TWO soldiers, fatally shot in the back in a massacre in World War II, have been commemorated.
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Exactly 75 years after Donald Strang, 24, and Jack Horneman, 28, were executed by Japanese foes in New Guinea, about 40 people, including kin, saluted them.
They gathered outside Finley’s War Memorial Hall and as trucks rumbled by on the Newell Highway, a wreath was laid at the building’s entrance by Second World War soldier Finley Dawe, 98, and former army member Rick Wark.
For family members, who travelled from Shepparton and Mathoura as well as those still living at Finley it was a special moment.
Lance Corporal Horneman’s niece Lola Wilson, 82, recalled last seeing her uncle as he trained at Bonegilla.
Her mother May, who was the oldest of eight siblings with Lance Corporal Horneman the youngest, received a letter from the government stating he had “died on service”.
“He was missing in action, that’s all my mother knew,” Mrs Wilson said.
“I was told there was one story they were put on a boat and sent out to sea and it was bombed, then this came up that they were massacred.”
May Horneman died in 1977 still not knowing the fate of her beloved brother.
It was a similar story in Private Strang’s family, with his namesake nephew Donald Strang saying it was difficult to find precise details of what occurred.
“I only knew that he had died and I imagined he had been killed in action,” Mr Strang said.
“I was thinking that’s the way it was transcribed to the family...it would have been to soften the blow for the family.”
Mr Strang said the barbaric killing in the village of Gasmata on the island of New Britain was disgusting.
“There’s many stories about the cruelty that happened in that theatre of war, but it seemed unnecessary,” he said.
“They had captured them, so there wasn’t any real need.”
Lance Corporal Horneman’s niece Kathleen Moorse said her grandparents thought he was missing in action and continued to hope he would come home.
Nephew Peter Horneman said there was sadness and a lot of disbelief when he learned what had occurred.
“Just to think your uncle was crucified in that manner (is shocking) and I’ve read some of his letters he sent home to his sisters,” Mr Horneman said.
“He wrote about everyday occurrences and what he was doing.
“He talked about how he wished he could be at the dances and how he missed his family.”
As Mr Strang said: “It was a complete waste of life.”