PHOTO: The MV Montevideo Maru, which sank on July 1, 1942, after being torpedoed by the USS Sturgeon. More than 1,000 people went down with the ship. Photo: Wikipedia.
A little part of the central west NSW lies four kilometres below the surface of the South China Sea, with the recent discovery of the final resting place of the MV Montevideo Maru.
Several people hailing from or with links to our region were known to be aboard the Japanese military transport vessel, which was torpedoed and sunk by an American submarine in the early hours of July 1, 1942.
Over 1,000 souls went down with the ship, including over 800 Australian Prisoners of War (POW), 200 civilian prisoners, and almost 90 Japanese military personnel. It remains the worst maritime disaster involving Australians.
Among those lost were 133 commandos from the Australian Imperial Force 1st Independent Company, as well as members of the Lark Force serving in New Guinea.
At least 11 of those who died are known to have come from or had strong links to central west NSW…