remebering the bangka island massacre

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Shaun Leane’s Minister’s Statement remembering the Bangka Island Massacre, marking 80 years since the massacre of Australian nurses and soldiers on Bangka Island. On 16 February 1942, 22 Australian Army nurses and 60 soldiers and crew members survived the sinking of their ship, the Vyner Brooke, and made it to shore at Bangka Island, Indonesia. The Japanese were in control of the island and the group surrendered – only to be killed on the beach. The only survivors were Australian nurse Sister Lt Vivian Bullwinkel, British sailor Ernest Lloyd and American Eric Germann.