PNGAA Library

Graves of Gallipoli survivors at Kavieng: Jim Ridges

25 April 2015 marks the 100 years anniversary of the unsuccessful, but often heroic, troop landings, and eventual withdrawal, at Gallipoli in Turkey in the 1914-18 World War. The shared experiences and losses gave rise to the Anzac legends and traditions, and forged a link between Australians and New Zealanders that is still strong today, and celebrated annually wherever in the world that many, or a few, from those nations happen to be, including Kavieng in New Ireland.

New Ireland was occupied by Australian military forces from 17 October 1914 until 9 May 1921, during the Australian military administration takeover of the German New Guinea government administration, and an Australian civil administration after that. It is not surprising that, from the very start of the remembrance of Anzac Day, services and memorials were held in Kavieng and continued until the Japanese occupation of New Ireland in January 1942, recommencing again after the Australians returned at the end of the Pacific war.

In the Pakail Pioneer Cemetery at Kavieng, not only are there two official war graves from the 1914-18 war (Captain Guy O Manning and 802 Private William Thomas Addis), but of interest at this time of the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings at least three other graves of servicemen who survived Gallipoli and the 1914-18 war and eventually died and were buried at Kavieng.

Their graves record this fact, however it is not known whether elsewhere in New Guinea there may be other surviving graves with similar inscriptions. Of course there is the possibility that others buried at Pakail also served at Gallipoli, but few have inscriptions with more than their names and a date.

The three ‘Gallipoli’ graves contain Lt Colonel Leslie F S Hore MC VD, Ernest A F Stanfield and Arthur V Bellamy.

Unfortunately, about 2005, the brass plate was removed (stolen?) from Bellamy’s grave but luckily its inscription had been recorded in 1999. It is “In memory of Arthur Vincent Bellamy of New South Wales died 20th August 1940 aged 58 years. ‘A faithful son’ Anzac Gallipoli, Egypt 1914-1918”

Also of interest is that Major Leslie Hore of the 8th Light Horse Regiment made at least one water colour painting of Anzac Beach in June 1915. It is held by the Mitchell Library in Sydney and was reproduced for an Anzac Day ‘Orders of Service’ programme a few years ago. Ernest Stansfield, who lived at Bolegila plantation, New Ireland from 1927, fought on the Kokoda Track resisting the Japanese advance on Port Moresby in the Pacific War. He died in 1960.