed will evoke interest in the New Guinea campaign and kindle awareness of events unknown. Many young Australian servicemen and women answered the call of duty and many Australian civilians served their country in defence of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, a protectorate of Australia which came about as a result of the First World War. In early 1942 the Japanese were victorious; Australia's major AIF contingent was far from home serving in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa and defence of Australia was of grave concern.

Of particular interest in this beginning of the Second World War in the Pacific is the tragic unresolved aftermath of the fall of Rabaul: those many who have no known grave and those many who might, or might not, lie in the hold of the sunken prison ship Montevideo Maru.

The following sites are but a few of the many that can be found on the New Guinea campaign in this vast, internet arena.


http://www.angellpro.com.au/rabaul.htm
Angell Productions is a commercial publishing company with an excellent website. A part of this website features a voluntary segment of historical interest dedicated to the Brave Women of Oceania. Among the many absorbing articles written here can be found The forgotten prisoners of Rabaul featuring Whytie - Lorna (Whyte) Johnston, one of the six Rabaul Australian Army nurses, who now lives in New Zealand. Readers will also find interesting the article on Sr. Berenice Twohill from the Convent of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Sydney. Sr Berenice was the youngest among the Australian nuns of Vunapope Sacred Heart Catholic Mission near Rabaul; the whole Mission was interned on New Britain for the entire Japanese occupation.

http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/print.php?articleID=5851&class=Latest News&subclass=CW National
The Catholic Weekly 19 July 2009. Front page interview with Sr. Berenice, mentioned in the above site. Sr. Berenice Twohill, a NSW Northern Rivers girl of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Mission, was interned with her colleagues for three and a half years and is the only Australian nun remaining.
http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/article.php?classID=3&subclassID=44&articleID=5545&class=Features&subclass=Feature%20articles
This second website from The Catholic Weekly of April 2009 tells the story of Fr Ted Harris, a Balmain, Sydney man of The Sacred Heart Mission in Rabaul. He was almost certainly executed by the Japanese and is among those who have no known grave in New Britain. His courage in helping escapees is recorded in this article.


http://www.montevideomaru.org
A must visit website created by dedicated, professional people with its sole aim to inspire awareness and seek the truth for all Australians. Petitions to be presented to the Government can be downloaded from here. These positive websites must surely capture the eye of the Australian Government in Canberra and provoke action.

http://www.montevideomaru.com.au
Another must visit website (with the same aim as the above) about a feature length documentary "The Tragedy of the Montevideo Maru" screened in November of 2009.

http://www.montevideomaru.info
An interesting information website authored by Rod Miller who has long been interested in New Guinea's role in the Second World War and is producing a book about the Rabaul nurses. With the assistance of Albert Speer, Rod's invaluable colleague, a lot of research has been undertaken for this book (yet to be published) along with the quest for answers about the Montevideo Maru tragedy. Rod's site offers numerous historical links for research on this prison ship.

http://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/00-montevideo-maru.html
Latest postings and information about the Montevideo Maru tragedy and the Montevideo Maru Memorial Committee, formed to seek answers. This site is authored by Keith Jackson AM, Chairman of the MMMC and Adjunct Professor of Journalism & Communication at the University of Queensland. He was a teacher and journalist in PNG from 1963 to1976 and past President of PNGAA.

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http://www.skp.com.au/memorials2/pages/00010.htm
A website about memorials of Australia. The above address goes straight to a photograph of the Australian Service Nurses' National Memorial, Canberra, and information about it.

http://www.pngaa.net/Library/categories.htm
The above address is a page from the website of the Papua New Guinea Australia Association. Scroll down to Wartime and read article about the unveiling of the ASNNM in Canberra and The Rabaul Nurses.
Another article with connection to Not Now Tomorrow features the unveiling by Whytie — Lorna (Whyte) Johnston — of a memorial at Ballarat, Australia, in honour of those who lost their lives on the Montevideo Maru. The memorial was unveiled, jointly, by Whytie, one of the six Rabaul Australian Army nurses and Padre May of the 2/22nd Battalion. Padre May was one of the officers transported to Japan in 1942 on the same ship as the nurses; he survived three and a half years imprisonment.

http://www.jje.info/lostlives/places/newbritain.html
Jenny and Joanne Evans, mother and daughter, have devoted extensive research to their website. Jenny Evans' father was a member of Lark Force and lost his life on the Montevideo Maru. The Lost Lives website is about events effecting the islands and the people of New Guinea in the Second World War. Of particular interest and relevance to Not Now Tomorrow are the pages on the Montevideo Maru and the Rabaul Memorial page (accessed from the above address). Jenny Evans' website is linked to the Australian War Memorial's Australia Japan Project.

http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/remembering1942/ambon/index.asp
The website of The Australian War Memorial and its segment (among many others) Remembering the War in New Guinea. Follow the links: Roll of Honour talk and Items from the collection (official Montevideo Maru report)


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