![]() ![]() Throughout the 1960s the PIR was still contacting groups of Papua New Guineans who had never seen a European. As Australian troops were countering Indonesian raids in Borneo, Papua New Guinean soldiers also engaged in intensive and arduous patrolling against the possibility of similar incursions.Īt the same time, patrols were responsible for helping to extend the reach of the colonial administration. ![]() The expanded force was Australia’s first line of defence along the border with Indonesia. Hundreds of Papua New Guineans were also posted to Australian Army schools and training facilities on the mainland, or to Officer Cadet School in Portsea, Victoria.Īustralian and Papua New Guinean soldiers at Kerema in the 1960s. In the face of Confrontation with Indonesia during the 1960s, the PIR was expanded to two battalions and support units, reaching over 2500 men by 1968.Īt any one time more than 500 Australian soldiers were serving in PNG, including national servicemen. They eventually served side by side with Australian troops in a range of positions. Throughout the 1960s, Papua New Guineans were increasingly integrated into the Australian military. PNG soldiers represented a real contribution to Australia’s defence when the entire regular infantry force during the 1950s consisted of just three other battalions. There was never a shortage of willing volunteers. But, for Papua New Guineans, the army offered relatively high pay and social status. The lower wages and poor conditions made the PIR an inexpensive addition to Australia’s defence. Papua New Guineans, for instance, were not issued with boots or shirts. The racially based differences were most starkly represented in unequal pay and conditions for the soldiers. Only Australian officers were considered capable of command, as PNG troops were seen as not yet up to the task of modern warfare. It was raised again four years later as the Cold War threatened to turn hot.ĭuring the 1950s the 600-man regiment had much in common with other “colonial armies” in its segregation and the assumptions about the inherent capabilities of PNG troops. George Silk/Australian War Memorialĭespite active service throughout New Guinea during the war, the PIR was disbanded in 1947 by Australian authorities as a result of fears of “arming the natives”. The iconic image of ‘fuzzy wuzzy angel’ Raphael Oimbari escorting wounded Australian soldier Dick Whittington. They eventually formed five battalions of the Pacific Islands Regiment, or PIR. ![]() The first PNG soldiers were recruited by Australians immediately before Japan entered World War Two. Papua New Guineans have a long history of involvement in the Australian military. This is despite the fact that just before decolonisation almost one in ten regular soldiers of the Australian Army were Papua New Guineans. While this dual service can be difficult for PNG to reconcile with its independence, in Australia it goes almost completely unrecognised. Remembrance Day in PNG commemorates not only soldiers of the Papua New Guinean Defence Force but also those Papua New Guineans who served as an integral part of the Australian military until independence in 1975. ![]() The statue reflects how closely PNG’s military past is entwined with that of Australia. At Remembrance Park in Port Moresby, services will take place in front of a statue immortalising Raphael Oimbari, the “fuzzy wuzzy angel” of George Silk’s 1942 photograph, whose bronze likeness leads a wounded Australian soldier to safety. As Papua New Guinea marks its Remembrance Day, July 23, in Australia the service of thousands of Papua New Guineans in the Australian military will go unnoticed. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |