This area behind Wewak town was settled
by the Catholic Missionaries in 1912.
Occupoed by the Japanese, this area was the site
of Army Headquarters in Wewak. After the fall of Wewak point to Australian
forces in early May 1945, it became a strategic Japanese strongholds.
Assaulted by Australian Army 2/11th Battalion it was the site of
heavy fighting. A
Victoria Cross was earned by Private
Edward Kenna on May 16, 1945.
Since the property was owned by the
church, relics there were not scrapped like in other part of town during
the post war years. Area is also known as "Boy's Town". Trenches,
caves, old gun emplacements and tunnels are still in the area. 'Boystown' was founded on the top of Mission Hill. Founded by Bishop Leo
Arkfeld in 1959. Nicknamed 'Boystown' as a
home for wayward boys in the 1970s. Today, it is
a Catholic retirement center for missionaries, also
a church
is
located
at the top
of the hill, and the Japanese War Memorial.
Japanese War Memorial
Japanese
War Memorial, the remains of many Japanese were buried here in a large
mass graves. These were later exhumed and returned to Japan. Helmets,
guns and other smaller relics are displayed on the monument, collected
from the nearby area.
Japanese
Antiaircraft Position
There
are a battery of six of these heavy AA guns on the Mission Hill
ridge, below the mission. There
are many bomb craters nearby and near misses around the revetment.
Also, there is a trailer, possibly for range finding equipment
nearby.
