MW 41042511 Lark Force
Fatboy Coxy
Monthly Donor
1941, Friday 25 April;
Mid-afternoon, and together with a light cruiser, the troopship Zealandia, entered Simpson Harbour, the natural deep-water anchorage of a flooded volcano, where the small town of Rabaul lay. A well-liked ship, she carried the nickname ‘Zed’, built in 1910, and just under 7,000 tons, she was a passenger ship, which in pre-war plied the Melbourne – Fremantle route, but just like World War One, she was now being used to transport military personal and equipment.
On board was the Australian 47th Militia Battalion, the ‘Wide Bay Regiment’ from Queensland, sent to provide the main component of ‘Lark Force’, the garrison of Rabaul.
They had only been fully mobilised just over five weeks ago, were about 300 men understrength, and were equipped with WWI accruements, rifles and the Lewis light machine guns. More men would certainly be sent to bring them up to strength, while heavier, crew served weapons were promised, but not until next year.
Together with a coastal battery of 6-inch guns, a detachment of the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles and supporting units, they were tasked with the defence of the Simpson Harbour anchorage and seaplane base, the two airfields, at Lakunai and Vunakanau, as well as forming "an advanced observation line" to provide early warning of Japanese movements. Occupying defensive positions around Simpson Harbour the Australians were widely dispersed, with companies at Praed Point, Talili Bay, Lakunai airfield, and another inland at Vunakanau airfield, while other elements covered the coastal approaches, near Vulcan crater.
The 47th battalion wasn’t the only Militia unit defending Australia’s perimeter defences, since the middle of 1940 a detachment of Militia had been based at Port Moresby, and last month it had been merged with the newly arrived 49th Militia battalion, again understrength and poorly equipped. Its training had been badly hampered by the need to construct defences, and provide labour gangs for the settlement, and morale was poor, mostly due to boredom.
Zealandia’s escort, the light cruiser, HMAS Adelaide had been built just after the end of World War One, she was very much an obsolete ship, but after about ten years in the reserve, with World War Two looming, she had been given a refit, converted to oil fired boilers, and a slight change in her armoury, to return for trade defence duties and second line roles.
Mid-afternoon, and together with a light cruiser, the troopship Zealandia, entered Simpson Harbour, the natural deep-water anchorage of a flooded volcano, where the small town of Rabaul lay. A well-liked ship, she carried the nickname ‘Zed’, built in 1910, and just under 7,000 tons, she was a passenger ship, which in pre-war plied the Melbourne – Fremantle route, but just like World War One, she was now being used to transport military personal and equipment.
On board was the Australian 47th Militia Battalion, the ‘Wide Bay Regiment’ from Queensland, sent to provide the main component of ‘Lark Force’, the garrison of Rabaul.
They had only been fully mobilised just over five weeks ago, were about 300 men understrength, and were equipped with WWI accruements, rifles and the Lewis light machine guns. More men would certainly be sent to bring them up to strength, while heavier, crew served weapons were promised, but not until next year.
Together with a coastal battery of 6-inch guns, a detachment of the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles and supporting units, they were tasked with the defence of the Simpson Harbour anchorage and seaplane base, the two airfields, at Lakunai and Vunakanau, as well as forming "an advanced observation line" to provide early warning of Japanese movements. Occupying defensive positions around Simpson Harbour the Australians were widely dispersed, with companies at Praed Point, Talili Bay, Lakunai airfield, and another inland at Vunakanau airfield, while other elements covered the coastal approaches, near Vulcan crater.
The 47th battalion wasn’t the only Militia unit defending Australia’s perimeter defences, since the middle of 1940 a detachment of Militia had been based at Port Moresby, and last month it had been merged with the newly arrived 49th Militia battalion, again understrength and poorly equipped. Its training had been badly hampered by the need to construct defences, and provide labour gangs for the settlement, and morale was poor, mostly due to boredom.
Zealandia’s escort, the light cruiser, HMAS Adelaide had been built just after the end of World War One, she was very much an obsolete ship, but after about ten years in the reserve, with World War Two looming, she had been given a refit, converted to oil fired boilers, and a slight change in her armoury, to return for trade defence duties and second line roles.
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