Civilian and Australian Army Nurses' Bench

A memorial bench is being prepared in the Menteng Pulo War Cemetery in Jakarta. The bench is memory of the 5000 evacuees from Singapore killed in the bombing of over 40 boats by Japanese planes and warships in February 1942, the 21 Australian Army Nurses, civilians and 60 servicemen killed on Radji Beach on February 16, 1942 and in memory of all prisoners in Muntok, Palembang and Belalau Japanese prison camps. Of the 65 Australian Army Nurses who left Singapore under orders on the SS Vyner Brooke, 12 died in the bombing, 21 were killed on Radji Beach, 4 died in Muntok Camp and 4 died in Belalau Camp at Lubuk Linggau in Sumatra. The names of many civilians who died in the bombing will never be known. This bench is being placed to commemorate the 80th anniversary of 1942. Any surplus funds will be donated to the Muntok Red Cross for Covid and humanitarian work.