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The SpottersPrint Page
A plaque commemorates the members of the New Guinea Air Warning Wireles Company, known as "The Spotters" who manned stations in New Guinea and neigbouring islands, reporting on enemy activities during World War Two.
Location
Address: | 300 Waterdale Road, Repatriation Hospital, Remembrance Garden, Heidelberg, 3081 |
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State: | VIC |
Area: | AUS |
GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -37.755725 Long: 145.047069 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
Monument Type: | Plaque |
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Monument Theme: | Conflict |
Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
Actual Event Start Date: | |
Approx. Event Start Date: | February-1942 |
Actual Event End Date: | |
Approx. Event End Date: | December-1944 |
Dedication
Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Thursday 17th August, 2000 |
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Lest We Forget
New Guinea Air Warning Wireles Coy. (A.I.F.)
( The Spotters)
In honour of "The Spotters" who manned stations throughout Papua New Guinea and nearby islands from February 1942 to December 1944. The unit operated with groups of two or three signalmen in isolated situations providing advance warning of Japanese air attacks and the location and movement of enemy forces, land, sea and air.
"The fortitude of these personnel and devotion to duty is something of which Australia must be proud. The company`s members had to contend with sickness, fever, shortage of food and medical supplies, isolated from contact with our troops for long periods, and constantly exposed to the danger of capture by the enemy. They were dedicated to their duty and never failed.
The New Guinea Air Warning Wireless Company is a signal unit of which very little has been heard as their duites were top secret at all times. It can be stated that the successful course of the war could have been seriously delayed, if not greatly prolonged, if this signal unit had not operated so efficiently."
Major-General C. H. Simpson, C.B.E., M.C., V.D
Late Signal-Officer-in-Chief (Australian Military Forces)
Honours and awards M.B.E. 1 M.M. 10 M.I.D. 10
"Spotters" killed in action on stations over-run by the Japanese [ Names ]
Died while on active service [ Names ]
Unveiled and dedicated on 17 August 2000