Places - New Britain - Lark Force

In 1941 a small Australian Army garrison of approximately 1,400 personnel was sent to Rabaul, New Britain to garrison the outpost, protect its airfields and seaplane anchorages and act as a link in a chain of observation posts across the northern frontiers.

An advance party of 8 officers and 33 other ranks arrived in Rabaul on the 16th March 1941 on board the Neptuna.

• A.I.F. 17 Anti Tank Battery, Royal Australian Artillery - This unit had previously been 23 Anti Tank Company and was redesignated 17th Anti Tank Battery (less C Troop) on 9 August 1941. Commanded by Captain G. Matheson, E.D. (VX45210). Arrived in Rabaul on 29 September 1941 with 110 all ranks.



• A.I.F. 2/10 Field Ambulance, Australian Army Medical Corps - Under the command of Major (later Lt-Col) E.C. Palmer (NX35096)



• A.I.F. 2/22 Battalion, Australian Infantry - Formed on 17 July 1940 and carried out their initial training at Trawool, before being moved to Bonegilla. Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel H.H. Carr (VX41567). Arrived in Rabaul in March/April 1941, with 716 personnel of all ranks.



• A.I.F. 2/22 Battalion, Regimental Band - Every member of the 2/22 Battalion Regimental Band was originally a Salvation Army Bandsman. Of the twenty-four who enlisted, only one survived their deployment to New Britain in 1941.



• A.I.F. Anti Aircraft and Military Landing Craft Defence (Rabaul), Royal Australian Artillery - Also known as 'L' Anti-Aircraft Battery - Commanded by Lieutenant (later Major) D.M. Selby (NX142851). Arrived in Rabaul on 16 August 1941 with 53 other ranks and two 3" anti-aircraft guns. On 4 January 1942, they became the first Australian troops in action in Australian territory and the first Militia unit to fire at the enemy.



• A.I.F. Australian Army Ordnance Corps
  
  
• A.I.F. Command HQ New Guinea Area - Commanded by Colonel J.J. Scanlon (TX16307) who was appointed Area Commander on the 8th October 1941.



• A.I.F. Fortress Engineers, Royal Australian Engineers - Arrived in Rabaul March/April 1941 as part of the Rabaul Heavy Battery.



• A.I.F. Fortress Signals, Australian Corps of Signals
  
  
• A.I.F. L Heavy Battery, Royal Australian Artillery - Commanded by Major H.R.P. Clark (TX6041). Arrived in Rabaul in March/April 1941, with two 6" coast guns, from Fort Wallace at Stockton near Newcastle. Also included Fortress Engineers and Signals, 48 personnel of all ranks. The Battery was also known as the Praed Point Battery, its location.



• A.I.F. New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, Australian Infantry (1939 - 1943) - On 4 September 1939, the Administrator of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, Sir Walter McNicoll, was given authorisation from the Australian Government to form a volunteer defence force to be known as the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles. NGVR members were public servants, merchants, bankers, business men, members of the Christian missions, miners, prospectors, traders and plantation owners, managers or associated employees.

Related Entries

• Lark Force Wilderness Track Project (2007 - )
• Montevideo Maru Memorial at Ballarat POW Memorial (2004 - )
• Rabaul 1942-45 Memorial (1993 - )
• The Rabaul Memorial, Bita Paka Cemetery