How General Mccarthy
pp. 38-40 · Read in the full issue
Escaped To Austria!
JVfOT all Pacific peoples wear grass -1 ' skirts and spend their time under coconut trees. Some of them wear fur suits and live in igloos—and this is how a Roman Catholic priest stationed in Southern Alaska describes their reaction to war, in the “Catholic Mission Magazine”: — They were a bit excited in the be ginning, it is true, but this was due, not so much to the news they received, but to the confusing advice that came over the radio, all of which they misunderstood.
I urged them to pay no attention to rumours.
Only one village was excited when the Attu and Kiska Islands were occupied by the Japanese. So great was their fear, that some of the people begged me to come and stay with them. I discovered that several of them had evidently tuned in on a Japanese radio programme by mistake and had swallowed whole the false reports and predictions of future moves. I urged them to keep away from their radios and to go to their camps and attend to their fishing. This they did promptly. I met some of them lately and they seem to have forgotten all about the Japanese.
The radio has a real fascination for the Eskimos, for they find the music highly entertaining. Few of them have much knowledge of English, and their misunderstanding of the news reports is often amusing to me. Frequently they report to me some garbled news, which is so incongrous that it gives me real merriment, if not enlightenment.
One day Peter came to me and said jubilantly, “Father, General McCarthy esgot to Austria.” Being accustomed to their twisting of unfamiliar words, I im mediately understood the first part of his statement, but the mention of Austria puzzled me.
“Did the radio-man mention any other name with Austria?” I asked.
“Yes,” he answered, “but I don’t re member it. I think that it was some kind of wind way out there.”
When I suggested Darwin, Australia, he smiled, “Father, you have it.”
Battle of Bir Hacheim, 1942.
Squadron-Leader Godfrey HEMSWORTH, RAAF, formerly a well-known New Guinea pilot, who was killed in action against the Japanese
In May. Posthumously awarded the Air Force Dross.
LUCIEN HERVOUET, formerly of New Cale donia. Awarded Croix de Guerre while serving
with Fighting French volunteers in Egypt.
Lieut. Colin HILL, RANK, of the Australian destroyer, “Waterhen”, formerly second officer on the trans-Pacific liner “Niagara”. Awarded the QBE.
Lieut.-Commander A. W. R. McNICOLL, RAN, son of Sir Ramsay McNicoll, Administrator of New Guinea, and Lady McNicoll. Awarded the George Medal.
Petty-Officer PAUL MASON, RANVR, formerly a plantation inspector at Inus, Bougainville, TNG. Awarded American Distinguished Service Cross for “extraordinary heroism in action.”
HENRI MAYER, formerly of New Caledonia, Awarded Croix de Guerre while serving with Fighting French volunteers in Egypt.
Fit.-Lieut, George B. (Golly) MEIDECKE, RAAF, formerly of W. Samoa. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Sgt. Geoffrey MOORE, of the RNZAF, formerly engineer on the NG inter-island vessel “Maiwara” and on the trans-Pacific liner “Aorangi”. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal.
ANDRE MORNAGHINI, formerly of New Cale donia. Awarded Croix de Guerre while serving with Fighting French volunteers in Egypt.
Pilot-Officer Pat RICHARDSON, RAF, son of Mr. W. Richardson, formerly of Penang, FIJI.
Awarded the Distinguished Plying Cross.
Commander Alvord S. ROSENTHAL, RAN, son of Major-General Sir Charles Rosenthal, KCB, OMG, DSO, VD, Administrator of Norfolk Island. Awarded the DSO, November, 1941; awarded the Bar to DSO, February, 1942.
P/O Leigh G. VIAL, RAAF, formerly ADO in TNG. Awarded American DSC for outstand ing heroism in New Guinea in September, 1942.
Lieut. George Raymond WORLEDGE, of the RANVR, formerly of Fiji. Awarded the MBE (Military)