The Montevideo Maru
Roll of Honor
1 July 1942
On the night of 1 July 1942, the Japanese transport vessel Montevideo Maru was torpedoed in the South China Sea. On board were more than 1,000 Allied prisoners of war and civilian internees — the overwhelming majority Australian servicemen captured following the fall of Rabaul.
All were lost.
It remains the greatest maritime disaster in Australian military history.
For decades, the men who perished aboard the Montevideo Maru had no marked graves. The sea became their resting place. Families waited years for confirmation. Communities across Australia carried the loss quietly and with dignity.
This Roll of Honor is dedicated to preserving their names — individually and permanently.
Each name represents a life lived before the war. A family. A hometown. A story that did not end with the sinking of a ship.
This archive exists to ensure that the men of the Montevideo Maru are remembered not only as part of a historical tragedy, but as individuals whose service and sacrifice endure.
About This Archive
The Roll of Honor includes all known Allied personnel who perished aboard the Montevideo Maru on 1 July 1942.
Where available, individual tribute pages may include:
Rank and unit
Age and hometown
Archival information
Photographs
Family-submitted reflections
This digital archive is maintained by the Hellships Memorial Foundation as part of its commitment to preserving the memory of Allied prisoners of war lost at sea during the Second World War.
Submissions from families are welcomed and treated with care.
[Button: Submit a Name, Photograph, or Message]
A Place of Remembrance
The Montevideo Maru Memorial, currently under development at Lingayen Veterans Park in the Philippines, will provide a permanent place of reflection within the Pacific region where these men served and where their journey ended.
This digital Roll of Honor stands alongside that memorial — extending remembrance beyond geography and across generations.
Their names endure.
Their service is honored.
They are not forgotten.
Lest we forget.