Radji Beach commemoration
On 16 February 2022, a commemorative ceremony was held on Radji Beach, the site of the Bangka Island Massacre 80 years ago during the Second World War.
The ceremony honoured the 22 Australian Army nurses and one civilian woman who were forced to wade into the ocean, where they were machine-gunned by Japanese troops. There was only one survivor.
Representatives from Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and the United Kingdom waded into the ocean in their best dress and uniforms to lay flowers at the place where the women were killed.
This ceremony, held annually by the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, remembers all the courageous women of the Australian Army Nursing Service who served in Singapore, and ensures their memory is never forgotten.
Thank you to DVA’s Overseas Memorials team for the design and installation of the commemorative signs made specifically for this significant anniversary. The signs will remain at Radji beach, with the names of the victims listed, to commemorate this tragic event.
Head of Defence Staff at the Australian Embassy Jakarta, Brigadier Matthew Campbell; Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, HE Ms Penny Williams; United Kingdom Defence Attaché Colonel Paul Reynolds; and New Zealand Defence Attaché, Colonel Grant Morris.