亚包之战中阵亡的澳军“云雀支队”官兵

有所思,有所感,从历史的时空中来,再回到历史的时空中去。
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亚包之战中阵亡的澳军“云雀支队”官兵

——战时澳军“云雀支队”的命运
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如前所述,太平洋战争初期,面临日军大举南进的凶猛兵锋,澳军驻守防备在新几内亚新不列颠岛首府亚包要塞的部队,要以装备简陋训练不足的区区1500人官兵,抵御日军多达20000人陆海空的立体进攻,显然是不可能的。

因此,在日军发动进攻前,亚包守备队——澳军“云雀支队”就已经知道了自身所处之危境,也知道自己兵微将寡,难以守住这块远离澳大利亚的海外领土,凶多吉少,等待他们的,无异于地狱。可以说,战事未开,军心已乱。为此,当1942123日凌晨日军发起对亚包的登陆进攻战后,澳大利亚“云雀支队”仅仅抵抗了几个小时,就作鸟兽散,溃不成军。这也就难怪原先还高调扬言要“死守亚包”的澳军守备队指挥官史淦澜上校(Colonel John Scanlan)迅即下令:“各顾各吧,好自为之”,以便让其下属官兵尽快逃离这个地狱。


史淦澜上校(Colonel John Scanlan)当时史淦澜的实授军阶是中校,但任命他为亚包守备队司令官之后,则临时提升他为上校,但尚未被铨叙厅通过。因当时的澳军营长皆为中校级别,亚包守备队的部队除了一个正规营之外,还有其它附属部队。因此,给他挂上校衔,实际上也是为了便于指挥。

但日本人动作实在太快。除了进攻亚包的南海支队迅速攻占了该地的澳军各防御地点之外,还以海军舰艇将新不列颠岛包围起来,使大部分澳军逃跑无路。几天之后,无计可施的亚包守备队指挥官史淦澜上校,为避免日军大规模屠杀四处躲避饥寒交迫的澳军,保全剩余官兵的生命,只得下令投降,与其大部分部下成为日本人的俘虏。

在抵御日军进攻亚包的几个小时的战斗中,澳军阵亡及失踪的官兵总计60名左右。可见,当时澳军的抵抗不是很顽强,战斗实际上也并不很激烈。下面是根据艾璞璘(Douglas Aplin)所著之《Rabaul-1942》一书(Melbourne:2/22nd Battalion Association, 1994)中收集整理的档案资料,汇集列出的澳军在亚包阵亡或失踪官兵的名单(每一名单的排列顺序是:姓名、狗牌号码[兵籍号]、年龄、军衔[或军衔、狗牌号码]、所属单位):

