Territories TALK-TALK

With Tolala

Introducing more old-time cricket teams. I received the other day a group photo of Rabaul players of the 1932 period, which appears on this page.

IT was sent to me by Basil Challis, who “nitched” it from Bill Heinicke’s service station in Hackney, South Australia.

Incidentally, the Kavieng cricketers’ photo, published in April, was taken from the wall of a service station at Mullaway on the North Coast of NSW. It points to something, I suspect; what, exactly, I wouldn’t have a clue.

There are several well-known Rabaulites of Before pictured here: The first one in the back row. Jack Melksham, I don’t remember. The next is “Snow” Blakely, a happy soul as a rule, though in the photo he looks as though someone had pinched his beer. “Snow” is still in NG, in Goroka. (And I remember he had a sister. Dot, who was a very popular lass around town).

Next is Vic Pennefather; not at all a good likeness. Vic did as much for cricket during those early years as anyone—if not a bit more. He came to NG with the AM&NEF and was playing on Rabaul grounds in 1915.

Now he lives out on Sydney’s North Shore; he is a Boer war veteran and his health is not too good.

Educationist “Artie” Schmidt is next in the back row; an outstanding athlete in many ways and always as fit as a fiddle. The Japs caught up with him in Rabaul in 1942 and he went down with the Montevideo Maru.

Comes then Monte Phillips, who at this time (1932) was a Judge of the Supreme Court of TNG, but a great supporter of cricket and tennis, and he was a team member; despite his gamey leg he would often refuse a “runner” when batting.

“Abie” Abrahams stands next; another ardent sportsman of those days. I think “Abie” was top-seeded tennis player then. He was Rabaul’s Postmaster, with a delightful person ality. I saw him last in Canberra a few years ago.

And then we have “Josh” (G.C.) Holmes again! (He was in the Kavieng team, d’you remember?) . . .

Next to “Josh” is the famous Alf

Koskey. Everyone knew him as an interesting personality and inclined at times to act the clown. He had an individualistic routine when at the crease. Just before the bowler was taking his run Alf would spit on the fingers of his right hand, wipe them on the seat of his pants, grab his bat and then be ready for all emergencies.

Of those seated, the first one, Adrian Steele, I cannot recall. Next to him is that delightful cove. Jack Talmage. I knew Jack for many years: Board, Big Firms’ plantation man, then came War II and Jack was on his own property on Tabar Island, off the New Ireland east coast, when the Japs came in. He was executed about the same time as young Con Page.

Seated next to Jack is the inimit able Bill Heinicke who, during the thirties in Rabaul was the lad of the village; the town’s playboy. Never theless he was prepared to get down to hard work and roll up his sleeves when occasion demanded, as it did at the end of May, 1937, when Vulcan erupted and afterwards the cleaning up job of Rabaul presented a problem. Bill collected an MBE for his good work.

But Bill’s proudest moment, I

believe, was the day as Compan sergeant major he led the first Ne Guinea contingent on the marc through Rabaul to the main wharf fc embarkation. He ended the war as major; the crown shifted from his an to his shoulder.

Comes Bill Browne, can’t reca him; the one alongside him is Bas Challis, known to me for many year as an excellent all-round sport man, musician and a courteoi Administration official; he lives i retirement in South Australia. Next tl

Back in Rabaul these days is Mr. Arth[?] Collins, an old Territorian, well-known fore the war. He first went to Rabaul 1921 with the New Guinea administrate and later was in partnership in Peadc and Collins Garage, Rabaul. From 1936 1948 he was with Mandated Airlines. wife is with him in Rabaul—all the children now being married. They ha[?] eight grandchildren.—Photo: Chin H. Mee[?]

The Rabaul cricket team of 1932. "Tolala" recalls the personalities this month.

im is J. Griffiths. The name rings bell, but the penny does not drop.

Dne’s memory does not improve ith age). Griffiths was with the lelanesian Coy, I believe.

Hey Pass Away

[IHE heaviest cross one has to bear L as one grows older is to hear ord of the passing of good friends ho, 30, 40 years ago, were your lily companions and, like oneself ien, had become merged in the local ittern of things.

Two such companions passed away recent months. Henry Ludlow owning and Rudolph Roy Bieske, >th in the Administration service Rabaul during the late twenties.

I first came in contact with Harry owning about 1926 when he re rned with Dr. Cilento (later Sir aphael) from a medical patrol rough the Highlands country of ew Guinea. It was the first govern ent patrol up that way and Harry, :ing an expert photographer as well a lik-lik doctor, had some startling lotographs of these Highlands itives, their houses, their head esses and the rugged country.

The patrol went almost unnoticed sofar as southern publicity was ►ncerned. The Rabaul Times ran a oop of which the outside world ►uldn’t care less. (Be it noted that was not born then). Shortly ter Harry transferred to District srvices. Came the war and Harry as detailed to the Social Services ction of Department of Territories Sydney; a task requiring sympathy, ct and personal knowledge to ovide information to the constant ream of enquirers (mostly women) om New Guinea, and, what was lore important, the sustenance to ;ep them going.

Harry was courtesy personified. As ae woman told me in relating those ;nse years of waiting, “Harry ►owning is the most civil servant ve ever met”.

