AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASES

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence Media Mail List ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MEDIA RELEASE The Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence 18 March 2001 EMBARGOED UNTIL 9AM, SUNDAY 18 MARCH 2001 PARLSEC 061/01 HISTORIC HANDOVER OF DEFENCE SYDNEY FORESHORE TO THE PEOPLE Five Defence owned properties on Sydney's harbour foreshore have been formally handed over to the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust at a ceremony today. Dr Brendan Nelson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence presented a scroll to the Federal Environment and Heritage Minister, Robert Hill, assigning the former Defence land over to the Trust. "Most of this land has been Defence property since before Federation, some since the arrival of the First Fleet," Dr Nelson said. Through a $50million Centenary of Federation grant, Defence was able to assign Middle Head, Georges Heights, Chowder Bay, Woolwich Dock and the former Artillery School site on North Head to the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. The first defences were close to the settlement at Sydney Cove, most notably at Dawes Point. These close defences were supplemented from 1802 by a battery on Georges Head, which covered the Western Channel, and was the main passage to Sydney Cove. From the 1890's, North and South Head became increasingly important with the need for heavy weapons to protect Sydney from long range sea attack. From 1964 Georges Heights was the location of the Women's Royal Australian Army Corps Centre which conducted all training for female soldiers until training was integrated during the 1980s. Chowder Bay was the site of the Water Transport training facility. A water transport unit was also based at Woolwich Dock until recently. The Centre trained soldiers who were critical to the success of INTERFET operations in East Timor, operating landing craft and initially running Dili port. While Sydney's defences were not used in anger except for the night of 31 May 1942 (when two Japanese Midget submarines attacked Sydney Harbour), the difficulties of attacking defended ports led armies and navies to develop capabilities for landing and supporting forces across open beaches. "The deterrent value of port defences cannot be forgotten in assessing their worth. Sydney was an essential logistic location for the Australian War effort, particularly from 1942 to 1945. Its security was critical. "Defence has managed to protect part of the harbour foreshore from development allowing us all to enjoy these special places in the future," Dr Nelson said Media Contact: Jane Cusack, Tel: 6277 4433 Mob. 0419 444 626. Media release from Dr Brendan Nelson - Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence ________________________________________________________________________ "Thank you for subscribing to the Defence Media E-mail list. If you wish to unsubscribe go to https://secure.edime.com.au/defmail/subscribe.cfm Enter your E-mail address, and click the Submit button"" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Media Mail List ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MEDIA RELEASE The Hon. Bruce Scott Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Sunday, 18 March 2001 MIN 062/01 MISSING WWII AIRMEN REMAINS RECOVERED IN PNG The remains of four World War II Australian airmen have been recovered by the Royal Australian Air Force, 57 years after they were reported as missing in action, the Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence, Bruce Scott, announced today. Mr Scott said the remains were recovered from the wreck of an RAAF Beaufort Bomber, serial No. A9-217, that crashed near Kawa Island 80 kilometres west of the Trobriand Group, Papua New Guinea. "The aircraft, from the RAAF's Number 8 Squadron, was involved in a torpedo attack on enemy shipping near Rabaul Harbour on the 15th of November 1943, and was last observed at the southern end of St George's channel, returning to Vivigani following the raid," he said. "It was suspected that the aircraft had crashed near Kawa Island, however, despite searches of the area at the time, all that could be found was an aircraft fuel tank. "The remains have been identified as those of Flight Sergeant Jack Carroll Woodgate (Pilot), Flight Sergeant Stewart Ian Drakes (Navigator), Flying Officer Geoffrey Stewart Wells (Wireless Air Gunner) and Flight Sergeant Byron Veitch Maclean (Wireless Air Gunner). They were from No 8 Squadron based at Vivigani Strip on Goodenough Island." The deceased airmen are listed on the Monument to the Missing at the Bita Paka War Cemetery, Rabaul, and their remains will be interred with full military honours at Bita Paka War Cemetery, in early May, 2001. The families of Flight Sergeant Woodgate, Flying Officer Wells and Flight Sergeant Maclean have been informed of the discovery although, to date the Air Force has yet been unable to locate or contact any of the family of the late Flight Sergeant Drakes. "I wish to express my deepest sympathy to the families of these gallant airmen," Mr Scott said. "It is always with mixed emotions that I receive the news of these discoveries, however, I understand the sense of relief experienced by families in such circumstances, and I thank all involved in this current operation. "Every effort has been made to contact the family of Flight Sergeant Drakes, and I hope through this announcement we can quickly locate his next-of-kin." Any person who has information concerning the location of the Next-of-Kin of Flight Sergeant Drakes are asked to contact Warrant Officer Greg Williams at Air Force Headquarters on 02 6265 1027 during working hours. The RAAF will assist family members to attend the funeral at Rabaul. Media Contact: Ministerial Mark Croxford 02 6277 7820 or 0408 645 787 ________________________________________________________________________ "Thank you for subscribing to the Defence Media E-mail list. If you wish to unsubscribe go to https://secure.edime.com.au/defmail/subscribe.cfm Enter your E-mail address, and click the Submit button"" ------------------------------------------------------------------------