How Central New Guinea Was

Evacuated

Rescue by Air: And the Gallant Part Played by Father Glover

By Pastor A. J. Campbell, Seventh Day Adventist Missionary in Central New Guinea

YOUR account of the remarkable part played in the evacuation of Central New Guinea, early in 1942, by Father Glover, from data supplied by Mr. E. V. O’Brien, has been read with interest by many people.

Those were tense and uncertain days.

As there were some, as yet, unrecorded incidents, and as I was there at the time, I shall take this opportunity to tell you a few of them.

Developments in the invasion of New Guinea were ominous. Rumours of the “Broome-Brisbane Line” had already reached us in Central New Guinea, and it appeared, to some, that we were to go the way of the Philippines, Malaya, Burma, the East Indies, the Solomons and the Bismark Archipelago, with the mainland of vast New Guinea now almost enveloped. Jap parachutists had just succeeded in rapidly subduing the Cele bes, immediately to the west of us.

Then came the fall of Lae and Sala maua, and it seemed certain that the enemy would try to occupy the chain of ’dromes in the Central Highlands. The Inland, too, it was felt, would have a special attraction, because of its splendid climatic conditions, favouring convales cing and resting soldiers, and also for its great potential agricultural value in the growing of vegetables and food.

But that which was most expected did not happen. The elements interfered rather badly with the plans of the enemy at this time.

Parties of our soldiers and civilians, meantime, were finding their way, often after covering great distances, and pass ing through severe privations, to this temporary, and quite uncertain refuge among those great mountains of the Inland. The two or three radio receiv ing sets still operating served a valuable purpose, those days; but it was realised that the “latest” news could easily be a day or more late, and therefore could Drove very misleading, so far as the latest local moves of the infiltrating enemy were concerned.

FR those of us Inland, two important events occurred in the early months of 1942.

Record-breaking floods, such as the older natives had not seen or heard the like of before, caused a great flooding of all rivers in the headwaters systems of the larger rivers, such as the Markham and Ramu and others. The Japanese had advanced well up the Markham Val ley, and were working with much energy on the Nazab landing ground.

The altogether abnormal floods, which came at this time, brought a tremendous congestion of water from many raging rivers into the Markham Valley. The enemy was driven back by the mighty forces of Nature to his base at Lae. He did not drive up the Markham again for almost another two months.

Strange planes were either seen or heard, and the distant whine of enemy machines using the Markham-Ramu “trench” was almost a dailv occurrence as they came and went on their patrols.

Then came the second important hap pening, which concerned us all in the Interior so much. It was the coming on

to the stage of action of the “Flying Priest,” Father Glover.

One day the ominous sound of a plane engine was heard, and the plane was spotted, flying in toward Kainantu, over the timbered Aiyura (Government Agri cultural Station) ridge. Europeans and natives sought slit-trenches, though most natives went to a river gorge nearby.

It was soon realised that the plane was approaching too slowly to be a “Zero,” and also that it was a small biplane. Being recognised as a friendly machine, police boys were instructed to lower the wire cable that was at that time suspended across the landing field.

This cable was controlled by a miner’s windlass.

This tiny plane landed, and proved to be the only usable civil plane remain ing in the Territory, and the pilot was Father Glover, who had volunteered for a dangerous mission. He had previously had only a few hours’ flying experience, and had not till that time flown a pas senger. His Spartan plane had a 75 h.p. motor, and its ceiling was limited to 7,000 ft.—hardly the type of plane to be flying among the lofty peaks of Central New Guinea, and in the bad weather so often associated with them.

The Father then carried his first pas

senger out to Wau at very grave risk for Jap fighter patrols had the freedom of the skies in those days. (Some months later, his passenger, R. P. Brechin, when flying with another pilot, was killed in this plane, when caught in a down draught on a ridge between Bena Bena

and Ramu.) A week later, the little plane, with pilot and passenger, returned, ending an anxious time for those await ing their return.

THE Spartan had many serious limita tions —bad enough in normal times —so the “flying priest” decided to walk to Madang to see what could be done with a “Moth,” lying down there.

Karl Nagy, senior mechanic of Guinea Airways, Ltd., accompanied him on this 150-miles walk.

As was pointed out by Mr. O’Brien, this plane was in very bad order. I think it is correct to say that Karl Nagy returned by trail to Ramu, because it was necessary for Father Glover to fly in the drum of lubricating oil, which was urgently needed—though, no doubt, the mechanic felt safer on the trail than if he had been in that defective “crate.”

The Spartan was hidden in a banana plantation on the SDA Mission at Kain antu. handy to the landing field.

With much relief we saw the Moth

and its undaunted pilot arrive from Madang. This plane was also hidden, at a distance, in the same plantation, with banana trees, corn and kunai giv ing excellent campuflage.

As already told by Mr. O’Brien, the Spartan was wrecked when forced to return from an attempt to fly to Mt.

Hagen with Sister Jones. The Moth now became the sole remaining serviceable (?) plane in all that region. Karl Nagy checked up on the faltering engine again.

FATHER Glover worked on the plan, of flying the most urgent cases to Mt.

Hagen; but this had to be given up, and in due course all walked through in small parties, Mr. Dickson (of W. R.

Carpenter & Co., Madang) and others, were carried through to Mt. Hagen. He was convalescing from the terrible Jap anese river fever, or scrub typhus.

At that time, many supplies had become exhausted. After many experi ments. Mr. Cunningham succeeded in producing brown sugar from cane brought in by the natives. White com, which had been introduced but recently into the Upper Ramu, and which was grow ing very successfully, was ground and used as “semilina” by the various camps. rTHER Glover, in view of the pressing urgency of the situation, further developed his daring plan to fly the unairworthy Moth to Australia for help.

