Hundreds gather in PNG’s capital to mark Anzac day commemorations

Hundreds have gathered in Papua New Guinea's capital to commemorate those who died in battles fought across the country.

Transcript

00:00Surrounded by rain trees and tropical flowers,

00:05this is the final resting place for more than 3,000 Australians

00:09who died while serving in Papua New Guinea.

00:12Their sacrifice has been remembered in a moving Anzac Day Dawn service

00:16at the Bumana War Cemetery on the outskirts of Port Moresby.

00:19Thousands of Australian soldiers served in battles across Papua New Guinea during World War II,

00:25defending what was then an Australian territory from an invasion by Japanese forces.

00:30The service also paid tribute to the many Papua New Guineans

00:34who assisted Australia and its allies during combat on the Kokoda Track

00:38and in other parts of the country.

00:40Their kindness, bravery and compassion

00:45are pivotal to the survival of many Australians.

00:48They too are part of the Anzac story.

00:52The Bumana Cemetery is the largest war cemetery in the Pacific.

00:57It's a place where many Australians visit,

00:59whether to acknowledge a relative,

01:01to pay tribute to the deceased

01:03or to enjoy a moment of serenity in the beautiful surroundings.