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au/research/guide/pow-ww2-ambon

Australian prisoners of war: Second World War - Prisoners of the Japanese, Ambon

In December 1941, an Australian force known as Gull Force sailed for Ambon Island in the
Netherlands East Indies (present-day Indonesia). The force of 1,090 was made up of the 2/21st
Battalion and C troop 18th Anti-Tank Battery, three sections of the 2/11th Field Coy, one section
Australian Army Service Corps, 2/12th Field Ambulance Detachment, 23rd Special Dental Unit,
and 104 Light Aid Detachment.

Over 200 Australians were massacred at Laha, Ambon, on 6 February and between 15 and 20
February 1942 .

By February 1942, Gull Force was in captivity at Tantui (on Ambon). In October 1942 the
prisoners were divided into two groups. One group was transported to Hainan Island aboard the
Taiko Maru, disembarking on 5 November 1942 and being imprisoned in Haicho Camp (Colonel
W. J. R. Scott's Force). The other group remained on Ambon .

Of the 263 prisoners of war sent to Hainan Island, 182 were still alive at the end of the war. They
returned to Australia on HMS Vindex and the hospital ship Jerusalemme. Those who remained
on Ambon returned, via Morotai, on HMAS Glenelg, Junee, Cootamundra and Latrobe, or went
directly to Sydney on the hospital ship Wanganella.
Official records

Official records held by the Memorial include:

[8th Division in Captivity – Ambon (Gull Force):] Regulations and punishments for prisoner-
of-war camp, Tan Toey, 1942. AWM54 554/18/1
[8th Division in Captivity – Ambon (Gull Force):] Medical case histories of Australian
prisoners of war compiled by Dutch doctor on Ambon. AWM54 554/18/2
Ambon (1941–1942) – (Gull Force) – Reports:] Report on Ambon and Hainan by Lt Col
W.J.R. Scott, DSO, Commanding Gull Force. AWM54 573/6/1A PART 1
Ambon (1941–1942) – (Gull Force) – Reports:] Reports concerning Laha battles – 1942.
Australian prisoners of war captured in Ambon – Japanese statements, list of Japanese who may
be either eyewitness to, cognisant of, or connected with the Laha massacres, 1945. AWM54
573/6/2A
War crimes and trials. Affidavits and sworn statements. (Searchable by name and number,
various items). AWM54 1010/-
Records of Australian Military Forces prisoners of war and missing, Far East and South West
Pacific Islands. Contains nominal rolls and paybook photographs of prisoners of war. Searchable
by name, theatre of war, unit, location of prisoner-or-war camp. AWM232

Private Records

Private records held by the Memorial include:

Driver W.T. Doolan "Doolan's Song". Malay poem and translation about Doolan's brave stand
against the Japanese. 3DRL/4193 [See also photograph AWM 133887]
Pte W.L. Viant. Diary kept while in captivity on Ambon and Hainan islands during 1942–45.
PR01105
 Athol (Tom) Pledger 2/12th Field Ambulance. Personal papers kept while a prisoner-of-war
on Ambon and Hainan islands. PR00871
F. A. Biddiscombe, 2/21st Battalion nominal roll of Australian prisoners of war at Hainan in
1942 and indications of the number who died. Notes on incarceration. Diary covering period Feb
1941 – May 1945. 3DRL/1763

Terj:

Tawanan perang Australia: Perang Dunia Kedua - Tahanan Jepang, Ambon

Pada bulan Desember 1941, pasukan Australia yang dikenal sebagai Pasukan Gull berlayar ke
Pulau Ambon di Hindia Belanda (sekarang Indonesia). Kekuatan 1.090 terdiri dari Batalion 2/21
dan Baterai Anti-Tank ke 18 21, tiga bagian dari Field Coy 2/11, satu bagian Korps Servis
Angkatan Darat Australia, Detasemen Ambulans Lapangan ke-12, Unit Gigi Khusus ke-12, Unit
Gigi Khusus ke-23, Unit Gigi Khusus ke-23 , dan 104 Detasemen Bantuan Cahaya.

Lebih dari 200 warga Australia dibantai di Laha, Ambon, pada 6 Februari dan antara 15 dan 20
Februari 1942.

Pada bulan Februari 1942, Gull Force ditahan di Tantui (di Ambon). Pada Oktober 1942 para
tahanan dibagi menjadi dua kelompok. Satu kelompok diangkut ke Pulau Hainan dengan kapal
Taiko Maru, turun pada 5 November 1942 dan dipenjara di Kamp Haicho (Pasukan Kolonel W.
J. R. Scott). Kelompok lain tetap di Ambon.

Dari 263 tawanan perang yang dikirim ke Pulau Hainan, 182 masih hidup pada akhir perang.
Mereka kembali ke Australia dengan HMS Vindex dan rumah sakit mengirim Jerusalemme.
Mereka yang tetap di Ambon kembali, melalui Morotai, dengan HMAS Glenelg, Junee,
Cootamundra dan Latrobe, atau langsung pergi ke Sydney dengan kapal rumah sakit
Wanganella.
Catatan resmi

Catatan resmi yang dipegang oleh Peringatan meliputi:

[Divisi ke-8 di Penangkaran - Ambon (Pasukan Gull):] Regulasi dan hukuman untuk kamp
tawanan perang, Tan Toey, 1942. AWM54 554/18/1
[Divisi ke 8 di Penangkaran - Ambon (Gull Force):] Sejarah kasus medis tawanan perang
Australia yang disusun oleh dokter Belanda di Ambon. AWM54 554/18/2
Ambon (1941–1942) - (Pasukan Gull) - Laporan:] Laporan tentang Ambon dan Hainan oleh Lt
Col W.J.R. Scott, DSO, Komandan Gull Force. AWM54 573/6 / 1A BAGIAN 1
Ambon (1941–1942) - (Pasukan Gull) - Laporan:] Laporan mengenai pertempuran Laha - 1942.
Tawanan perang Australia ditangkap di Ambon - Pernyataan Jepang, daftar orang Jepang yang
dapat menjadi saksi mata, pengamat, atau terhubung dengan Pembantaian Laha, 1945. AWM54
573/6 / 2A
Kejahatan perang dan pengadilan. Pernyataan tertulis dan sumpah. (Dapat dicari berdasarkan
nama dan nomor, berbagai item). AWM54 1010 / -
Catatan Pasukan Militer Australia tawanan perang dan hilang, Kepulauan Timur Jauh dan Pasifik
Barat Selatan. Berisi gulungan nominal dan foto-foto buku pembayaran para tahanan perang.
Dapat dicari berdasarkan nama, teater perang, unit, lokasi kamp tahanan-atau-perang. AWM232

Catatan Pribadi
Catatan pribadi yang dipegang oleh Peringatan meliputi:

Driver W.T. Doolan "Doolan's Song". Puisi dan terjemahan Melayu tentang pendirian berani
Doolan melawan Jepang. 3DRL / 4193 [Lihat juga foto AWM 133887]
Pte W.L. Viant. Diary disimpan sementara di penangkaran di pulau Ambon dan Hainan selama
1942-1945. PR01105
Athol (Tom) Pledger 2/12 Ambulance Lapangan. Surat-surat pribadi disimpan sementara
seorang tahanan perang di pulau Ambon dan Hainan. PR00871
F. A. Biddiscombe, gulungan nominal Batalyon 2/21 dari tahanan perang Australia di Hainan
pada tahun 1942 dan indikasi jumlah yang meninggal. Catatan tentang penahanan. Periode
liputan harian Feb 1941 - Mei 1945. 3DRL / 1763