June 2022
PATRON: Major General B. W. (Hori) Howard AO MC ESM (Ret’d.)
Contents:
Anzac Day 2022
Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway, Sydney
Army Aviation article
Association activities
ANZAC DAY: BRISBANE 2022
President Don (left) leads our Banner (carried by Alec & Noel Wust) and marchers along Adelaide Street through the deluge. (Yes, it was that wet!)
AND then it rained even more heavily!
Special thanks to wives and family who tolerated the rain to applaud the Marchers and then joined us for a restaurant Lunch afterwards, organised by Greg Farr.
A wet but smart looking President Don Graham & Banner carrier, Alec Wust wearing the Slouch Hat of our late President Frank Wust (PIB & NGIB).
ANZAC DAY: SYDNEY 2022
ANZAC DAY SERVICE AT KOKODA TRACK MEMORIAL WALKWAY, SYDNEY
Association member, John Morris attended the recent Anzac Day Commemoration at the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway. He sent us information on this Service and reflections on his own brief experience on the Kokoda Track in 1971.
ANZAC DAY COMMEMORATION SERVICE
Sunday 24 April 2022 at 1030hrs
Sandwiched between a main A3 north-south arterial road and the mangrove shores of Brays Bay on the Parramatta River in inner Western Sydney, the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway is appropriately placed within three hundred metres of the Concord Repatriation Hospital, the initiator of this project. Now in its twenty sixth year of operation, the Walkway has increasingly served an expanding catchment area stretching far beyond Concord.
“The centre feature is the granite wall bearing photographic images of the Kokoda Campaign. Stretching over 800metres, 22 audio-visual stations along the Walkway, each describe a significant place or military engagement.” (KTMW website)
Prior to the hour- long service my wife Kathryn and I viewed the Ralph Honner Educational Centre that caters for visitors and school groups. A feature was the audio-visual multimedia technology ensuring visitors gain information about all aspects of the Kokoda Campaign. At the entrance to the building is attached a contoured map of the Track tracing the journey from Owers Corner across the rugged Owen Stanley Mountain range to the country’s northern shores.
Leaving the Education Centre, time allowed us to follow the Track and read a selection of the information bays that reflected the struggles experienced by the Australian soldiers and the support received from the local indigenous people.
Despite the area being surrounded by the local flora, specific attention has been paid by the KTMW Committee to re-creating a jungle setting comprising a variety of tropical vegetation. Tall palm trees provide an impenetrable canopy to restrict sunlight reaching the understory of plants that thrive in this damp environment. Whilst walking along the Track that crosses over a small continuous flowing creek, it was the distinctive tropical smells that reignited my memory back to the Kokoda Trail excursion that the four Goldie River Education Sergeants, Morris, Neil, Ogston and Zach, experienced in early 1971 when Captain Robertson, the OC of our section, inviting us to join him. The catalyst for the trip was a conversation the Captain engaged in with a recently appointed PI soldier at Goldie River who shared with the Captain the location of a WW11 25-pound artillery piece. (See AWM picture below with 25 pounder in background being maneuvered into place near Owers Corner.)
Our one-day trip commenced at Owers Corner just after dawn. Crossing the waist-deep Goldie River, we stopped at Uberi for our first glimpse of the layout of this tropical village. Waving goodbye to some of the residents, we looked ahead. It was straight up. With youthful enthusiasm we were about to test our determination against the rugged terrain. The twisting and turning challenged both our mental and physical capabilities as we climbed ever upwards encountering the muddy conditions that continued to slow our progress. We appreciated any stops to view the terrain, gather our breath and ensure that the leeches that had attached themselves to our clothes were dispatched by using the small ration pack salt satchels. Eventually Imita Ridge, our destination, was reached. With shirts saturated from a combination of body sweat and rain, we slumped on our packs appreciating the opportunity to cease this challenge – until the return trip.
While the Captain and his troops left the track and descended in search of the War relic, we took the opportunity to examine the dugouts used by the diggers in their attempts to halt the advancing Japanese army during 1942. Our conversations highlighted the treacherous and harsh conditions that the WW11 soldiers experienced. Constant rain, the lack of shelter, the buzzing of mosquitoes, the ongoing fear of succumbing to dysentery and other tropical diseases, constant attacks by the enemy and the troops endeavouring to exist on the limited food supplies were just a few of the challenges. Empty shell cartridges of .303 rounds were scattered amongst the remnants of their living quarters.
