Following their involvement in the fighting in Palestine in 1940-41, the 2/33^rd Battalion was deployed to Papua in September 1942 to reinforce the battered Australian units on the Kokoda Track.

After returning to Australia in early January 1943, the 2/33^rd returned to Port Moresby in late July in preparationf or the operation to capture Lae, in New Guinea.

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On September 7, while it waited at Jackson’s Airfield at Port Moresby to be flown to their next destination, a fully-loaded Liberator bomber crashed among the truck carrying the battalion.

Sixty men were killed and 90 injured - a third of the battalion’s fatal casualties for the entire war.

One of those who survived was Private James Crane, son of William Henry and Margaret Crane of Hepburn Street, Lithgow.

The 33^rd was to fight in New Guinea and at Balikpapan in Borneo before the war ended and James was discharged in 1946.

James and his three brothers enlisted in the Second World War. Pilot Officer Robert William Crane RAAF was posted as missing in action while flying over France. LAC John Crane RAAF and Private Peter Crane were discharged in 1946.

NX85261 Private James Crane died on February 20, 1998, aged 76 and is buried in the Lithgow Cemetery.

The Lithgow and District Family History Society will honour the service of Private James Crane and 22 other servicemen on Sunday, April 29 during the society’s annual Anzac Cemetery Walk.

During the walk the group will stop at each grave, read a short history of each one and place a card and poppy on each grave.

The morning will start at 10am with morning tea in the car park, Anzac biscuits will be provided. Please bring your own tea and coffee. At the completion of the walk there will be a gathering at the Anzac Memorial Garden for a short service at the plaque and the laying of wreaths.

The names of this year’s men being honoured are:

An invitation is extended to all members of the public to attend the day’s ceremony. If you are a relative of any of these service men and would like to join in and lay the poppy and card on their grave you are most welcome.

For more information please contact the Society at the Resource Centre on the corner of Tank and Donald Street, Lithgow on Tuesday night from 6pm to 9pm or Friday from 10am to 4pm, in person or by phone 6353 1089 or phone Helen Taylor on 0448 048 137, taygun@bigpond.com.