1.  ALLAMBY, Walter; VX129385 (V11771) Gnr; Aged 21; 'L' Heavy Battery, Rabaul.
2.  BENNETT, John McLeod; Pte; QX64918 (Q89335) Aged 21; Rabaul Fortress Engineers.
3.  BROWN, Frederick Peter George; Gnr; NX191483 (N271558) Aged 20; Rabaul Anti-Aircraft Battery.
4.  CAHILL, Patrick Matthew; Pte; VX30024; Aged 41; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
5.  CARMICHAEL, Kenneth Munro; Pte; SX11443 (VP4152) Aged22; 'L' Heavy Battery, Rabaul.
6.  CARTER, Alistair Campbell; Pte; NX191450 (N108414) Aged33; Rabaul Anti-Aircraft Battery.
7.  CLACK, Robert Colin; Sig; VX129839 (V27686) Aged 24; Rabaul Fortress Signals.
8.  CLISSOLD, Frederick; Spr; VX129401 (V50844) Aged 20; Rabaul Fortress Engineers.
9.   COGGINS, Henry Arthur; Pte; VX28984; Aged 37; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
10. COLEMAN, George James; Pte; VX33793; Aged 29; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
11. COWAN, Ronald James; Pte; VX26943; Aged 27; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
12. CRAWFORD, Gordon Douglas; L/Cpl; VX50048 (V50256) Aged 22; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
13. DONAHOO, William Joseph; Pte; VX48849; Aged 22; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
14. EMERY, Wilfred Vaughan; Gnr; . NX191484 (N271559) Aged 19; Rabaul Anti-Aircraft Battery.
15. ENEVER, Arthur; Gnr; TX4401 (T44251) Aged 26; 'L' Heavy Battery, Rabaul.
16. FAIRLIE, Ernest Robert; Pte; VX34611; Aged 24; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
17. GALLIE, Newell Byers; Pte; VX40898; Aged 28; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
18. GALLAGHER, Tasman Leslie; Gnr; TX4395; Aged 21; 'L' Heavy Battery.
19. GORRING, Colin David; Sig; QX64905 (Q1473) Aged 22; Rabaul Fortress Signals.
20. GRAY, Percival Alexander; Gnr;VX129342; Aged 21; 'L' Heavy Battery.
21. HALLS, Garnett Sydney James; L/Cpl; VX23838 Aged 24; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
22. HANNAFORD, Robert; Gnr; SX11447; Aged 21; 'L' Heavy Battery,Rabaul.
23. HARRISON, Clarence James; Gnr; VX129361; Aged 21; 'L' Heavy Battery, Rabaul.
24. HAWES, Lionel; Gnr; NX191453 (N108576) Aged 20; Rabaul Anti-Aircraft Battery.
25. HAY, John MacGregor; L/Sgt; VX24169; Aged 26; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
26. HOFFMAN, W.G.; Lieut; NG4030; New Guinea Volunteer Rifles. (Listed as Missing, Presumed Dead (Officer unable to be identified at end of War; ESTATE NEVER CLAIMED)
27. HYMAN, Lawrence Francis; Pte; VX36081; Aged 33; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
28. JARRATT, Thomas Reginald; Pte; VX28409; Aged 33; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
29. JENNINGS, Leslie Robert; Pte; VX24113; Aged 40; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
30. JONES, Frederick; Pte; VX32218; Aged 25; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
31. KAVANAGH, Vincent; Pte; VX29140; Aged 35; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
32. KIMPTON, Herbert William; Pte; VX21971; Aged 38; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
33. LEWIS, Norman David; Cpl; VX40377; Aged 24; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
34. MacKENZIE, Peter Bernard; Spr; NX191488 (N274234) Aged 19; 8 Military District Engineer Service Branch.
35. MACKLIN, Colin Martin; Sig; QX64917 (Q79003) Aged 20; Rabaul Fortress Signals.
36. McAULIFFE, Joseph; Pte; VX17426; Aged 40; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
37. McCANN, Andrew Harry; Pte; VX28450; Aged 23; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
38. McFADZEAN, Walter James; L/Cpl; VX21003; Aged 22; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
39. McMULLEN, Desmond; Gnr; NX191482 (N271557) Aged 19; Rabaul Anti-Aircraft Battery.
40. MORAN, John Frank; NX191457 (N109156) Aged 20; Rabaul Anti-Aircraft Battery.
41. MORROW, Frederick Arthur; Pte; VX24335; Aged 22; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
42. O'FARRELL, Thomas Arthur; Pte; VX38607; Aged 24; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
43. O'LOUGHLIN, James Alphonsis; Pte; VX23230; Aged 34; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
44. PILKINGTON, Thomas Keith; L/Cpl; VX23361; Aged 33;2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
45. RICHMOND, Rymer; Gnr; VX129380 (V11748 & V39380) Aged 22; 'L' Heavy Battery.
46. ROADKNIGHT, William Tasman Scholey; Pte; VX43100; Aged 22; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
47. RUSSELL, John Skelton; Gnr; VX26521; Aged 23; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
48. SANGER, Alan Joseph; Cpl; VX44463; Aged 29; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
49. SANDISON, Douglas Henry; Cpl; SX38281 (S15407) Aged 20; Rabaul Fortress Engineers.
50. SIMPSON, Frederick Arnold; Pte; VX23896; Aged 36; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
51. SMITH, Raymond Paul; Pte; VX30662; Aged 20; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
52. STEVENS, Sydney Reginald; Pte; VX44692; Aged 27; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
53. SUTTON, Archibald Edward; Cpl; VX29684; Aged 24; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
54. TAYLOR, Alfred William; Pte; VX47682; Aged 29; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
55. THOMAS, Harold Arthur; Gnr; VX129384; Aged 27; 'L' Heavy Battery, Rabaul.
56. VARY, Donald Lascelles; Spr; VX129406 (V50885) Aged 19; Rabaul Fortress Engineers.
57. VASEY, Frederick Stanley; Sgt; SX11435; Aged 34; 'L' Heavy Battery, Rabaul.
58. WATSON, Richard Lancelot; Pte; VX21590; Aged 31; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
59. WATTS, Athol French; Aged 30; Pte; VX26671; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.
60. WILLIS, John Sutherland; Pte; VX24818; Aged 40; 2/22nd Infantry Battalion.


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