Lat
3° 25' 0S Long 143° 34' 60E Flat island located off Wewak,
directly to the north across a small channel is Kairiru.
Used by Japanese Naval, which occupied it until the end of
the war, September 1945. After surrender, Muschu was
used as a central location to detain Japanese POW from all
over the Wewak area. Many died after the war from diseases, until they were
repatriated by ships throughout 1946. Less than 10,000 survived
to return home to Japan. Today, it is a beautiful and peaceful tropical island.
American Missions Against
Muschu
July 10, 1943 - August 23, 1944
Sup
Located
on the eastern point of the island, it emcompasses several villages. It
was occupied by the Japanese for the duration of the war. Allied wartime
photo, 1943.
140mm Naval Gun #1
Hidden in the sloping hill behind the village it is well preserved.
140mm
Naval Gun #2
Hidden in the sloping hill behind the village it is well preserved.
Main
Japanese Camp Area
Located at the highest elevation on
this otherwise flat island, this is the area where the Japanese had their main
camp area. There is not much left in the area. Excellent views from this area.
Trans-Mishu
Island Road
This road was supposedly begun by the Catholic
missionaries that had set up on the west of the island. The road was completed
and expanded by the Japanese. Today, it is still clearly visible. Some abandoned
equipment and oil drums is in the regrowth to the side of the road. Japanese
soldiers camped along side this area.
Disabled Japanese Trucks
There are three Japanese military trucks that were bogged down
or disabled on the road and discarded by the Japanese. Their frames, engines
and in some cases tires are still visible to this day.
Som Point
At this location, a party of Australian commandos landed,
as part of "Operation Copper" (originally Ash) Australian 6th Division
called for the landed a party from Tadji to land on Muschu, with their objective
was to capture a Japanese soldier for interrogation, and to make a beach
reconnassance for prespective landing area on the south coast and a ground
recoconnance of the south-west sector. The party consisted of Z-Force members:
Special Lt. A.R. Gubbay, Lt. T. Barnes, Sgt M.F. Weber, L/Cpl Walkate S.H.,
Sig M.S. Hagger, Sig J. R, Chandler, Pte R. E. Eagleton, Spr E.T. Dennis. The story is written in The Guns of Muschu
Villager
Michael Sumari recalls:
"Australians landed at Som Point, right over there.
They had a Bren Gun and .303 rifles and went around the island shooting Japanese
on the island. The Japanese were eating lunch and they caught them by surprise.
Word spread that they were there and they tracked them down. When the Australians
saw us islanders, they would say 'We have come here to save you' but
we did not know what to do. The Japanese found them and killed three and
one [E.T. Dennis] swam back to Cape Wom and he was safe."
