Hi,

My uncle PM1325 Chief Yeoman of Signals Stephen Lamont was a Coastwatcher on Anir Island from July 1941 to January 1942. Having been relieved, he was caught up in Rabaul when the Japanese attacked. He supposedly lost his life in the sinking of the Montevideo Maru on 1st July 1942.

I have been unable to find Anir Island on my atlas - where exactly is it? Does anyone have any knowledge/pictures of the island and the coastwatching post? I am trying to fill in some gaps in my information. I have his service record and details of the some of the postwar books that he is mentioned in, what he did and where he did it would be great. Can you help? I would greatly appreciate any help or advice.

Bob Brindle (UK)

This would appear to be the right place
http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/png/feni.htm

Your uncle's two page Royal Australian Naval Reserve Record of Mobilized Service is available on-line at the web site of the National Archives of Australia. Just do a search on his service number.

Among other things it says he was born October 18, 1898 in Colerone Ireland and his wife was Irme. He was mobilized on September 2, 1939 and on April 3, 1942 he volunteered to remian with sick members of a naval party evacuated from Rabaul to the south coast of New Britain. He was reported missing afterwards and presumed dead on July 1, 1942.

Thank you Chris,

The position of the islands would make them very useful for spotting enemy shipping.

They look very idyllic from space but I guess when my uncle was dropped there with his radio and supplies it was far from heavenly.

Very best wishes.

Bob Brindle

Hi William,

Thanks for your reply. I have his full naval record both British and Australian plus the many mentions in various post-war books. I got started on this project too late in my life to perhaps be in touch with others that maybe served in the same area and possibly knew my uncle and the conditions he might have endured. However, I have done the best I can with what is available to me. Incidentally, the record should read:- Place of birth, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, N. Ireland. In one book, he was described as being as `Irish as Paddy`s pigs` which I find difficult to understand as he only spent the first two years of his life there. Thanks once again for your interest.

Bob Brindle

You're welcome. I, too, am on a quest to document as much as I can about the life and death of my maternal uncle, who was a turret gunner on a US Army Air Forces B-25 shot down over Papua New Guinea on July 26, 1942. The co-pilot of his plane was an Australian, which is how I learned of the great information available in their archives. I'm trying to resolve the disconnect between Australian records that show the aircraft wreckage lcoated and the remains of the co-pilot recovered, and US records that show the wreckage and remains unrecovered and the four US crew members MIA and presumed dead.

Hi! my name is phoebe and i am from the island of Anir, i am currently attending Divine word University at Madang, Madang Province in Papua New Guinea. Anir is an Island located ouside New Ireland in Papua New Guinea.

Hello Phoebe, Thank you very much for your response and apologies for the delay in replying. You wouldn`t believe the amount of trouble I have had trying to exactly locate Anir Island but I think I have it now. I believe there is a memorial at Madang to the Coastwatchers and my uncle Stephen Lamont is commemorated on it.

I would be very interested in learning more about Anir. From what I have read it seems to be quite mountainous and heavily forested. I have a picture of the coastwatcher station and a person there which I think was my uncle, taken in 1941. I don`t suppose there is anyone still alive that remembers the war years?

Best of luck with your studies.

you may contact me directly if you wish.

brindlerobert@aol.com

All good wishes. Bob