As the Spartan was now definitely out of action. Karl Nagy and others worked on the Moth again. This clever mechanic and good fellow had by this returned by road from Madang, having spent 17 days on the trail going out and returning.

The plane, with its small tank, had a very limited radius: and, in order to try and reach Australia, it was imperative that the flying range be greatly increased.

Fortunately, there was a sheet or two of

galvanised flat-iron left over after the recent completion of the European cot tage on the SDA Mission.

Each morning, Father Glover and Jack Peacock came over to the mission’s workshop, at Kainantu, where several hands joined in the task of making cer tain essential adjustments and prepara tions. One of these was the making of a new and larger petrol tank from the sheet of 26-gauge galvanised flat-iron.

This one was to act as an auxiliary to the smaller one already in the plane. J.

Peacock made a very creditable job of this tank.

A most necessary item at this juncture was a length of copper piping, to con nect the new tank with the other. It was found hanging from a nail in the store, and just the required length!

Several years before, a Guinea Airways DH 50 had crashed at Kainantu, when landing mining machinery. By arrange ment with Guinea Airways, Ltd., the SDA Mission took the plane to pieces, sending certain parts to Lae, and retain ing other parts. A pulpit and rostrum for a new church were constructed from the fluted wing timbers. A length of dented copper piping, regarded as having little possible value, was hung up in the workshop.

The march of events that came with such terrible suddenness in New Guinea, caused this piece of copper piping to fill an urgent need.

THE plane was wheeled out to the land ing-field from its hiding-place, where final tests were made by pilot and mechanic. It was not known what moment it might become the target for Jap air-gunners.

An attempt to take off for Mt. Hagen failed, and a precious drum of lubricat ing oil had to be left behind, also various equipment, even to Father Glover’s per sonal kit.

Finally, they did succeed In rising, but with a very narrow margin to spare—so narrow tnat the onlookers waited with bated breath —and they reached Hagen.

Extra petrol, it seems, was taken from Mt. Hagen, on the hop to Australia, which may account for the extra petrol that Karl Nagy “nursed” on his knees, as mentioned by Mr. O’Brien.

IT was April, and events in the South west Pacific were now rapidly reach ing forward to the Battle of the Coral Sea, with the fate of New Guinea and of Australia hanging in the balance.

Several weeks passed and it was feared that Father Glover and Karl Nagy had perished, as no word had been received of then’ whereabouts. Meanwhile, nearly 80 people had gathered at Mt. Hagen.

The Coral Sea Battle was fought and won. A day or so later, a radio message —“Coming”—was received.

The next morning, two four-engined Gypsy-motored planes fought their way in through appalling mountain weather conditions. Amid cneers and great ex citement they landed on a ’drome that had seen hardly afiy use for several months. Natives came in from every diraction to join in the excitement.

Appropriately, indeed, Father Glover was the first to step out from the first plane down. Then more familiar faces were seen, as pilots once connected with the civil air companies appeared. This gave us all further confidence in the evacuation by air.

THEY were daring men. For a week, they flew those unarmed and un escorted planes in and out between “somewhere in Australia” and Mt. Hagen.

The rarified atmosphere of the Inland made the task twice as long, and, inci dentally, twice as risky.

Jap fighter patrols were passing through Torres Straits. One DH 85 almost crashed, getting off with its first load. The ’drome was long, but soft.

More than a thousand natives were enlisted to put in a day, stamping down the landing-field. They came out be decked with plumes from birds-of-para dise, and were otherwise gaudily adorned.

Their rhythmic movements were most interesting and colourful. The ground would tremble with the fall of thousands of feet in unison, and a splendid job was done.

This firming of the surface of the ’drome gave the planes all the taking-off scope they required, and put an end to a great deal of anxiety.

The planes came in early and flew out late, to avoid any Jap patrols, so far as possible, Oi i plane, piloted by Captain Sims, was forced to rise to 17,000 ft., in ter rible weather, to gain sufficient clearance oyer the mountain tops. Bad icing con ditions caused serious interference with the controls, resulting in the plane going into a spin. It was narrowly saved from disaster.

IT transpired that when Father Glover and Karl Nagy were caught in a violent storm, south of the Fly River, when flying out to Australia, they had a very narrow escape. Turning back from the Torres Straits, they landed on the Papuan Coast. They realised, then, after measuring the petrol that was left, that they had been only a few drops of petrol from death.

By canoe, they reached Thursday Island, and later reached Australia.

Many further difficulties were encoun tered, but their mission was remarkably successful, thanks to the tenacity of Father Glover and to mechanic Nagy.

Dr. McQueen, Sister Jones, and many others did much valuable and faithful work in those very uncertain days.

Father Glover repeatedly risked his life in those tiny, fragile and groggy planes to save others. That he performed a work of outstanding merit, all who know of the cireumstances will heartily agree.

The Rev. Meli Tukai, a Fijian minis ter of the Methodist Mission in Northern Australia, is at present in Sydney on leave.

Captain Doughty, who was master of the BP schooner, “Helena,” in the Gil bert Islands, until the Japanese invasion, and who subsequently escaped to Fiji, has been doing useful work on various ships in and around the war zones dur ing the past 18 months. He was in Syd ney in September. The “Helena,’ in December, 1941, was loaded with Jap loot from the Burns Philp store in Tarawa, and towed away north by a destroyer. It is believed she was sunk in the first American raid on Butaritari.