"One-Talks" In The

Aif

(From M. W. S. Rylands, "on Active Service Abroad with AIF.) TT SEEMS a long time ago since the 1 first New Guinea enlistments left what was, in retrospect, a holiday camp on the edge of Rabaul’s beautiful harbour.

They left, full of ideas of sticking together and forming a New Guinea company or something similar; and so they did, for a while, in their first Queensland camp. Then aptitude and interest sent some to Officers’ Training Schools and others to Technical Units, and one would think the chances of again meeting these and others Islanders, once they had been swallowed up in the AIF, rather remote.

Most of the original company had al ready sailed when I left Australian shores, but in the same unit v/ere P’eter Dennis, from Bulolo, and two others who had enlisted in Australia; Robin McKay (Kiep plantations) and Bill Alley, from Soraken.

When we marched into our first camp in Palestine we were allotted an ropes, in the person of “Our Mr.

Administrative Officer, to show us the Tribolet”, as BP’s might well say.

A day’s leave in Jerusalem came round, in due course, and walking down Jaffa Road towards the Jaffa Gate I was startled to hear “Abinoon Master!”

I swung round and there was Ralph Connor (W. R. Carpenter’s) with three stripes much in evidence on his arm.

From him I learned that in the next camp to ours there was quite a large New Guinea community, I went down one Sunday to meet them again, and found Cec. Hendrick (ex-PWD on the mainland) holding down a job as Trans

port Sergeant; Les Hewlett (District Ser vices) an Intelligence Sergeant, and now at an Officers’ Training School. With him, as understudy, was Dick Cardew (WRC) and last, but not least, was the well-known ex-purser of the “Maiwara” —Bill Kalbfell.

That seemed a pretty good Islands quota for one small area, but it was by no means the end. Getting a camn in order for some newcomers, we stayed there until they arrived, and among the pile of kitbags I noticed NG numbers.

Enquiries produced Bombardier Fred Smith (BP’s) and Gunners Wilkinson and Tally, both from the Administration staff. Needless to say, a few beers were consumed in the canteen that night, and the air was full of queries about mutual friends.

Back to my own camp again, and there was Toby Donald (Sergeant now) who used to be on Soraken, but is now a big cavalry man. Also, absorbing the intricacies of a machine-gun at our Weapon Training School, was an officer who used to strike terror into native malefactors and those who contravened the NLO within striking distance of Kieta: yes, Raleigh Farlowe was the name. His batman’s name I do not know, but I will remember gratefully that he was able, after a brief reconaissance, to brighten a dry Sunday morning with half-a-dozen of good Melbourne beer.

Up the road a few kilometres from here is Driver Don Colley, from “Baniu”, on Bougainville, and with us recently was Dud Harricks, from the Solomons. Down the road a little way is Captain “Blue”

Allen, of Wau, likely to be gazetted to his majority, I believe. Perhaps the series of curves known as the “seven sisters”, going down the last hill before climbing to Jerusalem, will give him ideas for the abortive road to Wau which he talked into being, and on the survey of which I lost many gallons of honest sweat.

Major Walstab upholds the majesty of the law (military, this time) in a town where Samson once went with immoral intent; though, having seen it, I was sur prised at his success. Also there, is Corporal Guy Black (ex-District Services) who will help anyone to make an allot ment, if his conscience pricks when he thinks of the little wife keeping the wolf from the door and the rent collector from coming too far inside.

Just a small slice of Palestine—and we find the men from the Islands well in evidence. I have heard of many more, in Egypt and elsewhere: but the purpose of this article is just to show that it is often quite a short road which produces a “One-Talk” in the AIF. (For the benefit of Polynesia, it may be explained that in Melanesia, in Pidgin English, “One- Talks” are natives who speak the same

language.).