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 5th AF March 12, 1943 |
Location Potsdam (Potsdam Plantation) was located on the north coast of New Guinea. Borders Potsdam Harbor inside Hansa Bay. Located near the mouth of the Sakula River and Kalagima Creek. Between 1884 until September 1914 part of Deutsch Neu Guinea (German New Guinea). Prewar and during the Pacific War located in the Madang District in the Territory of New Guinea. Today located in Yawar Rural LLG, Bogia District, Madang Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Prewar During the German colonial era, Potsdam Plantation was established at this location and planted with coconut palms harvesting copra. Prewar, the Catholic missionaries built Old Nubia Airfield. Wartime History During January 1943, the area was occupied by the Japanese Army. During the Japanese occupation, Old Nubia Airfield was not used and they instead they built Nubia Airfield (Hansa South) near Nubia. Ninety Chinese civilians including men, women and children captured in Madang were brought to Potsdam Plantation to labor on a large vegetable garden to grow crops for the Army. In the middle of June 1944, the Australian Army occupied Potsdam Plantation and liberated the Chinese. On June 16, 1944 War Correspondent F. Simpson, Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) visited this location to interview the Chinese including Quan Yim who had a broken leg. The Potsdam Plantation area was developed into a camp area for the Australian Army, 30th Infantry Battalion (Sepik Force) Headquarters. On August 18, 1944 and advanced party from 25th Infantry Battalion under the command of Lt. Col. McKinna arrived by barge from Madang to relieve the 30th Infantry Battalion. On August 20, 1944 at 2:00pm the rest of the 25th Battalion arrived aboard four Royal Australian Navy (RAN) corvettes HMAS De La Rone, HMAS Colac, HMAS Barcoo and HMAS Rockhampton that transport them from Madang to Potsdam. Ashore, they began patrolling as far west as the mouth of the Ramu River and repaired a Japanese truck until abandoned at the Boroi River. On September 11, 1944 withdrawn aboard frigate Hawkesbury and corvettes HMAS Kiama and HMAS Gouldburn back to Madang and were reviled by the 35th Battalion. Old Nubia Airfield Prewar airfield to the southeast at Potsdam plantation disused today. References Toowoomba To Torokina pages 185-189 Contribute
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