A school in Papua New Guinea is to be named in honour of former World War Two commando leader, George Warfe, explains Darren Robins, who is the grandchild of a former member of the 2/3^rd Australian Independent Company, WX2048 H.W. ‘Bill’ Robins, who fought under the leader in the Wau-Salamaua Campaign.

On the 14th of October this year, 2015, the primary school in Kamiatum , Papua New Guinea will be named in honour of George Warfe, for his service during the Wau-Salamaua Campaign. The then Major George Warfe was OC of the 2/3^rd Australian Independent Company.

In early March 1943, the Imperial Japanese Navy occupied the townships of Lae and Salamaua in the Mandated Territory of New Guinea. Between then and the re-occupation of Salamaua by Australian and U.S. forces in September 1943, the campaign directly occupied 10-and-a-half Australian and American infantry battalions and three Australian Independent Companies, and on the Japanese side, at least ten infantry battalions and elements of several Special Naval Landing Forces. Colonel George Warfe DSO MC, then a major, was OC of the 2/3rd Australian Independent Company, which served in the Wau-Salamaua Campaign between late January and mid-September 1943.

George Warfe was born in Victoria and with the exception of his overseas military service, spent almost his whole life and career in his home state. It was George Warfe, along with Ken Mackenzie, who jointly chaired the first meeting in early 1946 that resulted in the birth of the Commando Association of Victoria. Komiatum (now spelt Kamiatum) was a village and ridge just inland from the Japanese coastal base of Salamaua. Komiatum Ridge dominated the enemy L of C between Salamaua and their most forward defensive outpost of Mubo. The Kamiatum area now is a collection of family ‘camps’ in the Burali Valley between the Kamiatum and Bobdubi Ridges. Local industry consists mostly of subsistence agriculture, with some cocoa, and further inland, coffee grown.

A small but well-presented war museum in the Buiumbui camp was named the Bui Warfe War Museum after the nearby stream which was named in honour of then Major Warfe in 1943. Since the building of a new elementary school at Kamiatum two years ago, it has been desired to also name this in honour of Colonel Warfe, as a representative of the thousands of Australians who served in the area during 1942-43 and the official dedication is on the 14th of October 2015.