Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit

The civil administration of both Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea were replaced by an Australian Army military government and came under the control of ANGAU from February 1942 until the end of World War II.

Civil officers from both Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea were posted to ANGAU based in Port Moresby.

ANGAU undertook civil tasks of maintaining law and medical services in areas not occupied by the Imperial Japanese and was responsible to New Guinea Force.

The major responsibility of the unit was to organize the resources of land and labour for the war effort.

The ANGAU officers and their New Guinean carriers, labourers, scouts, guides and police were highly regarded by the American and Australian military.