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| Location Lat 8° 56' 21S Long 147° 47' 55E Sengi village is locate at an elevation of 2,086' / 635m at the edge of the Owen Stanley Range in eastern New Guinea. Also spelled Sangai or Sengai. To the north is the Kokoda-Buna Road (Kokoda Highway). To the north is Oivi. To the northwest is Kokoda. Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the in the Northern District in the Territory of Papua. Today located in Sohe District of Oro Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Wartime History On September 21, 1942 a group of forty-seven Australian Army, 2/14th Battalion from Company A and Company C led by Captain Sydney "Ben" H. Buckler withdrew from Isurava to Eora Creek into the Yodda Valley and after ten days of trekking reached Sengi. The group included two wounded on stretchers, three walking wounded and Corporal John A. Metson who was wounded and crawled on his hands and knees. Captain Buckler ordered the five seriously wounded and two sick who were exhausted to remain at Sangai under the care of villagers so the able bodied could find help. Stretcher bearer Corporal Thomas "Tom" J. Fletcher volunteered to remain to care for them. Before departing, Captain Buckler and the rest of the party saluted them before departing. Alone behind enemy lines, the Australians at Sengi were betrayed by locals to the Japanese who later arrived at the village and killed them. All were officially declared dead October 4, 1942 including: Private Thomas J. Fletcher, VX43033 (KIA) Wareek, VIC Corporal John A. Metson, VX15796 (KIA) Richmond, VIC Private Ambrose Mayne, VX68537 (KIA) Corindap, VIC Meanwhile, Captain Buckler and his party followed the Kumusi River upstream to Jaure arriving September 28, 1942 then across the Owen Stanley Range to Rigo arriving October 3, 1942. Captain Buckler immediately requested aircraft from Port Moresby to drop medical supplies and food to the men at Sengi. On October 5, 1942 a pair of B-25 Mitchells from 38th BG attempted to drop medical supplies to Australians at Sangai but were intercepted by Zeros with one shot down and never made the air drop. Reportedly, Captain Buckler insisted on personally accompanying the flight. As the plane flew low, no signal was observed from the ground. On November 5, 1942 the Australian Army Chaforce patrol from Cullen's battalion reached Sengi and found the bodies of five Australians murdered on strechers. For his decision to remain behind, Metson earned the British Empire Medal for his "courage, tenacity and unselfishness". Afterwards. the remains of the Australians were buried at Sengai and later exhumed and reburied at Kokoda War Cemetery and postwar permanently buried at Bomana War Cemetery. References WW2 Nominal Roll - Sydney H. Buckler, VX13637 WW2 Nominal Roll - John Arthur Metson, VX15796 CWGC - John Arthur Metson FindAGrave - Corporal John Arthur Metson (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - John Arthur Metson (AWM panel 38) AWM "The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (VX15796) Corporal John Arthur Metson, 2/14th Australian Infantry Battalion Second World War" (AWM2018.1.1.36) WW2 Nominal Roll - Thomas Joseph Fletcher, VX43033 CWGC - Thomas Joseph Fletcher FindAGrave - Private Thomas Joseph Fletcher (grave photos) FindAGrave - Thomas Joseph Fletcher (AWM panel 37) WW2 Nominal Roll - Ambrose Mayne, VX68537 CWGC - Ambrose Mayne FindAGrave - Private Ambrose Mayne (photos, graev photo) FindAGrave - Ambrose Mayne (AWM panel 38) Field Guide to the Kokoda Track (2006) pages 324-325, 325 (map) Hell's Battlefield (2012) by Phil Bradley pages 58-59 (Sengai Sept 1942), 99 (Sengai Nov 5, 1942 footnote 32), 438 (Appendix I: Casualties Kokoda Trail), 449 (notes, chapter 5, footnote 32), 485 (index Buckler), 501 (index Sengai) Sun Setters of the Southwest Pacific Area (2011) page 78 (October 5, 1942) Thanks to Phil Bradley for additional information Contribute Information Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated November 27, 2025 |
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