Out Of The Sky

Walter Brooksbank Remembers

The Day They Dropped Out Of The Sky

When the United States Naval Attache at that time invited me to accompany him on a flip around New Guinea and the Solomons, I was delighted. Apart from the opportunity of seeing again a part of the world my j heart ’ 1 wou ld be able to meet once more quite a number of old friends.

WE set off from Melbourne in the US Ambassador’s aircraft—a more elegantly-appointed air craft I had never seen—and it gave me a further thrill to find that our pilot was one of “Doolittle’s boys”.

Could we perhaps, I suggested, in clude Kavieng in the itinerary? (The DC there was a particular friend of mine).

There was quite some demur at this. The airfield there had not been in use for some time and reports on its condition were fairly con tradictory. But to Kavieng we headed. I was grateful.

But I was in a sorry state of mind when, after circling around Steffen Strait, whose waters dis played a fascinating wealth of iridescent colours, we straightened up for our approach to the Kavieng strip.

To my borrow, I saw it was covered with secondary growth, and that it was difficult at first to pick out the line of the runway!

When at last it became sufficiently defined I saw, to my further con cern, many pools of water.

I was now trying to make myself as inconspicuous as possible Obviously we would have to give Kavieng a miss and, thanks to me, we would have wasted a lot of fuel.

But the pilot had been looking it 9 ver > too—and he decided to give it a go! It was a case of placing your trust in the Almighty, and in the skill of one of “Doolittle’s boys”.

With our flaps now protruding well out, we swooped down towards the rough strip.

I needn’t have worried. Our

landing-wheels certainly sent up

showers of spray, but we made what, in the circumstances, could be called a splendid landing.

Deathly Silence

Not a soul was in sight. (The explanation came later: our teleradio-message had been held up). A deathly silence hung over the surrounding jungle. It was broken, presently, by the croaking of a solitary frog. Soon, deafening our ears, the banjo-solo swelled to the volume of a large orchestra — the frog kingdom had doubtless been startled by our intrusion into the peaceful routine of their lives, but had at last accepted the re assurance of one of the more courageous of its members!

In time we heard the sound of a jeep approaching. Then other cars came in view, and people.

“They dropped out of the sky,” someone said. “Miraculous.”

What did he mean?

We soon learned. One of the European residents had to have an operation urgently. In the temporary absence from Kavieng of the only qualified surgeon, nothing could be done about it. Would it be possible for us to change our plans and take the patient to Rabaul?

We certainly could, said the US Naval Attache!

So soon there was quite a crowd of people at the airfield, accompany ing the still figure of a middle-aged man on a stretcher. His face was ashy-grey and he was barely conscious. Bending over the stretcher, as it was now about to be lifted into the aircraft, was a woman who was obviously his wife.

A blend of love and tenderness,

(Continued on page 95)

This is how Kavieng looked from the air not long after the war, when landing on its air strip held some terrors in the particular in stance referred to by the author. Kavieng today has greatly expanded, and has many new homes and buildings.

be expression of her face was :mching; in her eyes shone the teadfast light of faith.

She had assembled some of her usband’s personal things into a irge kitbag—jealously guarded over y a young native house-boy, whose ame appeared to be Dewdrop.

His First Flight

Obviously, from his nervous antics ad wide-eyed wonderment, he had ever so much as been inside an rcraft. How would he fare on his rst flight, I mused?

Just as we were about to take f, I saw that Dewdrop’s seat-belt as dangling loosely beside him. I ent to fix it. I bore no scapel in y hand, but well might I have me, because from the look of fear bich had mounted into his eyes, seemed likely that Dewdrop was mvinced that he, and not his aployer, was to be operated on!

With a struggle to regain self mmand, his lips now ceased their livering and his jaws clamped gether with the snap of a rat ap! He was steeling himself to idure what was about to come!

“Don’t be too rough on him, Doc!” id one of the aircrew, an terested spectator.

I gave Dewdrop what I hoped to a reassuring tap on his shoulder, id then, his eyes devouring my ery action, I proceeded to fasten s seat-belt. I can still hear his ;h of relief when I returned to 7 seat.

Excitement, Joy

Any doubts I had as to how iwdrop would behave on his first ?ht were soon to be dispelled. He is taking to the air like a duck water. As he bobbed about in his citement and joy, dismissed ugether from his mind now parently was any thought of the in for whom we had dropped out the sky.

Dur flight over the open sea mied interminable, and I heaved sigh of relief when at last I saw immg up out of the mist, the ■rmdable but welcome outlines of Dse two volcanoes, The Mother d The Daughter, standing itinel over Rabaul. rhere had been no slip-up in

communication this time, for an ambulance-truck, ready to transport the stretcher case to Namanula hospital, was waiting at the airfield With Dewdrop—a somewhat reluc tant Dewdrop, I thought—ensconced in a seat beside the driver, soon it was obscured by clouds of dust kicking up behind.

Waited for News We had not intended to remain at Rabaul any longer than it took to refuel. But when that was com pleted we found ourselves lingering on. How had the Kavieng man fared at the hospital?

Earlier than we had expected, the news came through. It has been successful! The thoughts of all of us, I sensed, centred upon the patient’s wife. It was news she deserved to hear.

.We set about to resume our interrupted journey, and it was in Melbourne that there came a sequel.

The discovery was made by one of the aircrew that the flap of the starboard wing of the aircraft—the Ambassador’s aircraft had been damaged. We gathered around to inspect it. Clearly, it was decided, the damage could only have been caused at that unscheduled landing we had made on the Kavieng air field.

Me again! it seemed to me that the best thing I could do now was to exercise a demarche as grace fully as possible!

I turned, and then felt a sudden tap on my shoulder. It was the pilot.

“I know how you must feel about it!” he said. “But, I kinda reckon it was worth it!”