Flightpath - May 2018

14 | FLIGHTPATH

Archaeologist Ash Matic reports on recent travels in

northern Papua New Guinea, including a visit to the

site of the former RAAF base at Tadji near the

township of Aitape.

I

n August 2017 I was fortunate enough to

be travelling as part of a small group

through the north of Papua New Guinea.

I was able to make a brief stop in the

township of Aitape during this time. As

many readers will be aware this is close to

the site of the former Tadji aerodrome, a site

of significance in the history of the RAAF

during W.W.II as it was from here that much

of the air support provided to Australian

ground forces participating in the Aitape-

Wewak Campaign was launched. Today, the

airfield and the associated relics that re-

main stand as a testament to those who took

the war to the Japanese in its later stages

from this remote pocket of the South-West

Pacific. As an archaeologist with a strong

interest in aviation heritage, it was my in-

tention to head out to the site and record

those objects while it was still possible.

History of Tadji Aerodrome

The aerodrome was initially established for

Imperial Japanese Army Air Force use in

early 1943. Much local labour was used to

to Tadji

Expedition