Whilst the return trip was all downhill until the re-crossing of the Goldie River, maintaining balance and a sure foot hold were constant concerns. Our eyes constantly searched for tree branches and some railings to limit our falls. Into the sunshine and the taste of the fresh 20c pineapples (that were purchased at Uberi and sliced up with a machete and divided amongst the party) will remain with me always.
With my mind trapped in the tropics, I felt a gentle nudge as Kathryn ushered me back towards the large marquee in preparation for the ANZAC Day service. We flicked through the booklet placed on the seats to ascertain the order of service. Mr. John Gatfield OAM introduced himself as the MC, an appropriate decision for two reasons. John has multimedia experience and his commitment to this Memorial is demonstrated by his book, ‘Their Spirit Lives On.’
Upon the arrival of the guest of honour the audience stood for the Vice Regal Salute to acknowledge the presence of the thirty-ninth Governor of NSW, the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC who presented the ANZAC Service address. The Governor provided a brief history of the war in the Pacific and the significant contribution of Australian and USA navy vessels and aircraft during the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. The sacrifices made by personnel attached to the three arms of allied forces were highlighted, especially the brave soldiers who fought on the Trail. In conclusion the Governor encouraged all present to take the time to walk the Track near by and read for themselves the courage displayed by Australian soldiers and the support provided by the local population.
Returning to her seat, the Governor witnessed with those in attendance an eight-minute black and white film of the Battle of the Coral Sea projected onto the large white screen situated at the rear of the stage. This pictorial representation graphically portrayed both air and sea battles. 2022 marks the 80th anniversary of both this sea battle and the Kokoda Campaign.
The Service continued with the sharing of prayers by the two Chaplains based at Concord Hospital, the wreath laying ceremony, The Ode, The Last Post and The Rouse. Prior to the Catafalque Party Dismount by soldiers from the 1MP Battalion at Holsworthy, students from the Strathfield North Public School Choir treated all present with a resounding rendition of both the New Zealand and Australian National Anthems. Of major significance to me, and no doubt others, was the ability of the well-trained students to sing the Kiwi anthem in both Māori as well as English, something that I had only witnessed at All Black rugby tests. This was one of the most poignant ANZAC Day services that we had experienced in recent years. The venue represented a true living memorial of the spirit displayed by all service men and women in the various theatres of war. The involvement from both young families and older generations across a number of multi-cultural communities based in this location was apparent. The Kokoda Track Memorial Walk Committee must be commended for their continual development and maintenance of this impressive reminder of Australia’s sacrifice during Wartime. It is well worth a visit.
ANZAC DAY: LAE, PNG, 2022
Army Aviation in PNG during the early 1960s
by Lt Col C. T. Barnett (Retd)
[OC, 183 (Indep.) Recce Flight, late 1969 – late 1971]
Army Need for Aviation Support in TPNG
While the Navy maintained a small base at Manus Island and the Air Force made training and supply visits to and through PNG usually by single aircraft, the Army had a more significant presence. In 1951 the Pacific Islands Regiment (PIR) was raised at Taurama Barracks just outside Port Moresby and redesignated 1st Battalion on 1st September 1963 (1 PIR). Many indigenous soldiers had seen service in the four infantry units formed during WW 2. A second battalion 2 PIR was formed at Wewak on 11 March 1965.
These battalions played a significant role in patrolling remote areas of PNG requiring a significant amount of air and aviation support. This was provided by commercial civil aviation and air force from time to time. Patrols would cover areas from rugged mountain ranges over 10,000ft and impenetrable coastal swamps of mangrove or sac sac, often the habitat of crocodiles and always abounding with mosquitoes and other insects.
PNG has a rich history of development by mining companies before WW2 and this emerged again after WW2, remote areas being made more accessible by the helicopter. In 1937 and 1938 more air freight was flown in PNG than the rest of the world combined, mainly due to lack of roads and bridges to access potential mine sites.
