Image Gallery: August 2005
Commemoration of the Battle of Milne Bay
10 August 2005
About
20 RAAF members from Air Combat Group and six
Air Force veterans of the 1942 Battle of Milne
Bay attended a commemorative service on 9 August
2005 in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, to honour
their fallen comrades.
The Governor of Milne Bay, other local officials
and members of the community from the Milne
Bay Province also attended the service at Gurney
Airport, near the provincial capital of Alotau.
The service included the unveiling of a commemorative
plaque and a flypast by an Air Combat Group
F-111 strike aircraft from No. 6 Squadron.
The Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd
AM said, "The Royal Australian Air Force
is honoured that six Air Force World War II
veterans were able to travel to Papua New Guinea
to commemorate Air Force’s role in the
Battle of Milne Bay.
"The service in Milne Bay is part of the
national services that will be held this week
to commemorate the end of World War II and the
Victory in the Pacific. The service is in honour
of those brave men and women who made the ultimate
sacrifice for their country."
Japanese forces landed in Milne Bay on 25-26
August 1942. They were repelled on 31 August
by Australian forces supported by United States
Army Engineer elements. The RAAF involvement
in the Battle of Milne Bay was crucial. It consisted
of Hudson aircraft from No. 6 Squadron and Kittyhawk
aircraft from No 75 and 76 Squadrons. The Air
Force veterans, who served with No. 75, No.
76 and No. 77 Squadrons, were hosted by current
members of these squadrons.
2005 marks the 60th anniversary of the end of
World War II. The Battle of Milne Bay in August
1942 is remembered among the turning points
of the tide of battle in WWII -- the first significant
defeat on land of Japanese forces during the
war.
| 000177139_0013 The commanding officer of 6 Squadron RAAF, Wing Commander Ken Quinn, chats with a Papua New Guinean attending the Battle of Milne Bay commemoration while seated on a World War II anti-aircraft gun. (Date taken: 09 August 2005) Low-res | High-res |
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| 000177139_0020 Milne Bay veterans Harry Kerr, Nat Gould, Bill Yewdall, Jeff Wilkinson, George Saville and George Stidwell. (Date taken: 09 August 2005) Low-res | High-res |
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| 000177139_0063 Royal Australian Air Force F-111 A8-21 flies over Gurney Airfield in Papua New Guinea during commemoration of the 1942 Battle of Milne Bay. (Date taken: 09 August 2005) Low-res | High-res |
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| 000177139_0072 Flight Lieutenant Adam Nickson joins Papua New Guinea children watching the F-111 fly past at Gurney Airport for commemoration of the World War II Battle of Milne Bay. (Date taken: 09 August 2005) Low-res | High-res |
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| 000177139_0147 A Papua New Guinean girl attending the commemoration ceremony for the Battle of Milne Bay holds a Royal Australian Air Force roundel. (Date taken: 09 August 2005) Low-res | High-res |
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| 000177139_0153 WWII veteran Nat Gould gives photos to Papua New Guinean spectators at the Battle of Milne Bay commemoration. (Date taken: 09 August 2005) Low-res | High-res |
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