Heroes Of The

Territories

Awards for Soldiers and Civilians

rE following awards to former resi dents of Papua and New Guinea have been announced in Military Orders: —

Military Cross

Major A. A. Roberts, Assistant District Officer, New Guinea.

Lieut. D. M. Fienberg, Patrol Officer, New Guinea. . .

Major C. D. Bates, Assistant District Officer, New Guinea.

Lieut. D. M. Fienbery, Patrol Officer, New Guinea. „ .

Lieut. L. J. Stokie, planter, New Guinea.

Lieut. A. F. Gow, Public Servant, New Guinea.

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Lieut. J. L. Gilmore, planter, New Guinea.

Military Medal

Lieut. T. W. J. Lega.

Mentioned In Despatches

Lieut.-Colonel S. A. Lonergan, Assistant Government Secretary, New Guinea.

Capt G. C. Harris (deceased), Patrol Officer. New Guinea. „ Lieut. W. M. English, Patrol Officer, New Lieut U 1 D oa c. Joycey, Public Servant, New Lieut U 1 A 6a w. Lane, planter, New Guinea Lieut. W. A. Macgregor, planter, New LieuL Fowler, Public Servant, New Guinea. . ...

Warrant-Officer R. E. Arrowsmith.

Warrant-Officer L. Stamper.

Warrant-Officer J. D. Wilkinson.

Warrant-Officer T. Zoffman.

Honours for Civilians

rE following civilians of New Guinea have received awards for distin guished service, as follows, rendered in the “invasion months,” and now acknowledged;—

Member Of Order Of British

Empire

Mbs. Gladys Henrietta Love

DAY BAKER, owner of Langu Plan tation. Witu Island, north coast of New Britain. .

Mrs. Baker rendered courageous and outstanding service to a party who pspaned from New Britain after the in vision by the Japanese she of the sick and wounded, and was untir ing in her efforts. The party finally con sisted of 200 who had been subject to all kinds of tropical diseases. , Mrs. Baker gave her services and pos sessions without stint in a constant en deavour to better the sufferings of the men ind was instrumental in saving many lives. She accompanied the party to Australia where her health broke down and she was obliged to enter hospital.

Liter she joined the AAMWS, was Pro moted to lieutenant, and placed on the now a lieu- Mi- n Ho\land h performed meritorious and courageous service in assisting a party who had escaped from New Britain in March, 1942, after the Japanese invasion.

He went from Pondo to the south coast in an endeavour to locate and I bring back any troops who may have been there Hi located a party of 24 whom he brought safely back. The journey was made through difficult country usually nrcunied by notorious Makolkol head hunters. He also rendered great assist

ance whilst on the '“Lakatoi,” the boat used in connection with the rescue of the evacuation party.

MR. GEORGE H. R. MARSLAND, now a flight-lieutenant in the RAAF.

Mr. Marsland performed outstanding work in assisting personnel to escape from Rabaul in March, 1942. As a civi lian he volunteered to accompany the District Officer to Rabaul area; and it is reported that if it had .not been for Marsland’s skill and ability as engineer and navigator, the troops would not have made the 300-miles journey between Pondo and the Witu Islands. He re constructed a vessel the Japanese had partly destroyed at Pondo, which brought 80 men to Waluidi (Talasea).

Mr. Marsland’s skill as an engineer, his courage and devoted service were out standing during this period.

Commendation

LINCOLN JOHN BELL, later a lieuten ant in the RANVR, killed in action on April 1, 1943.

Albert Reginald Olander, Later A

sub-lieutenant, RANVR, killed in action, March 7, 1943.

Kenneth Cunningham Douglas

now a lieutenant in the RANVR.

The citation covering the deeds of the three commended men reads:— During the evacuation from New Britain, in 1942, these three men were placed in charge of the western areas of Talasea, New Britain. They worked un ceasingly, and gave devoted service in getting the troops through to Itoki Plantation. All three refused to leave New Britain on “Lakatoi” in March, 1942, although they knew if captured by the Japanese they might be .executed.

However, they remained in New Britain and were responsible for much secret intelligence being forwarded to Allied Forces.

Some pre-war pageantry was revived in ®“ a he’ Court.® 6 ’

“ “»■“«- - * - so “ n<,ed * ,0aC s rc?aud. U X e .S'.d the guard ot honour bel.re going into the Court, where members .« the Suva legal profession welcomed him.