Support soars for Montevideo petition

Floodgates of support and emotion have opened on ninemsn’s national petition to find the Montevideo Maru — sunk in 1942 in the biggest single loss of Australian lives of the entire Second World War.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will consider an appeal to fund a search to solve our greatest wartime mystery, honour the 1053 killed and bring closure to their descendents.

The petition has drawn support from Australians all over the country and the world.

"They are part of the legacy of our nation. They are our mates. We should find them."

This, from one of more than 700 petition entries so far, summarises sentiment for the 845 Australian POWs and 208 civilians who perished when the Montevideo Maru — a Japanese prison ship — was torpedoed by an American submarine west Cape Luzon in the Philippines on July 1, 1942.

So did this: "Surely as part of our history our Nation deserves to know the truth, this is part of our heritage and those noble soles deserve recognition and their families need closure. We need to do everything humanely possible to put to rest all of our countrymen no matter when or where they died."

Scores of entries were from generations of relatives of the men, originally interned in Rabaul in what was then the Australian-mandated territory of New Guinea.

Eleanor Morgan McWhirr, Yinnar: "This story must be told, so many of us are hurting. I have letters my father wrote to me from Rabaul. I was four years old. I still see him walk away from our house as I stood at the gate with my mother, we waved with a flag in hand to him until he disappeared from view, please Mr Rudd help my brother and I to have closure"

Lyn Armstrong, Red Hill Qld: "My uncle Norman Leslie Keid was on the Montevideo Maru when it was sunk off the Luzon Islands. My mother, his sister, is still alive at almost 94 and it would be fitting closure for her to find her brother's and many other brave Australians' resting place. My mother and uncle's family have given more than most, their father Leonard and his 5 brothers all fought in WWI. Four brothers were killed(four were Anzacs) and the oldest and youngest were sent home to carry on the family name. Mr. Rudd has a great opportunity to do something dear to our hearts and many other Australian families who lost loved ones on that ship."

Jo Law, Queensland: "I just got goose bumps when I open the homepage as I have spent many hours reading anything I could find out about the Montevideo Maru. My Uncle was on the ship when it went down he was only 17 years old, so my Dad being much younger never really got to know his Brother. These young men and women truly did sacrifice their lives."

Some entries came from sympathetic descendents of HMAS Sydney victims but most were from Australians with no connection, many of them shocked, even angry, they were hearing of Australia’s worst sea tragedy for the first time.

Natalie Ruus, Campsie: "The fact that twice as many Australians died as in the Vietnam War and over 400 more than when the Sydney was sunk and yet few people have ever heard of this is disgusting. Students should be learning about this at school and the government should do it's best to find the shipwreck and bring closure for the family's affected by this wartime tragedy."

Mark Smith, Sydney: "The loss of the Montevideo Maru should be as well known in our history as the landing at Gallipoli. It is the single worst [maritime] disaster in our history and has been swept under the carpet by successive governments for over 60 years. I have a drink on Anzac day with the brother of a serviceman who went down on the ship and the tears well up in his eyes every year when he retells the story of the sinking of the Montevideo Maru and his personal loss."

There were submissions from every state and territory and from ninemsn’s Australian readers in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Africa, Asia and the UK.

Peter Coghlan: "As an Aussie working in Scotland, it's easy to explain what Anzac Day is to non-Aussies but they can't understand why it is so important to us. There is something about being Aussie or Kiwi that others just don't understand. The Anzac legend was born in Gallipoli, and it is coming up for it's 100th birthday. The 'Anzac spirit' seems almost stronger than ever and this is why finding HMAS Sydney was, and searching for the Montevideo Maru is, so important. It's our history."

There were calls for America and Japan to help fund the search.

Peter JML Brisbane: "The money spent to find this mystery ship would be a 'drop in the ocean' compared to the perilous journey of those gallant souls who lost their lives when she went down. The cost of such a mandatory project to locate the Montevideo Maru should also be shared by Japan and the United States."

Al Grovedale, Geelong: "As for the search for the wreck, I fully support it and believe it's an honourable thing to do. Maybe Mr Rudd should formally request the President and Congress of the United States to fund at least 50 percent of the cost for obvious reasons!"

Some were upset that a previous petition presented to the Howard government by victims’ relatives was ignored.

James McMillan, Woodford NSW: "One of the most tragic stories to come out of Australia's involvement in the Second World War. We owe it to our fallen to find the Montevideo. I wish I had known about the Howard Government refusal prior to the elections, I might have added my name to a different petition."

Others reminded us that whatever the fate of the missing Japanese nominal roll — officially used as the Montevideo Maru’s passenger manifest — it has been proven wrong in some cases.

Margaret Henderson (nee Simpson) South Australia: "My father was one who was listed on the MVM and my family had attended services for many years at the War Memorial in Adelaide on July 2nd each year. Over the years my mother heard other stories so uncertainty crept in to him being on the MVM. A few years ago I was able to substantiate that he was beheaded in Kavieng trying to protect a young soldier. This came from a family member working in the forces in Milne Bay. Others do not have this closure. Please fund this search."

There was emotion, understandably, over the account by the sole survivor ( a Japanese sailor) talking of of the “death cries” of the majority of Australians trapped below deck as the Montevideo Maru sank.

Mike, Adelaide: "I have read most of the submissions on this site as of today’s date - as I type, the day before Anzac Day I still have tears in my eyes. I had no relatives on the Montevideo Maru so I cannot suggest to understand the sense of non-closure of those that did have relatives on that ship. As an ex RAN sailor I can say that I can feel for those that perished - all sailors fear perishing at sea - but to be prisoners with no avenue to try to save themselves is beyond the comprehension of fear that most of us would have. Our Government spends lots of money on "foreign aid projects" - maybe allocate a small percentage of that taxpayer money to bringing closure."

There was a posting by the grandson of a senior administration official lost on the ship (and also the brother of Sir Earle Page briefly Prime Minister in 1939) under the subject line "The Grandfather I never met". Robert Hillis Page Elvy, Fairy Meadow:

"My Grandfather, Harold Hillis Page, was the deputy administrator at Rabaul at the time of the Japanese attack. He was in charge of the evacuation of civilians from Rabaul, and was one of the last civilians to board the Montevideo Maru before it departed from Rabaul. The circumstances of the sinking of the ship are far from clear. It would help solve one of the great wartime mysteries if the Federal Government would assist in the location of the ship, and would help provide some closure for my family."

Many of the families have three or four generations still mourning and wondering.

Melanie Grocke (nee Gault): "For my own Dad to be able to finally know the resting place of the father he never knew would be one of my greatest wishes in the world. Dad has searched for answers to this terrible disaster for a great part of his life, never really having it confirmed that his dad was on the Montevideo Maru. I hope my Pop, Bill Gault, knows he has the best son in the world, 3 granddaughters who love him though never met him and 6 great grandkids that will always know the sacrifice he made for the wonderful life they have today."

In the end a pithy entry from a contributor calling himself "Lest We Forget, Scarborough" summed up the range of responses.

"Dig deep Kev — the people have spoken."

The petition will remain open for signatures here and eventually will be formally presented to the Rudd Government by ninemsn and a delegation of descendents.