Friendship and respect reciprocated!
Father Raymond Quirk, or “Pata” as he was widely known, was a member of the Catholic Franciscan Order of Monks. (Order of Friars Minor) He was a long serving missionary at a mission station located close to where a PIR Company outstation was
later established at Vanimo on the north coast of Papua New Guinea in 1952. He and the other priests from the mission provided religious support to the Catholics of the PIR companies which rotated every six months. He quickly endeared himself to all he met and enjoyed working with the PIR.
In 1956, he was appointed as a CMF Chaplain and until 1959, continued to support the PIR companies at Vanimo. In 1959 he was transferred to the Regular Army and posted to Port Moresby to become a full-time chaplain to the Murray Barracks area and PIR. He took up residence at Taurama Barracks with the Pacific Islands Regiment and quickly established himself as an invaluable member of the Battalion. In addition to his religious duties, he became the main advisor to successive Commanding Officers on Papua New Guinean culture and customs and the instructor in ‘pigin’ for new officers and NCOs. He was possessed of a wicked sense of humour and a love of poker and horse racing and was a favourite with officers, soldiers and families alike, regardless of their religion. He paid particular attention to the younger officers who he always described as “dewey eyed”.
In 1963 he was instrumental in the formation of a PIR Association for the officers and NCOs who had departed. He was the author of the excellent newsletters which kept those who had moved on to other postings advised of goings on within the PIR.
He remained in the Pacific Island Regiment until 1967 when he assumed duty as Chaplain to the newly formed Papua New Guinea Command. He moved to Murray Barracks and lived in a Papua New Guinean married quarter rather than the Officers’ Mess so that he could be closer to the families of the soldiers. One of his more unusual habits was to boil eggs in an electric jug. He couldn’t understand why his jugs kept failing until ‘Trixie’ Lange (Col Lange’s wife) gave him a small saucepan as he didn’t have one. Problem solved!
‘Pata’ Ray retired in 1976 and returned to Australia. He passed away on 14 February 1989. There is no doubt that he was a legend within the Pacific Islands Regiment and will always be remembered by those who served there.
Father Ray came from Elsternwick in Victoria and was ordained in 1943. Within a short time he was in the first group of seven Australian Franciscans sent in 1946 to establish mission stations in PNG. ‘Dewey–eyed, confident and knowing all the answers’ – as he later described it – he and a companion were landed at Vanimo Beach a few miles from the Irian Jaya Northern border.
The ship’s Captain exercised a macabre sense of humour by sounding the ‘Last Post’ as he left the two young missionaries on the beach in the rain. The wheatmeal they had with them for basic rations swelled in the rain and burst from its packets and the bully beef was gone in a matter of weeks. A year was to pass before the two men were resupplied. They found grenades left behind by WWII soldiers and used them for explosives to bomb fish for food.
Father Ray stayed in the Vanimo area for 15 years, helping establish a church, a hospital and a school and exploring inland to widen his parish. He learned the local language from his school children. Government patrol officers helped where they could, however they were also poorly supplied and had many problems of their own to solve.
Vanimo became a border detachment post for the PIR in the early 1950’s. Father Ray joined the CMF in 1956 as chaplain and supported the PIR Companies in Vanimo. In 1959, thirteen years after he landed at Vanimo Beach, Father Ray enlisted in the Australian Army at the direction of the church so that he could join the Pacific Islands Regiment as a chaplain.
He then spent 17 years based at Port Moresby establishments where he became one of the Australian Officers remaining on secondment having twice extended his Defence Force appointment after passing the compulsory retirement age for Chaplains. Father Ray retired as Senior Chaplain, with the rank of Major in 1976 and returned to Australia after a love affair with Papua New Guinea lasting approximately 30 years.
It was said that he was weather-beaten, balding, prone to smoke too much and a great teller of stories. “I’m 116 years old,” he told a Sunday School class in Port Moresby, referring to the gentle boast of some Australians that one year in PNG is equivalent to two years anywhere else. There is no doubt that his first ten years spent in harsh conditions and living for long periods on sago and fish took its toll.
His love and respect for the Papua New Guinea people was always evident. This was reciprocated by all who knew him.
A great life – well lived!
Editorial Postscript:
On 17 February 1988, a Solemn Pontifical Concelebrated Mass was offered at St Francis of Assisi Church, Paddington NSW, for the soul of Father Ray Quirk. The Mass was said by Bishop Brian Barnes of Aitape (ex Chaplain RP&NGC) together with a number of other Bishops and many priests. The army was well represented, including some four Major-Generals. Also present were many of his friends. The Eulogy was delivered by Major-General Jim Norrie.
Compiled by Kev Horton from information, photos and also segments of ‘Post Courier’ articles saved by Col Ron Lange AM MID with input from Maj Gen ‘Hori’ Howard.