Up Its Dead

New Guinea Gives Up Its Dead

NEW GUINEA still gives up its war dead. In the photo below, troops of the Pacific Islands Regiment are seen at the funeral at the Bomana War Cemetery, Port Moresby, in March, of Group-C apt a i n Frederick Wight and Wing- Commander Walter Hammond, two RAAF officers killed when their plane crashed in January, 1944, on a flight between Port Moresby and Nadzab.

The wreckage was discovered the previous month at about 10,000 ft near the top of Mt.

Kenevi. The search party which recovered the bodies had to operate under hazardous conditions, including heavy rain, poor visibility and at times lack of oxygen. The wreckage was on the lip of a 3,000 ft cliff face. An RAAF Iroquois helicopter finally air lifted the remains to Port Moresby after their recovery.

The RAAF search party was led by Wing-Commander K. M.

Rundle, of Townsville, who has been active in numerous similar searches in New Guinea in recent years.

Photo: “South Pacific Post”