Battle of Milne Bay: Toowoomba families, city honour World War II veterans at Freedom of Entry parade to mark 80th anniversary

It was one of the most important battles Australia soldiers fought in during World War II, and a conflict Toowoomba played a huge role in. Now the descendants of veterans have marked 80 years since the Battle of Milne Bay.

(from left) Christene Just, Derek Just and Sue Yeates. 80th anniversary of the Battle of Milne Bay. Saturday, August 27, 2022. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Derek Just was a newborn when his brother Malcolm left Spring Bluff train station with the 25th Battalion in 1942 and set sail for New Guinea to fight in the Battle of Milne Bay.

It’s a sacrifice the now 80-year-old says he will never forget.

“I am just so proud of my brother, to have put his life at risk to save our country so people like me, a one-month-old baby, could live the life I’ve now lived,” Mr Just said.

“I will always thank him for the sacrifice and the risk we put himself under to save a better life for us.”

(from left) Christene Just and Derek Just. 80th anniversary of the Battle of Milne Bay. Saturday, August 27, 2022. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Mr Just and Malcolm’s daughters Christene and Sue were among the hundreds of descendants of 25th battalion veterans who commemorated the 80th anniversary of Milne Bay at a special ceremony and freedom of entry parade at the Mothers’ Memorial on Saturday.

The battalion, which was based in Toowoomba at the time, played a pivotal role between August and September 1942 in delivering the Japanese forces their first major defeat of World War II.

It is described by historians as one of most important battles of the war in the Pacific and was a major turning point in the conflict.

Christene Just, who helped create an art installation of poppies to be used at the ceremony, said her father had rarely discussed the war with his family but noted later on what he had missed.

“Our father never spoke about the war — he did speak about it to his mates,” she said.

25th/49th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment during the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Milne Bay. Picture: Nev Madsen.

“They marched to Spring Bluff in the middle of the night, they didn’t know where they were going so they boarded the train and they headed to the exhibition grounds and left to destination unknown.

“Derek went to university and become a pharmacist, and Dad used to say he would’ve given his left arm to have gone to university.”

The event included a special freedom of entry march by the 25th/49th Battalion, where the troops were greeted by police officers on Margaret Street and given access into the Mothers’ Memorial in a ceremonial gesture.

TRC mayor Paul Antonio inspects the guard of 25th/49th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment during the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Milne Bay. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The battalion was then inspected by Toowoomba mayor Paul Antonio in another traditional act.

Event organiser and president of the 25th Battalion Association Bob Jenkins said the sacrifices made by Darling Downs soldiers should not be forgotten.

“When I look back on this, I look at my grandfather’s service in World War I and II and some of my uncles,” he said.

“I also served in the 25th/49th Battalion as an army reservist, and I look back at the history of what these fellas from the Darling Downs achieved in World War II.

“A lot of those people said how proud and happy they are that there are still organisations like the 25th Battalion Association to honour the sacrifice.”