Want to take your research a little further?
Heres a few links that will save you some time.
Official Histories on line.
Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 1 – Army - Volume IV
Volume IV – The Japanese Thrust (1st edition, 1957)
Author: Lionel Wigmore
Wigmore – The Japanese Thrust 1957
Chapter 18 (28 pages)
http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/20/chapters/18.pdf
Appendix 4 (22 pages)
http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/20/chapters/29.pdf
Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 4 – Civil - Volume II
Volume II – The Government and the People, 1942–1945 (1st edition,
1970)
Author: Paul Hasluck
http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/second_world_war/volume.asp?levelID=67917
WAR IN THE FAR EAST, DECEMBER 1941 -JANUARY 1942
http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/31/chapters/01.pdf
Appendix 2 – Civilian Wartime Experience in the Territories of Papua and New Guinea by AJ Sweeting:
http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/31/chapters/13.pdf
Is there a problem with these official histories?
Just one.
Anything classified secret or above during the war went under the 30 year
nondisclosure rule post war.
Note the date of publication of the two above.
One other history which, although not directly conected with Rabaul, is worth reading.
The history of the Directorate of Prisoners of War and Internees has been fully transcribed by the Army History Unit
http://www.defence.gov.au/army/ahu/POWs_and_Internees.asp
News Paper Archives
Montevideo
Maru story The Age
October 5th 1945
Montevideo
Maru story The Age
October 17th 1945
Montevideo
Maru story The Age
October 18th 1945
Rabaul
Story The Age
September 8th 1945
Rabaul
Story The Age
July 17th 1948
Rabaul Story The Age
January 3rd 1953
Rabaul
Story The Age
March 11th 1958
Montevideo Maru
story The Canberra Times
October 6th 1945
Montevideo Maru
story The Canberra Times
November 5th 1945
Montevideo Maru
story The Canberra Times
July 4th 1946
Montevideo Maru
story The Canberra Times
January 2nd 1946
Rabaul
Story Sydney Morning Herald
April 7th 1942
Rabaul
Story Sydney Morning Herald
October 8th 1942
Rabaul
Story Sydney Morning Herald
January 23 1942
Montevideo
Maru Story Sydney Morning Herald
March 9 1946
Story
of David Selby author of Hell and High Fever
October 3rd 2002
Montevideo
Maru story Sydney Morning Herald
January 27th 2007
Arthur
Gullidge story The Western Australian
April 18th 2008
National Archives
you will have to be logged into the national archives
as a guest to view these files.
http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/recordsearch/index.aspx
Australian Troops In Rabaul, Java, Ambon & Timor
Title Aust P/W reported lost on SS Montevideo Maru
Title Defence - General - Information of deaths for persons lost on the MONTEVIDEO MARU [2.5 cm]
Title Internees - Australians abroad. Civilians reported lost on board - SS "Montevideo Maru" [1 cm]
Title Sinking of Japanese Prison Ship "Montevideo Maru" 1/7/42
Title Persons lost on "Montevideo Maru" [6 pp]
Title Information re Death Forms for persons who were aboard Japanese prison ship "Montevideo Maru"
Title "Montevideo Maru" Nominal Roll Civilian Internees Lost at Sea as Result of Sinking
Series number MP742/1
Control symbol 255/15/1643
Contents date range 1945 - 1946
Access status Open
Location NAA Melbourne
Barcode 392877
________________________________________
Title War crimes - Shipping - During movement at sea [includes nominal rolls
of prisoners of war
lost on the 'Montevideo Maru'; 2 components; 7.5cm]
Series number MP742/1
Control symbol 336/1/1614
Contents date range 1946 - 1948
Access status Open
Location NAA Melbourne
Barcode 393706
________________________________________
Title Re Rabaul Garrison internees lost in Montevideo Maru.
