Wokbung Wantaim

Connecting PNG and the World, One Wave at a Time Today, 13 February 2024 is the World Radio Day. Here is one for this day! Even where there is no road, bridges, jetties, airfield, radio can connect a people thousand miles together in one space and time, bringing a sense of togetherness. Even where there is no electricity to power up lighting, radio can bring information to far and wide raising awareness and bring a light of hope. Here in Papua New Guinea, amidst the lush rainforests and rugged mountains, radio remains the lifeline, the voice that unites and informs. This isn't just a romantic notion. The power of radio has been demonstrably proven throughout history: **1. WW2: Defying Nazi Lies, London Calling:** During the darkest hours of World War II (1939-1945), amidst Nazi propaganda, BBC Radio's "London Calling" became a beacon of truth for occupied Europe. Broadcasts in multiple languages offered news, hope, and a sense of unity to those resisting tyranny, prov...

Battle of Finschhafen The Landing at Scarlet Beach on the 22nd of September 1943 marked the start of the Battle of Finschhafen, which saw Australian and American troops perform a pincer attack on the town of Finschhafen. This battle, and the subsequent counterattack was part of the Huon Peninsula Campaign that took place in New Guinea during WWII. The Japanese had been expecting an Allied attack on Finschhafen since July 1943, and Japanese high command had deployed a mixed force from three divisions, totalling approximately 5,000 men in a series of defensive positions around the town. Allied intelligence underestimated this force, as being only between 300 – 2,100 strong. On the 22nd of September, the Australians began establishing a beach head at Scarlet Beach and its surrounding coves, before commencing the advance on Finschhafen. Advancing through thick jungle with limited vehicular support, the soldiers were often forced to carry the stores themselves due to a shor...

1943 - The remains of the Sattelberg Church, Finschhafen This is a painting by Nora Heysen that shows the remains of the Church at Sattelberg after the 8 days of heavy bombing by the Allied troops attacking the Japanese stronghold on Sattelberg. Finally on 24th November 1943 the Japanese had to flee Satelberg the night before and the Allied force completely secure the hilltop of Satelberg. The caption of the painting reads "The timber remains of the church at Sattelberg Mission; only the cross and the pulpit are left standing" And further abstract from a news article found on the National Library of Australia online database reads "REMAINS OF CHURCH - A heap of timber, a few curiously carved figures, and a sturdy cross still standing and still undamaged was once the mission church. The wooden figures with brilliant robes and deep brown faces were the native artists' conception of the Saints. Lying among the timber was a gaudy pulpit carved from t...

Do you know that a former Royal Australian Navy boat given as a gift to the PNGDF Navy in 1987 was named after Dregerhafen in Finschhafen, Morobe Province? Oct 2013 - HMPNGS Dreger entering Sydney Harbour Before we jump to that, lets go back... First of all, where does the name of the place Dregerhafen come from? Dregerhafen is infact two words, Dreger and Hafen. Just like Finschhafen, Finsch and Hafen. Finsch named after Otto Finsch the German explorer who explored most of the North Western part of the island of New Guinea. The Finschhafen proper is the habour in which Maneba wharf sits formed by the Nugidu Peninsula (point). Hafen in German means Harbour so it is Finsch-Harbour. Now back to Dregerhafen. Further south of Finschhafen is Dregerhafen. The place is named after Captain Martin Dreger, another German but this time he was the captain of the 1884 expedition on the sailing ship named "Samoa" that took Otto Finsch around the Pacific laying claim ...

Finschhafen, The Aftermath of the War   What was it like right after the war?   There were three known major plantations in Finschhafen back in the days, the #Heldsbach , #Salankaua and #Timbulin . The three lie within almost ten miles from each other. There were no vehicle roads before the war, but only horse tracks interrupted by numerous small creeks. Finschhafen (Buming to Mape), World War 2.   How big was it?   Here are two sources of reference that can give you a glimpse of how big it was. During the war Finschhafen had become the third largest military port in the world, after London and New York. At times there were one million Allied soldiers stationed at Finschhafen. It was one big war city between #Mape river and Buming river. Dozens of side roads criss crossed the plantation and connected numerous warehouses, recreation centres, churches and movie theatres. Military equipment of all description and in huge quantities were for the trip to Japan. (Source:...

1943 - Malasega 23-10-1943, WW11, MALASIGE, Huon Peninsula, New Guinea, Native Outrigger Sailing Canoe on the Lagoon, (source: Australian War Memorial)

1944 - Maneba, Nugidu, Finschhafen proper  FINSCHHAFEN, NEW GUINEA. 1944-04-03. AN AERIAL VIEW TOWARDS THE OCEAN SHOWING SHIPPING AND PORT INSTALLATIONS AT THE HARBOUR  Australian War Memorial