In The Islands All His Life

Thomas Elkington Was Bom

at Samarai in 1908, when his father.

Old Tom, was running the Cosmo politan Hotel there. The family moved into the new hotel at Tulagi in 1917, and they lived there until Old Tom died in 1931, and the hotel was sold to “Butcher Johnno.”

Young Tom had been to school

in Queensland until 1926, and when his father died he went into partnership with young Ernie Palmer, as recruiters and traders.

These two men have a lot in common, both being lovable char acters remarkable for then enthu siasm and energy.

In 1941, Tommy went to Sydney and joined the AIF, where he was trained as a Commando, and served during 1942 and ’43 in “Z” Special Unit in NW Australia. From there he went to the AIB in New Guinea, serving under Phil Palmer in HMS Paluma. He was later given com mand of this ship, in spite of be ing a Sergeant in the AIF at the time!

Tommy got married in 1945 and, after the war, returned to the Solomons with the first civilians in Southern Cross, in 1946. After two years on Tulagi for Carpenters’, and a spell at Yandina, Tommy joined R. C. Symes and, since 1950, has been running the MV Ambon around the Group.

From now on, his home port will be on the beautiful but almost de serted island of Tulagi, which has the advantage over Honiara of hav ing a good harbour — BRETT

Hilder.