Series number MP727/1
Control symbol GP25/334
Contents date range 1945 - 1946
Access status Open
Location NAA Melbourne
Barcode 385060
________________________________________
Title "Montevideo Maru" Nominal Roll Civilian Internees Lost at Sea as Result of Sinking
Series numberMP742/1
Control symbol 255/15/1643
Contents date range 1945 - 1946
Access status Open
Location NAA Melbourne
Barcode 392877
________________________________________
Title War crimes - Shipping - During movement at sea [includes nominal rolls
of prisoners of war lost
on the 'Montevideo Maru'; 2 components; 7.5cm]
Series number MP742/1
Control symbol 336/1/1614
Contents date range 1946 - 1948
Access status Open
Location NAA Melbourne
Barcode 393706
________________________________________
Title [Prisoners of War and Internees:] Report on investigations in Manila
and Japan regarding Prisoners of War
and civilians, by Maj H S Williams LO 1 Australian PW Contact and Enquiry
Unit
(Includes the sinking of MONTEVIDEO MARU)
Series number AWM54
Control symbol 779/1/1
Contents date range 1945 - 1945
Access status Open
Location Australian War Memorial
Barcode 474044
________________________________________
Title [Prisoners of War and Internees:] Reply concerning the SS MONTEVIDEO
MARU and NARUTO MARU
(Also includes some names of persons believed to have been on the Montevideo)
(Oct 1945) [original]
Series number AWM54
Control symbol 779/1/5A
Contents date range 1945 - 1945
Access status Open
Location Australian War Memorial
Barcode 474048
________________________________________
Title [Prisoners of War and Internees:] Reply concerning the SS MONTEVIDEO
MARU and NARUTO MARU
(Also includes some names of persons believed to have been on the Montevideo)
(Oct 1945) [photocopy]
Series number AWM54
Control symbol 779/1/5B
Contents date range 1945 - 1945
Access status Open
Location Australian War Memorial
Barcode 1172136
________________________________________
Title [Prisoners of War and Internees:] Reports from 1 Australian PW Contact
and Enquiry Unit
[Includes: missing RAN personnel; Fukuoka, Yokakama, Hokkaido, Konan PW Camps;crashed
aircraft in Talaud Sangihe
Group; missing Allied PWs, Ambon, Bunka Camp; destruction of records; and
MONTEVIDEO MARU] (Sep-Nov 1945)
Series number AWM54
Control symbol 779/1/15
Contents date range 1945 - 1945
Access status Open
Location Australian War Memorial
Barcode 474057
________________________________________
Title [Prisoners of War and Internees:] American and Japanese accounts of
the sinking of
MONTEVIDEO MARU by USS STURGEON while carrying Allied POW's
from Rabaul to Hainan, July 1942. Includes nominal roll of 17 Anti-Tank Battery
[original] (1942; 1967; 1973-74)
Series number AWM54
Control symbol 779/1/26A
Contents date range 1942 - 1974
Access status Open
Location Australian War Memorial
Barcode 474069
________________________________________
Title [Prisoners of War and Internees:] American and Japanese accounts of
the sinking of
MONTEVIDEO MARU by USS STURGEON while carrying Allied POW's from
Rabaul to Hainan, July 1942. Includes nominal roll of 17 Anti-Tank Battery
[photocopy] (1942; 1967; 1973-74)
Series number AWM54
Control symbol 779/1/26B
Contents date range 1942 - 1974
Access status Open
Location Australian War Memorial
Barcode 1172307
________________________________________
Title [War Crimes and Trials - General:] MONTEVIDEO MARU - List of passengers
believed to have left New Britain o
n above ship, compiled by A Creswick and G Thomas, recovered Prisoners of
War
Series number AWM54
Control symbol 1010/1/30
Contents date range 1945 - 1945
Access status Open
Location Australian War Memorial
Barcode 478474
________________________________________
Title Minutes of meeting of full cabinet held at 2.30pm on Monday, 17th December 1945 at Parliament House, Canberra
Series number A2703
Control symbol 120
Contents date range 17 Dec 1945 - 17 Dec 1945
Access status Open
Location NAA Canberra
Barcode 7500972
View digital copy
________________________________________