[Mike Kelly]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

The situation was a lot more complex than the single telegram suggests, and involves the suggested deployment of 7 Aust Div to Burma.

Advance elements of 1 Aust Corps from the Middle East had landed on Java and were undertaking appreciations, and were followed up by a large element that arrived at Oosthaven in mid-February and were in preparation for disembarking when the orders were changed. The ship, the Orcades, together with a large number of smaller ships, then evacuated a large number of British, Australian, Dutch and civilian personnel from that port. The Australians were subsequently disembarked at Batavia on 19 February 1942. The force, which became known as Blackforce, was about 3,000 personnel from units such as 2/3 MG Bn, 2/2 Pnr Bn, 2/6 Fd Coy, 2/2 CCS. Formal resistance by British, Australian and American units ceased on 12 March when the senior officers signed the surrender at Bandung. The survivors went into captivity. The total Allied forces on Java included Dutch, Aust, British and American units.

The period and decisions being made at government level are well covered in the official history by Wigmore: The Japanese Thrust, chapter 20: The Destination of I Australian Corps and Chapter 22: The End in Java.

Mike

Yes I forgot about all that . I did a little research a few years back and discovered a chap who the brother of a chap lost on the Montivideo Maru.



From my MLU post:

Well, his brother was in the 2/2 Pioneer battalion , this unit initially served in Syria. The 2/2 was at sea heading back home , but the ship was diverted to Java . The brother was captured, survived the Thai death railway and then he was shipped to Japan where he died in Sept. 1944.