Red Cross
p. 35 · Read in the full issue
With the American Red Cross Morobe Resident-in N. Caledonia
A FORMER well-known resident of the Morobe district, New Guinea, Mrs.
Alice Bowring, went to New Cale donia for the American Red Cross about last September. She writes enthusiastic* ally of her work there.
“The Americans are fine to work with,” she says, “and this club—one of the many on this island—supplies just about every thing the serviceman could require: club room, cafeteria —where there is everything from doughnuts and ice cream to Coco- Cola at a fraction of the price charged outside—reading room, an information bureau which will try to trace anything from a lost wallet to a ‘buddy’ serving somewhere in the South Pacific, a games room, shower rooms, and weekly dances and variety shows. Uncle Sam looks after his children very well.
“A group of patriotic French women attend the club regularly to mend tom uniforms and sew on buttons—a service that is much in demand.
“An ‘ingenuity contest’ is in full blast at the present time—and an amazing col lection of useful and beautiful things has been made by the men from ‘mater ials at hand’: shell cases, coconut shells, sea-shells, native woods,. etc. —even unto a picture painted with house paint!
“One of the judges is Bishop Wade.
I was pleased to see him again—I met him when he visited Wau in 1939.
“The American soldiers have a tremen dous respect for the Anzacs. I get a lump in my throaty when I occasionally see a ‘brown felt hat with the side turned up,’ and I have adopted the Kiwis too —great lads, all of these.
“I am happy here; but I will be glad when it is all over and we can all return to New Guinea. I don’t know what it is that calls one back—but it was a happy land.”