亞包之戰中陣亡的澳軍“雲雀支隊”官兵

亞包之戰中陣亡的澳軍“雲雀支隊”官兵
——戰時澳軍“雲雀支隊”的命運(續)

如前所述，太平洋戰爭初期，麵臨日軍大舉南進的凶猛兵鋒，澳軍駐守防備在新幾內亞新不列顛島首府亞包要塞的部隊，要以裝備簡陋訓練不足的區區1500人官兵，抵禦日軍多達20000人陸海空的立體進攻，顯然是不可能的。

因此，在日軍發動進攻前，亞包守備隊——澳軍“雲雀支隊”就已經知道了自身所處之危境，也知道自己兵微將寡，難以守住這塊遠離澳大利亞的海外領土，凶多吉少，等待他們的，無異於地獄。可以說，戰事未開，軍心已亂。為此，當1942年1月23日淩晨日軍發起對亞包的登陸進攻戰後，澳大利亞“雲雀支隊”僅僅抵抗了幾個小時，就作鳥獸散，潰不成軍。這也就難怪原先還高調揚言要“死守亞包”的澳軍守備隊指揮官史淦瀾上校(Colonel John Scanlan)迅即下令：“各顧各吧，好自為之”，以便讓其下屬官兵盡快逃離這個地獄。


史淦瀾上校(Colonel John Scanlan)。當時史淦瀾的實授軍階是中校，但任命他為亞包守備隊司令官之後，則臨時提升他為上校，但尚未被銓敘廳通過。因當時的澳軍營長皆為中校級別，亞包守備隊的部隊除了一個正規營之外，還有其它附屬部隊。因此，給他掛上校銜，實際上也是為了便於指揮。

但日本人動作實在太快。除了進攻亞包的南海支隊迅速攻占了該地的澳軍各防禦地點之外，還以海軍艦艇將新不列顛島包圍起來，使大部分澳軍逃跑無路。幾天之後，無計可施的亞包守備隊指揮官史淦瀾上校，為避免日軍大規模屠殺四處躲避饑寒交迫的澳軍，保全剩餘官兵的生命，隻得下令投降，與其大部分部下成為日本人的俘虜。

在抵禦日軍進攻亞包的幾個小時的戰鬥中，澳軍陣亡及失蹤的官兵總計60名左右。可見，當時澳軍的抵抗不是很頑強，戰鬥實際上也並不很激烈。下麵是根據艾璞璘(Douglas Aplin)所著之《Rabaul-1942》一書(Melbourne:2/22nd Battalion Association, 1994)中收集整理的檔案資料，匯集列出的澳軍在亞包陣亡或失蹤官兵的名單(每一名單的排列順序是：姓名、狗牌號碼[兵籍號]、年齡、軍銜[或軍銜、狗牌號碼]、所屬單位)：

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.