NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive
Patch contributed by Mike Smolinski
Sturgeon (SS-187)
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 | 67k | On 1st July 1942, the Sturgeon (SS-187) (Lt. Cdr Wright) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese transport Montevideo Maru about 65 miles west of Cape Bojeador, Luzon, 18°37'N, 119°29'E. Unbeknown to the submariners, Montevideo Maru was transporting 1,050 Allied POW's(845 PW and 208 civilians who were embarked at Rabaul, New Britain) to Hainan Island. There were no survivors from the allied POW's, only a few of the Japanese crew survived. Among the Australian POW's aboard the Montevideo Maru were three relatives and a family friend of Ken Hayes of Adelaide, South Australia: an Uncle John William Hayes VX 23568 and two Cousins; Basil Wythe VX 24187 & Rex Wythe VX18861 plus Edward Saligari (E.P.) VX 24181 They appear here in a photo taken at Bonegilla training camp Victoria just before they embarked for Rabaul. They were members of Lark Force, 2/22nd Battalion that was sent to Rabaul (New Britain) before Japanese occupation in late 1941, approximately 1200 soldiers. It has been said they were sacrificed by the Federal Labour Government of the day. On the 23rd of January 1942, thousands of Japanese landed on New Britain and it was all over within the day. There were also many civilians, Missionaries and Army/Civilian Nurses captured. Some civilians, soldiers and Missionaries escaped into the jungle. Ted Saligari lived on the farming property next to my wife's family property near Hamilton in Western Victoria where we grew up. Ted was one of the few soldiers who was not captured by the Japanese when they attacked and over ran Rabaul on 23rd January 1942. He escaped into the jungle and made his way and eventually was picked up by a coastal schooner 'Lakatoi' and returned to Australia. The large attendance of some 350 Friends Montvideo Maru gathered on 21 June 2010 as the Australian Parliament honored military personnel and civilians who died as a result of the New Guinea Islands conflict. Veterans Affairs and Defense Personnel Minister the Hon Alan Griffith made a "Ministerial Statement" on the matter and the historic private members motion was debated. The resolution passed through both houses the same day. Subsequently the Government has started the ball rolling with a $100,000 donation for the construction of a memorial, the Australian War Memorial will contribute $500,000 and businesses, the private sector, families and friends will be approached to assist to make the total up to $5000,000. The Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Society was established to ensure national recognition of the fall of Rabaul and Australia's greatest maritime disaster, a shocking tragedy of war. | Text courtesy of Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in WWII by R. J. Cressman via wrecksite.eu. Map image courtesy of Google Earth. Photo courtesy of wrecksite.eu. Barb & Ken Hayes contributed personal photos as well as the text of their family history. Photos added 06/24/10. |
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