Lat
8° 35' 60S Long 148° 16' 0E Coastal area to the west of Sanananda
and east of Haddy's Village.
Japanese Landing
Buna-Gona-Sananada
Timeline On the night of July 21-22, 1942 Japanese ships landed
at
Gona and began landing troops, and established it as a base. Before
the battle General Yokomata took control and added
800 reinforcements at Gona and Sanananda and
as their offensive was turned back at Kokoda. The
Japanese constructed a system of strong defenses including bunkers,
machine guns and and snipers along a 20km beachhead spanning Gona,
Sanananda and Buna.
Allied Missions Against Gona
July 21 - February 3, 1942
Battle of Gona
Australian troops began to arrive in the area
around November 7th. Between November 19 - December 21, 1942
Australian Army troops of the 25th, 21st Brigades. Also, the
3rd and 39th Militia Battalions and 7th Division support troops. In
appalling conditions they slowly overwhelmed the Japanese defenders
that refused to surrender. On December 9, 1942 Australian Battalion
commander Lt. Col. Ralph Honner sent the famous signal: "Gona's
Gone"
indicating its capture, but fighting continued to the west near Haddy's
Village. On December 28th, Japanese General Yokomata was ordered
to transfer his remaining troops to Sanananda.
Today
The terminus of the road that follows
the wartime era track. PMV buses from Popondetta town travel here daily
and the memorial sites are often visited by trekers from Kokoda and
tourists interested in history.
Gona Anglican
Mission Station
The
site of the pre-war Anglican Church (Church of England) built at
Gona. Three
missionaries were at Gona, and declined urgings to leave the area due
to the aproaching war. When the Japanese
landed at Gona the three staff remained: Father James Benson (reverened),
May Hayman (nurse) Mavis Parkins (school teacher). When the Japanese
landed, all
three surrendered. The two women missionaries and a six year old
house boy who were beheaded on the beach. Father
Benson was taken prisoner and sent to Rabaul. He was
liberated in September 1945. He kept a secert diary and after the war wrote the book Prisoner's Base and Home Again that includes an extensive account about the Gona mission, their escape and his capture.
Today,
the cross from the old church, with bullet holes present is
displayed in front of the overgrown site of the former church. Only
the top part of the original cross remains, and has been attached
to a new base portion. Several contemporary graves, including the
graves of the Anglican martyrs are located in front of the cross.
St. Raphael's
Gona Memorial Medical Center
This
health center was funded by veterans of the battle of Gona and
Rotary members in Australia. A dedication plaque to the two martyrs
who were killed by the Japanese reads: "May Hayman & Mavis
Parkins who faithfully worked for the benifit of the people of
the Gona ara and finally gave their lives to the cause of Christianity
witness, August 1942."
Unknown Aircraft Wreck
Possibly RAAF DB-7 Boston