Pre 1964 Detachments
Prior to 1964 there had been visits to PNG to:
- Search for Michael Rockefeller In November 1961, 23-year-old Michael Rockefeller, son of Nelson Rockefeller (New York Governor 1959-73), was exploring the Asmat area on the Casuarina Coast, West of Merauke, following an anthropological expedition in the Baliem Valley. His boat overturned at night at the entrance to Eilanden River. He was last seen the following morning, swimming for the shore clutching an empty water jerry can, by his colleague René Wassing, an anthropologist. Governor Rockefeller made a personal request to Prime Minister R. G. Menzies to assist in the search. A detachment of two Sioux helicopters, VH-FVS on loan from Mr Frank Sharpe of Bell Helicopters (Australia) and flown by Sqn Ldr “Tubby” McLaughlin and Lt Tony Hammett and A1-660 flown by Lt Dick Knight and Lt John Ross were despatched by C130 to Pirimapoen a tiny outpost 180 nm from Merauke. They were maintained by Sgt Lloyd Larney, Cpl Roy Bowman and LAC Tony Cosby. Michael Rockefeller was never found.
- Cholera epidemic on the South Coast of West Papua in 1962 In November/December 1962 following an outbreak of cholera in West Papua two Sioux (A1-672 and A1-721) and Captains David Chinn, Dick Knight and Norm Hansen and Lieutenant Jim Campbell were deployed by C130 to assist the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority to fight this epidemic. They were maintained by Warrant Officer Lance Pickering, Sergeant Madison, and Leading Aircraftmen Dodds, Johnson and Halliday. An ex-RAN pilot flew a commercial light aircraft as top cover for safety purposes.
- C130 deployment of Cessna and Sioux to Wewak in 1962 On 24 Feb 1962 a C130 laden (pregnant) with one Cessna 180 and one Sioux landed at Wewak to unload (give birth) to the aircraft for a demonstration to PIR. They were flown by Major Alf Argent and Captain Paul Lipscombe. Indigenous observers noted that “the big bird had two fine chicks”. The aircraft were reloaded on the C130 departing on 4 Mar 1962.
Detachment 1964 to 1965
With the expansion of Army operations in PNG the bill for hiring civil aircraft grew exponentially. One solution to relieve this financial pressure was to base Air Force transport aircraft and Army reconnaissance aircraft in PNG. The Army expansion involved increasing PIR from one battalion to three and raising a headquarters, recruit and officer training units and support elements of the PNGDF in preparation for independence. In addition to the expansion “Konfrontasi” with Indonesia required patrolling the West Irian border and positioning of personnel in administrative posts to monitor movement of indigenous people across the border into PNG. The expansion also demanded a widening of the recruiting base to ensure the PNGDF would truly represent an opportunity for members of all tribal groups to serve their nation. Visiting these outlying areas required significant use of light aircraft by recruiting officers over extended periods.
On 3 Feb 1964 Army Green Section, a detachment of four aircraft from the 16 Army Light Aircraft Squadron comprising six pilots, an Operations Sergeant, plus an All-Trades Sergeant and led by Captain Phil Calvert flew to PNG and operated for six weeks and 100 hours per aircraft to assess the usefulness of the Cessna 180 for tasks in PNG.
Reports were favourable but resources were not available until 1965 when Captain Charlie Barnett led a permanent detachment of two Cessna 180 to operate from Jackson Field, Port Moresby. Aircraft returned to RAAF Amberley for ‘D’ Servicing (100 hourly). The detachment made two trips to Port Moresby in the interim.
- 11 Jan to 10 Feb 1965 led by Barnett, Lieutenant R F (Bob) Smith, and 2nd Lieutenants Bernie Forrest and Don Crompton with Leading Aircraftman Black as All Trades fitter in A98 043 and A98 336 (Old Faithful).
- 1 Apr to 7 May 1965 led by Barnett, Smith and Crompton with Lieutenant Barry Donald and Leading Aircraftman Charlie Kranenburg as All Trades fitter.
By design both these detachments were used to take the Recruiting Team under Major Doug Bower MBE to the Sepik, Western, Southern Highlands and Western Highlands Districts and to familiarise PNGVR officers with visits to Platoon locations in the Western part of PNG. This gave good support and allowed time to train pilots in those areas while the staff officers were carrying out recruiting or liaison. Very little support was provided to PIR during these two detachments.
Permanent Detachment June 1965 and the General Staff Instruction 12/65
While the next detachment was being planned Army Headquarters General Staff Instruction 11/65 signed 4 Jun 1965 (for Major General F. G. Hassett, Deputy Chief of the General Staff) was issued. It authorised:
- two aircraft to be based in PNG and rotated each twelve months for major servicing (‘E’ Service at 1200 hours). ‘D’ Service to be done in situ by a team positioned from RAAF Amberley.
- Pilots to be rotated each two months and RAAF maintenance personnel not less than one month.
