The Governor-General laid a wreath at the Rabaul ‘Bita Paka’ War Cemetery

Marking the historic defence links between Australian and Papua New Guinea, the Governor-General laid a wreath at the Rabaul ‘Bita Paka’ War Cemetery in honour of the Australian military personnel and local civilians who died alongside each other during World War II.

Australian Defence Force member Lieutenant-Colonel Steve McConnell welcomed Ms Bryce to the War Cemetery and escorted her to the graves of Able Seaman G V Williams, Australia’s first casualty of World War I, and Sister Verdun Sheah, who died in an RAAF aircraft accident in 1945.

The Governor-General also honoured the memories of the Australian Prisoners of War killed on the Montevideo Maru during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Montevideo Maru Memorial.