0/5

Airdate: The Tragedy of the Montevideo Maru

The Japanese POW ship, the Montevideo Maru, was torpedoed by an American submarine in 1942. Little did they know there were 1,053 Australians in its hold.

mvidThe History Channel will commemorate Australia’s greatest ever maritime disaster in The Tragedy of the Montevideo Maru on Remembrance Day, November 11th.

Introduced by  Jim Waley, who lost a relative in the tragedy, and narrated by John Jarratt, this two-hour documentary tells the forgotten story of the death of over 1,000 Australians in 1942.

The Japanese POW ship, the Montevideo Maru, was torpedoed off the coast of the Philippines by an American submarine, the USS Sturgeon. Little did the Americans know there were 1,053 Australians locked in its hold.

The doco will feature detailed re-enactments, in-depth interviews with soldiers and crew members speaking publicly for the very first time. It even hears from the only Japanese crew member to survive the Montevideo Maru and a USS Sturgeon crew member who witnessed the sinking ship through the periscope.

Foxtel’s Factual head Jim Buchan, said “In the tradition of event television such as Beyond Kokoda, and He’s Coming South, The History Channel remains committed to remembering the legacy left behind by Australia’s brave men and women.

“I am delighted that we are able to share this truly incredible, although sadly forgotten, story.”

It airs Wednesday, November 11 at 7.30pm on the History Channel.

Leave a Reply