Sir Daniel Leahy: Gordon Dick
I am grateful to Bob Curtis for his contribution on Sir Danny Leahy in the March 2009 Una Voce and feel I would like to add a little about Danny’s life and status and...
Category: People & Places
Richard “Dickie” Squires: Philip Selth
Richard (Dickie) Thomas Squires was born in London on 10 February 1893. He was educated at the Elementary County School, London, until fourteen years of age. On 7 January 1910 Squires enlisted in the...
Jimi River memories: Peter Skinner
Tabibuga in the Jimi River was one of the more far-flung patrol posts in Western Highlands District while my father Ian Skinner was DC during the mid-to-late 1950s and, while most of the time...
The eruption of Mount Lamington, 21 January 1951: Marjorie Kleckham
Witnessed and written by Marjorie Surtees Kleckham, wife of the district agricultural officer Fred Kleckham At the time Marjorie and Fred Kleckham were living at the Popondetta Agricultural Station. They had three children Fred...
Independence Day in Wewak: Charles Betteridge
The following is taken from my personal notes I wrote up just four days after PNG’s lndependence celebrations in 1975 at Wewak. It is Saturday afternoon 20 September 1975, and as I sit on...
Luluai*: Adrian Geyle
(Published in Una Voce, September 1998, page 14) Adrian Geyle was CPO for two years at Lake Murray, Kiunga, Gaima and Daru, Western District; PO OIC Green River, Sepik District; PO H/Q, Madang District....
Mount Lamington: Des Martin
On Sunday morning 21 January 1951, I was relaxing in the single men’s quarters Lae in what was then the Territory of Papua and New Guinea (TPNG). Actually I was posted to the Finschhafen...
Jimi River memories: Peter Skinner
Tabibuga in the Jimi River was one of the more far-flung patrol posts in Western Highlands District while my father Ian Skinner was DC during the mid-to-late 1950s and, while most of the time...
The Evennett family and Samari: Jeff Evennett
The name “Evennett” is familiar to anyone who has spent time in Samarai. Ernie Evennett’s forebears lived in Essex, England. Sometime around the middle of the 19th Century, three Evennett brothers migrated to Australia....
A tribute to Peter Figgis, MC: Patrick Lindsay
Patrick considered it ‘a great privilege’ to be asked to pay tribute to Peter Figgis’ remarkable wartime service at Peter’s funeral. He said: ‘I hope I can do justice to an extraordinary man’. The...
PNGAA 2009 Adelaide reunion: Graham Taylor and Jan Kleinig
The guest speaker at the annual Adelaide Reunion Luncheon, on Sunday 25 October 2009 at the Public Schools Club, was Peter Routley, Headmaster of Keravat Senior High School from 1975 to 1977. Guests were...
A thumbnail sketch of my past: Fred Holland
PNGAA member Claire Inchbold has kindly provided a memoir of life in New Guinea prepared by her father, Fred Holland. As it was not intended for publication, she has requested that access be restricted...
C.O. (Bill) Harry: Frazer Harry
Bill led an extremely interesting and varied life in both PNG and Australia. He died in Melbourne, after several months of ill health, on 4 January 2011, aged 94. Bill started life in a...
Gwen Dyer: Barry Dangerfield
From the Eulogy delivered by Rev. Barry Dangerfield on behalf of the family Gwen married Keith Dyer in 1948 and they sailed to Taskul, New Hanover, Papua New Guinea, where he was the Patrol...
Some biographical notes on pre-war New Guinea administrative staff: Philip Selth
I am writing a biography of John Joseph ‘Mangrove’ Murphy (1914-1997), New Guinea Patrol Officer, Coastwatcher, POW, District Commissioner. As part of my research into John Murphy’s life, I am endeavouring to prepare brief...
