Issue #04 - October-December 2021
- Discover their stories -
- Understand their sacrifice -
- Honour their legacy -
HWT News
(news@historicwartours.com.au)
We start off by looking at two new and exciting tours out of Cairns (North Queensland) for Anzac Day 2022. A reminder that the 7th December (Honolulu time) marks the 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. We tell the story of the tragic crash of a RAAF Catalina off Townsville during WWII and the search for the remains of lost Australian soldiers from WWI. Travelling internationally!! How do you start? And finally, what we at Historic War Tours, have been doing over the past six months.
If you have any suggestions, would like to make a contribution to this newsletter or would like to see something included in a future issue, please contact us.
Afghanistan Avenue of Honour, Yubgaburra (NQ)
Do something unique for Anzac Day 2022
It is not widely known that the Atherton Tableland, in North Queensland, was a major training base for about 100,000 Australian troops before they embarked on campaigns to defeat the Japanese in the Southwest Pacific in WWII. A 4,000 bed hospital was built at Rocky Creek, near Atherton and Mareeba Airport was constructed as a large American bomber base carrying out missions in New Guinea and further north. Today, surprisingly, evidence of that occupation still exists.
In recent years, a memorial to those who lost their lives in the Afghanistan conflict, was constructed at picturesque Yungaburra, east of Atherton on the shores of Lake Tinaroo. This site is now a tribute to these men and the Australian men and women of all conflicts who made the ultimate sacrifice.
For Anzac Day 2022, Historic War Tours will be conducting a ‘1 Day’ and a ‘2 Day’ guided tour ex Cairns returning to Cairns. Highlights include:
Restored WWII Entertainment Igloo, Rocky Creek
Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Afghanistan Avenue of Honour at Yungaburra,
Anzac Day Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Atherton War Cemetery, and
WWII Heritage Tour: Atherton WWII Buildings, Rocky Creek (War Memorial Park, WWII Entertainment Igloo, site of the 4,000 bed hospital), Mareeba Airfield and its Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements).
The ‘2 Day’ tour also includes the Tolga Museum and the Army Training Areas at Black Gully and Tinaroo and overnight accommodation within a 5 minute, easy walking distance to the Dawn Service the next morning.
80th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor
The 7th December 2021 (Honolulu time), marks the 80th Anniversary of the coordinated Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Northern Malaya. It would bring WWII to the Pacific, the British stronghold in Singapore would be lost and over 120,000 Allied and Dutch soldiers became prisoners of war of the Japanese. Overall, hundreds of thousands of military and civilian personnel from both sides would die and untold destruction would occur.
USS Arizona on fire after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Crash of RAAF Catalina (A24-52)
A small memorial sits on the outer side of the pool at the northern end of the Strand in Townsville, overlooking Cleveland Bay. It is a lonely and sad memorial to a tragic event that showed that our airmen were not only subject to the perils of enemy action but also the prevailing weather conditions at the time.
Memorial to the crash of RAAF Catalina (A24-52), The Strand, Townsville
Rear section of A24-52 after being dragged ashore. (Photo: Ozatwar)
To travel internationally or NOT to travel, that is the question
Remember the days when you could pick an overseas destination, buy a plane ticket, present your passport and you were away. Those days are long gone and for the time being, due to Covid, if we want to travel overseas, we will have to navigate the maze of requirements when departing Australia, arrival at the destination and then returning to Australia. This information can change regularly, so it is important that you are up-to-date if you intend to travel.
When starting this process, the best site to visit is the Australian Government’s Smartraveller (https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations) website. It contains information on the current status for the country that you plan to visit and the latest entry requirements including testing and insurance. Your airline or travel agent will be able to assist you with departure requirements out of Australia.
As always, the Australian Border Force (https://www.abf.gov.au) is a valuable source of information on departing and arriving Australia.
Safe travels!!
The Lost Diggers of Krithia
After many years of research, Lambis Englozos from Melbourne, was convinced that he knew the possible where abouts of some of the Australian soldiers who were killed in the Battle of Fromelles in WWI and whose bodies were never recovered.
In May 2008, after two years of frustrating set-backs with Australian authorities, excavation of a possible site at Pheasant Wood, near Fromelles, was started. It wasn’t long before artifacts were discovered. By September, the remains of 250 Australian soldiers had been discovered. For these men, a new cemetery was created at Fromelles by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery where the 250 Australian soldiers are now buried.
The ABC’s 7:30 Report (https://youtu.be/V92-HQrhGvk) has a great overview of the search and recovery.
Now, Lambis is on another quest and once again he has encountered Australian bureaucracy at its worst. This time, it regards a little-known aspect of the WWI Gallipoli Campaign.
In May 1915, just weeks after the landing at Anzac Cove, 3,000 Australian soldiers were sent to the tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula to take the town of Krithia. It was a Turkish stronghold and seemingly impregnable. A hill position, it was surrounded by flat areas where the Australians had to advance against withering machine gun fire and mortars. Australian casualties were very high and like Anzac Cove, the surviving Australians were eventually withdrawn.
As with Fromelles, many of the Australian fallen were not recovered. The Turkish troops buried many of the dead but the location of the graves was not recorded or had been lost over time. Now, Lambis believes he knows where some are buried.
In a documentary by Australia’s Sixty Minutes (https://youtu.be/3G8E5GPZ9-0), like Fromelles, the story of the search and the frustration caused by the Australian authorities, is told. Hopefully, this will have the same outcome as the discovery of the men of Fromelles.
Fortress North Queensland
From 1942 onwards, North Queensland became the ‘jumping-off point’ for Australia’s effort against the Japanese in New Guinea and the South West Pacific. Thousands of Australian and American troops were based at Townsville, on the Atherton Tableland and remote airfields that served bomber groups, across North Queensland.
Over the past six months, we at Historic War Tours, have been visiting some of these sites which were such a hive of activity nearly 80 years ago. Many are located on private property and away from public access. Some, little remains, others have interesting relics that arouse one’s curiosity. But all were important to the defence of our country.
Throughout 2022, we will continue to visit these near forgotten locations and bring their story to you.
Fanning Airfield (disused)
Mess Hall & Kitchen, Reid River Airfield