By Jena Carr
A presentation at the National Wool Museum will explore a sad part of history, urging people to learn from the past.
The Geelong Museum Association will host a history talk on the 1942 Bangka Island massacre on Sunday, June 30, from 1.30pm to 3pm at the museum.
President Michael Menzies said the massacre was a “tragic incident” during World War Two after survivors of a drowned ship evacuating Singapore swam to a beach on Bangka Island.
“It highlights the horrendous outcomes of war and it is sad that we don’t learn the lessons from history,” he said.
“Survivors made it to the island and tried to survive there but didn’t realise the Japanese were there. They surrendered thinking they would be prisoners of war but instead were massacred.”
History talk’s guest speaker, Georgina Banks, closely connects with the incident through her great-aunt Dorothy ‘Bud’ Elmes, an Australian Army nurse.
Ms Banks’ great-aunt had survived the initial drowning of the Vyner Brooke ship, which was badly bombed, and tended those wounded on the Indonesian island.
Nurse Vivian Bullwinkel was the only person to survive the Bangka Island massacre, with Ms Banks detailing the event through the talk and her book.
The talk is part of the Geelong Museum Association’s monthly Sunday Series talks, with afternoon tea provided during the event. Admission into the event is by a gold coin donation.
