Australian crew of a Baby 25-pr field gun in Markham Valley, New Guinea, 28 August 1944. Photo: AWM, 075609.


Field Artillery from Down Under

Troops of the 7th Australian Division approaching Lae along a road littered with debris from air and artillery bombardment.
Lae is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. 
In World War II the town was occupied by the Empire of Japan on 8 March 1942. Lae became a major Japanese base in New Guinea. After fierce fighting, the town fell to the Allies on 16 September, 1943.


Taking the town of Lae

Two Australian soldiers patrol the jungles of New Guinea with their Owens sub machineguns.  Designed and built in Australia, over 45,000 were made.  