Territories TALK-TALK
p. 63 · Read in the full issue
As I write this today, September 13, it is exactly 18 years since the morning in Ramale Valley when the Australian troops came striding down the pathway into the Roman Catholic Mission refuge camp and “took over” from our Japanese captors.
IN my little Black Book, from which the linen cover has long been separated by the moisture in Jap dug-outs, I find this entry; “On 13th abt. 10 a.m. Major Bates and company arr’d in Gully. Great jubilation. We left with them in p.m., I with Bates and Roberts; on road saw many hundreds big guns, machine guns, bombs, etc., lined up.
Drove via Vulcan to Rabaul. Called on Gen. Bather in town and had cold whiskey and water. Met US Flying Colonel and International News correspondent. To quarters on Namanula”.
It was a day never to be forgotten after having lived—existed is perhaps a better word—for three and a half years in the Japanese “boob”.
The jungle-green uniform of our own men as they descended into the Gully was a most glorious sight.
Charlie Bates, Alan Roberts, Fairfax-Ross, John Gilmore, Jr., and some others whom I do not recall at the moment were in our rescue squad, and if Bishop Scharmach ever laid down the red carpet for his visitors and turned on the best of his banana plonk it was then as we sat around the refectory table and, at long last, heard some reliable news of world events.
I remember I was sitting between Fairfax-Ross and Padre James Benson, from Gona. Someone started to relate the tragic happenings of the Gona Mission sisters. It was Padre Benson’s first intimation of their fate.
We heard of other tragedies; we heard of personal losses and world catastrophes; we heard of victories.
And we heard that Peace had come to stay.
September has been a red-letter month for both Papua and New Guinea. Dr. O. Finsch, representing the German Government, arrived in the Duke of York Group on Sep tember 26, 1884; British New Guinea was formally annexed by Sir William Macgregor on September 4, 1888; Australia landed troops at Kabakaul (New Britain) on September 11,