14 Awards and Some

Omissions The Mt. Lamington Disaster In Papua

rHE Queen has approved 14 awards for services during and subsequent to the eruption of Mt.

Lamington in Papua in January, 1951.

They are:—

George Cross

Mr. G. A. Taylor, vulcanologist of ■he Minerals Resources Board at Port Vloresby.

Elis citation said, in part . . . “He lisplayed continued conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme Janger ... he journeyed on foot : requently into the danger area and nade regular inspections both by air and land.”

0.8. E. (Civil)

Mr. T. J. S. Arthur, Regional Director, Department of Civil Avia- Jon, Port Moresby.

Sister P. M. Durdin, a nursing lister at the Anglican Mission at [sivita, Papua.

Mr. L. J. Hart, a lay brother of the Dhurch of England Mission at San kara, Papua.

Mr. F. H. A. Kleckham, an agri cultural officer in the Department of \griculture, Port Moresby.

Mrs. Barbara Lane, a member of he Isivita Mission staff.

The Rev. G. Porter, the minister it the Isivita Mission.

The citations to Sister Durdin, Mrs. Lane and Mr. Porter said that ;hey remained at their posts at the nission treating wounded, burying ;he dead and evacuating wounded and others. Mr. Hart continued several lays after the eruption to collect the vounded and homeless around Higa :uru and to send them to safety. Mr.

Kleckham, as well as evacuating people from the devastated area, icted as guide to the vulcanologist.

Mr, Arthur’s “organising ability, ;echnical knowledge and zeal resulted in the maximum safe use of airfield facilities.”

M.B.E. (Civil)

Mr. J. J. McKee, D.F.C., a Qantas filot.

Mr. J. R. Rose, a Qantas pilot.

Mr. C. E. Searle, a plantation jwner, of Awala, Papua.

Mr. I. C. Taylor, a Qantas pilot, labwau Tomnavadila (Elliott Eli jah), a native employed by the Papua- New Guinea Administration.

The Qantas pilots flew the vul

canologist on his daily inspections; they took “great personal risks outside the normal line of duty.”

Mr. Searle, a plantation owner of Awala, remained at his radio keeping contact with Port Moresby despite stone and pumice dust showers, labwau Tomnavadila accompanied Mr. Kleckham into the eruption zone evacuating wounded natives.

George Medal

Mr. W. Schleusener, Sub-manager of a rubber plantation at Sangara.

Mr. Schleusener, his citation says, remained at Sangara plantation after the eruption, collecting bewildered natives. Ele entered Higaturu with

Mr. C. Champion in search of sur vivors.

B.E.M. (Civil)

Les,ie To P ue ’ a nati / e guide, who accompanied Mr. Taylor throughout " 1S 'work- RESIDENTS of Papua-New Guinea will be suitably gratified that the bravery of these men and women

during Papua’s worst disaster has been officially recognised.

There are never awards of this sort without some heartburnings and some glaring omissions. The omis sions are glaring enough in this event, and residents naturally wonder why. Most of the recipients of awards are not administrative officials.

It may be, therefore, that some Can berra VIP has decreed that in the higher ranks of the P-NG Service, there is no need for public acclaim.

Four names which are conspicu ously absent from the above list are: Mr. Ivan Champion, Assistant Director of District Services, who was placed in complete charge of the rescue operations. He walked miles in the devastated area, did not sleep for days and did an outstanding job.

Mr. Claude Champion, of the Government Secretary’s Department, brother of Ivan Champion, who was the first man into Higaturu, and who worked until he literally fell from exhaustion.

Dr. John Gunther, Director of Health in P-NG, who was one of the first on the job. He personally took charge of all medical work and re mained continuously on duty for days until every casualty had received attention.

The Administrator, Colonel J. K.

Murray, who was one of the first in the devastated area and who stayed there doing as much as anyone.

The work of these men, and others, did not end when all survivors had been got out of the devastated area.

The work of establishing thousands of bewildered natives (and in the Lamington area they are tradition ally the most untractable people) in large, semi-permanent camps, caring for them, feeding them, planning their future was a task that was long and arduous. The size and scope of this phase of the Lamington disaster has probably not been sufficiently appre ciated by the general public.