Subject

New Guinea Martyrs

Text

The Good Shepherd giveth His life for his sheep St. John 10:11.

Inscription

[LH] To commemorate the missionaries martyred in New Guinea 1942 [RH] They knowing full well the risk, elected to stay with their flock

Description & History

Believed to be the first window that Waller completed post-Second World War,the window gave recognition to those missionaries who, in full knowledge of the danger, stayed with their New Guinean people rather than take the option to return to Australia and safety. Their connections to Sayara, Gona, Isivita, Dogura, Mamba and Buna Beach are noted in small but telling scenes in the window, each of which is identified with its place name. The incumbent at St. Peter's, the Reverend Farnham E. Maynard, had attended the consecration of the Dogura Cathedral in 1939 and gave an impassioned sermon in St. Peter's after it became known that three of the missionaries had been killed. By the time he commissioned the window on behalf of the church, the number killed had risen to ten, all of whom were represented in the window. Later, others were added to the list of fallen. The New Guinea Martyrs who lost their lives around August 1942 included James Benson, priest; Sister May Hayman, nurse, Mavis Parkinson, teacher; Vivian Redlich; Henry Matthews (died at sea); John Duffield; Margaret Brenchley and Lila Lashmar. Many more missionaries, more than 300 from all denominations, were killed in the fight for victory against the Japanese. It later emerged that Redlich was killed by natives, not the Japanese.

References & Acknowledgements

Comprehensive documentation on the Martyrs and the window is held in St. Peter's Anglican Church records, which is available on the website: web.stpeters.org.au; transcript of Alan Gill, speaking on 'The Ark' with Rachael Kohn, ABC Radio National 22 October 2006, www.abc.net.au/m/ark/stories/2006/1767038; Patrick Redlich, interviewed by Mark Colvin on PM 21 August 2009 ABC Radio National, www.acb.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2663255.htm