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 Walshe May 1945  Australian Army September 12, 1945  Australian Army September 13, 1945  Justin Taylan 2000  Liz Whitehead 1987  Justin Taylan 2004  Justin Taylan 2005 |
Location Lat 3° 31' 0S Long 143° 35' 60E Cape Wom is located at sea level on the north coast of New Guinea. Also known as simply Wom or Wom Point. To the west is Cape Pus. To the east is Wewak and offshore to the northeast is Raboin Island. Today located in Wewak District of East Sepik Province in Papua New Guinea. Wartime History During December 1942, Cape Wom was occupied by the Japanese Army. Anti-aircraft guns were emplaced in this area. The Japanese Army also created prepared positions in dugouts, caves and bunkers for defense. Allied missions against Cape Wom March 25, 1944–May 7, 1945 On May 4, 1945 liberated by the Australian Army 19th Infantry Brigade. Immediately, developed into a base area to support the advance westward to Wewak. On May 7, 1945 at 2:25pm nine P-38 Lightnings from Combat Replacement and Training Center (CRTC) mistook Cape Wom (Wom Point) for Wewak (Wewak Point) and bomb and strafe positions hitting the Australian Army 2/1 Field Regiment 25 pounder artillery positions and 19th Brigade Headquarters The attack results in 11 killed and 21 wounded and destroy or damage several 25 pounders. The Australian dead include: 2/1 Field Regiment six killed, their only fatalities during the Wewak Campaign. Bombardier Norman A. Marks, Gunner Roy Seabrook, Gunner William H. Simpkins, Gunner Archibald Walker, Gunner William J. Dight and Sgt Daniel F. Rixon. 2/1 Guard Regiment: Pvt John McVeigh, Private Claude Summers, Private James G. Beresford, Private Leslie J. H. Giles and Private Geoffrey W. Bordoni. The dead were buried with crosses on Cape Wom and later permanently buried at Lae War Cemetery. References: War Diary 19th Australian Infantry Brigade 7 May 1945, War Diary 2/1 Aust Field Regiment 1 May 45 to 31 May 45 pages 10-12, The Final Campaigns by Gavin Long Chapter 14 pages 345-346. Keith W. Bryant, VX 85794 AIF 7th Mechanical Equipment Co. A.I.F: "We landed in Wewak, in June 1945, after waiting at Langemak Bay near Finschafen for three days until the ground. We were fully equipped with brand new International earthmoving machinery, plus others of such. We improved the roads in the area, and building Cape Wom camp and and the refurbished the Boram Airfield." On September 13, 1945 Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) 18th Army commander Lt General Hatazo Adachi, with an interpreter and three of his staff were flown aboard C-47 Dakota code RE from Hayfield Airfield to Wewak Airfield. Next, the Japanese were transported by jeep to Cape Womfor the official surrender ceremony that began at 10:00am at Cape Wom Airfield. At 10:15am Adachi signed the instrument of surrender and handed over his sword in the presence of 3,000 troops drawn from various units of the Australian Army 6th Division. Afterwards, he attended meetings with Australian Army staff to discuss arrangements related to the surrender. Cape Wom Airfield (Wom Airfield) Small prewar airfield site of the surrender ceremony September 13, 1945 includes Cape Wom Memorial Park Bunker There is a two story bunker with a tower. Today, it is empty aside from graffiti and rubbish. Fortification On the beach is a concrete gun emplacement. The sea has eroded much of it, and the gun above is missing. There is an ammunition locker area inside the emplacement, where one can see its 55 gallon drum and concrete construction. Tunnels Behind the memorial, there are several Japanese tunnels that interlock and interconnect different parts of the Cape. Some have collapsed or filled with sand. Others are still open and possible to crawl into. Ki-61-II Tony Manufacture Number 379 Force landed at Cape Wom. Recovered from Cape Wom in 1973 Ki-48 Lily Manufacture Number 1398 Crashed upside down on Cape Wom A-20G Havoc Serial Number 43-21622 Pilot Hamwey MIA January 20, 1945, 3 missing Contribute
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