- The detachment was to be located at Wewak. All contingencies were covered including “under command of HQ PNG Command for all purposes except:
- Flying Safety
- Aircraft Servicing”
- “Personal weapons are to be carried by members.”
- payment of allowances and notification of movement of officers to Military Secretary.
This in turn led to HQ PNG Command GS Instruction 12/65 signed 28 Jun 1965 detailing how the detachment would operate in PNG Command and how to request support. An example of a “Hawkeye’ from PACINF MOEM to MILCOMMAND PORT MORESBY was attached.
As it transpired most of it worked out that way except that Wewak was not a good choice from a logistic perspective. The Instruction stated: – “Initially, the detachment is to be based at Port Moresby.” The detachment commander was given broad powers to authorise flights. Both instructions directed “Aircraft Operations are to be conducted in accordance with:
(a) 16 Army Lt Ac Sqn Standard Operating Procedures Section 10;
(b) Independent Flight Standing Orders for Battle (Provisional) as amended; and
(c) 16 Army Lt Ac Sqn Flying Orders, where applicable.”
In fact, we were already there!
The aircraft were based at Jackson Field, Port Moresby and in the best Australian tradition scrounged pretty much everything they needed from hangar space to carry out servicing, to a vehicle to get to and from the airfield for the multitude of tasks from servicing to flight planning to passenger carriage to domestic tasks to you name it. The “Office” was at Murray Barracks.
How it happened: Army Aviation abroad and first departure
On Friday 18Jun 1965 at 0910 hours A98-063 and A98 146 led by Barnett with Lt Smith and 2nd Lts Colin Scott and John Wright and Sergeant ‘Snow’ Marr departed 16 Army Lt Ac Sqn at RAAF Amberley, the first to fly the nest on a permanent basis. They were soon to be followed in the first migration of Army Aviation in support of forces in South Vietnam and Malaysia and permanent relocations to support brigades in Holsworthy and Townsville, just like children in a family being “married off”.
The journey was via Rockhampton for refuel and to RAAF Garbutt at Townsville where they spent the night. On Saturday after refuels at Cooktown and Horn Island they arrived to spend the night at the Daru “Hilton”. This was an introduction to night life in PNG with a party at the pub and plenty of mosquitoes to test the Army issue nets in the hotel room. An acute observer could notice the relationship between the expatriate community and the local Kiwai people of the Fly River. At 0830 they departed and flew coastal to Port Moresby where they were met by Captain Mick Peters the Intelligence Officer (IO) of HQ PNG Comd. After lunch Smith and Crompton were briefed to support a PIR patrol based at Morehead in the Western District. The next morning Marr performed an ‘A’ Service on A98-063 and they all departed in A98-146. For the next two years, fixed wing support was provided to all units in all areas of PNG.
Two more Detachment Commanders were appointed, Bob Smith and Neville Pinkham. The experience of pilots familiarised with the demanding weather, terrain, airfields and mission strips, poor maps and a paucity of navigation aids in supporting units in PNG Command provided a base for deployment of 183 (Indep) Recce Flt to Igam Barracks, Lae in late 1968.
In mid-1966 Capt Barnett was posted to 67 Ground Liaison Section at Vang Tau as GSO 3 to assist his boss SO2 & OC, Maj Brian Cooper, a Huey qualified instructor, in mending relations between Army and Air Force, in particular 9 Squadron.
ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES:
(1) On 29 May 2022, the Assn highlighted the pioneering work of Ian Ogston with the presentation by President Donald Graham of our highest award, Honorary Life Membership.
(2) Future Events
- The Assn AGM will be at the Geebung-Zillmere RSL Club, Brisbane on 24 July at 1pm. The AGM is open to all Members and Partners and, as well as the annual elections, there will be discussions on current and future projects. We will mark the 80th Anniversary of the Kokoda Campaign including the historic ambush, by a PIB patrol, of the Japanese Army on 23 July 1942. We hope you can join us for Lunch in the RSL Bistro at 12 noon, then the AGM.
- We have all been invited to the annual Kokoda Service at the Kokoda Memorial Wall at Broadbeach, Gold Coast. For us, the highlights of this 80th Anniversary event will be:
– Sunday 7th August, Informal Dinner for Assn Members & Partners from 5.30pm
– Monday 8th August, Kokoda Commemoration Service with music at 10.30am
Refreshments and socializing at a local Club will follow the Service.
Editor: Ian Ogston (ozoggies2@gmail.com)