Roy Bieske did not make the public antacts that Harry did in Rabaul r later in Sydney. For many years e was acting as Registrar of the Central Court, Rabaul, and outside f office hours he wielded an expert □e on the billard table. In the venties there were three top players: Bully” Hayes, the solicitor; Orton ownsend, the Government Treasurer, nd Roy Bieske.

Joining the Army in 1940 he for four years, received his ommission and was later discharged icdically unfit. As a member of le Repatriation Department later

he came in touch with many a Ter ritorian. He retired in 1957.

Roy was a sick man for some years and following an attack of bronchitis in May he had a relapse and died on June 20. He was married to Sister Harvey, of Namanula, who survives him.

A Word From

"Josh" Holmes

IT’S good to see that the old-timers are critical as ever; and not the least of them old “Josh” Holmes, pruning the roses and training the honeysuckle down in Dorset, England.

Says he, after extravagant bouquets to certain people’s memories: “. . . However, with reference to the photograph of the Kavieng cricket team, given to you by Blue Allan,

may I respectfully point out that the names are as under: The first chappie was a member of the B.P. staff and not Harry Hugo. Unfortunately I cannot remember the chap’s name.

Harry Hugo is the one sitting at the feet of Con Page, Senior. Young Con Page is not in the photo at all. He very seldom played cricket and was more interested in boats.

“Outside of this one member all the members in the back row are correctly named. You are also correct in assuming that Ashby was the name of the first one sitting down. His Christian name was Stan.

“The lad with book and pencil is ‘Oigle’ Davidson, the European school-master. How well I remember him in the days when I was president of the Kavieng Parents and Citizens Association, petitioning the Govern ment for a school teacher for the white kiddies, and we had to guarantee a class of 15 to procure this privilege. I even sent my daughter Heather (now Mrs. Seale) back to school to make up the number. As she was six or seven inches taller than ‘Oigle’, I think in the end she ended up assisting ‘Oigle” as an assistant teacher!

“After ‘Oigle’ Davidson comes ‘Windy’ Hoffman, who was No. 2 to Jock Comerford at the Bank of NSW, and not Les Corbett. Les was never a resident of Kavieng. ‘Windy’s’ favourite song when in a jovial mood was always ‘Look at the Tombstones’.

“With reference to Blue Allan’s picture of Bulominski’s grave in which he states that ‘Leponkus’, the old Bagail luluai, is still alive. This

Harry Downing, photographed on his retirement in Sydney a few years ago.

is not so, as Bill Mossman and my self attended his cremation in 1938 or 1939. The Germans always called him ‘Laverkus’ but we people always called him Lepangkus or Lebangus.”

Thanks a lot, Josh. Let’s hear from you about the Rabaul cricketers. It would seem that London’s fogs or smogs have done nothing to dim that memory on the events that registered in New Guinea in the days before racial discrimination was even men tioned; far less practised. May long, leisurely years in retirement be yours, Josh.

Bits And Pieces

A NOTE from West Germany on members of the Hamburg New Guinea Club tells me that Kurt Kuhn, the last manager in the Colony of the Neu Guinea Kompagnie, has died. The big, two-storeyed bungalow, jp in the Rabaul Botanical Gardens, tvas named after him. Capt. Haug is m unhappy man with eye cataracts.

Hans Mannsfeld has been spending some time in hospital lately. But the veteran of them all, Herr Konsul Wahlen, is ticking over very well, lespite his 92 years.

Gone to his rest is “Tommy”

Fhompson, of the old Amalgamated Wireless staff in Rabaul back in the wenties. A good mixer and an efficient worker. He married Freda Dengate (Jack Allan, also of AWA, narried the sister Ruby) and they ived at Bargo (NSW) where Tommy ms spent a few sick years.

Alice Allen Innes, traveller and slands writer, sends me from Saigon if you please!) a copy of the Saigon Jaily News. Two differences (at east) I noticed from the usual daily lewspaper. In the right-hand top :omer there is the printed note: “Do lot buy this paper if corner is nissing”. On the corner: “Please tear iff this corner when you receive paper o prevent resale”. The other unique eature (to me, at any rate) was hat UN Secretary-General U. Thant vas referred to merely as Thant— io prefix.

Request From Ireland

rtfILLIAM C. HUSTON is president of the Londonderry (Ireland) > hilatelic Society and is engaged in ompiling a list of aerial flights to md from Papua and New Guinea rom the start, together with pilots’ lames and mails carried. Anyone villing to write to him and help him >n his way by sending news clippings >r photos of flights should address

him at 42 Northland Road, London derry, Ireland. He particularly wants information about Lionel Shoppee’s

early flights.

A Matter Of Headgear

IN the South Pacific Post. Port Moresby, of June 14 there is a good coverage on p. 3 of the UN Trusteeship Council debate in New York and special reference is made to the answers to questions put to John Guise and Mathias Toliman.

There is also a photo of John Guise wearing a fez and a broad smile. The broad smile is understandable; but the fez! Well, it appears somewhat provocative, to say the least, for the protege of two Anglican Bishops and coming from a country where, as yet. there are practically no followers of the Prophet, to be wearing Islamic headeear at a UN meeting. Perhaps his PR man has his blocks mixed.