War Letters

North West Australia: Jul – Sep, 1943

9 July 1943, Brisbane; Telegram advising arrival

10 July 1943, Brisbane; Awaiting malaria test

11 July 1943, Brisbane; Socialising

12 July 1943, Brisbane; Reflections

13 July 1943, Darwin; Telegram advising arrival

14 July 1943, Darwin; First impressions of life amongst the press corps

15 July 1943, Darwin; 2/11 Australian Army Field Regimental Beach Carnival

17 July 1943, Darwin; Visiting camps down the road

18 July 1943, Darwin; Swimming, painting and a Japanese plane shot down

21 July 1943, Darwin; Bush races at a military camp down the road

23 July 1943, Darwin; Back to base and noisy correspondents

24 Jul 1943, Darwin; Material for Women’s Weekly, daily diet & journo’s gossip

27 Jul 1943, Adelaide River; Visited a transit camp and a field hospital

29 Jul 1943, Adelaide River; At a Field Hospital

31 Jul 1943, Adelaide River; Formal mess at the field hospital

31 Jul 1943, Darwin; Under dive bombing attack by a Mosquito squadron

2 Aug 1943, Darwin; Barber’s shop in a forward area

3 Aug 1943, Darwin; Reviewing the N.W. Navy

4 Aug 1943, Livingstone Airfield; Arrived at the Fighter strip

5 Aug 1943, Livingstone Airfield; With the boys of a Spitfire squadron

7 Aug 1943, Livingstone Airfield; Heading back to the Tap-house

10 Aug 1943, Darwin; Funeral service for two mercantile seamen

11 Aug 1943, Darwin; Pushing off to another camp

12 Aug 1943, Coomalie Creek; With the boys of a Beaufighter squadron

13 Aug 1943, Manton Dam; Inspecting Darwin’s water supply

14 Aug 1943, Livingstone Airfield; Jap air raid interrupts the party

16 Aug 1943, Fenton Airfield; With the USAAF 380th Bombardment Group

17 Aug 1943, Darwin; Back at the Correspondents’ Mess

18 Aug 1943, Darwin; Still mooning about the house

19 Aug 1943, Darwin; Death before dishonour!!

24 Aug 1943, Darwin; 10th Wedding anniversary

25 Aug 1943, Darwin; Heading off to a cattle station, ‘Humpty Doo’

27 Aug 1943, Darwin; Back (home) from Humpty Doo

29 Aug 1943, Darwin; Back (home) again

1 Sep 1943, Brisbane; Arriving home Friday 3rd at dawn

New Guinea: Jan – Feb 1944

9 Jan 1944, Sydney; If anything should happen to me…

15 Jan 1944, Brisbane; Sitting around waiting

18 Jan 1944, Townsville; Lousy with troops

19 Jan 1944, Port Moresby

20 Jan 1944, Port Moresby

22 Jan 1944, Finschhafen; Barge off Fortification Point

24-25 Jan 1944, Finschhafen; Barge to Sio

26 Jan 1944, Finschhafen; Scarlett Beach, snug as a bug

27 Jan 1944, Finschhafen; Scarlett Beach, Casualty Clearing Station

28 Jan 1944, Finschhafen; Scarlett Beach, on the nose

29 Jan 1944, Finschhafen; Field hospital

1-2 Feb 1944, Guy’s Post & Shaggy Ridge

7 Feb 1944, Port Moresby; Picnic at Rouna Falls

10 Feb 1944, Townsville; killing time waiting

Morotai: Jan – Feb 1945

20 Jan 1945, Hollandia; Met cousin Ilma’s husband

21 Jan 1945, Hollandia; In transit at a US Air Force Camp

22 Jan 1945, Morotai; Ran into Chips Rafferty

24-26 Jan 1945, Morotai; Beer Issue Day

27-28 Jan 1945, Morotai; Enjoying a cuppa

29 Jan 1945, Morotai; To Daeo Village by Army Duck

31 Jan 1945, Noemfoor; Am languishing for want of transport

1 Feb 1945, Noemfoor; Not a plane in sight

Borneo: Jul – Aug, 1945

25 June 1945, Sydney; Request for permission to travel

13 July 1945, Brisbane; Killing time waiting for air transport

15 July 1945, Townsville; Departing for New Guinea

17 July 1945, Morotai; The trip from Townsville and other socialite gossip

19 July 1945, Labuan; Morotai to Labuan via transport plane

22 July 1945, Labuan; Wet & cold, hot & dry, Victoria Town in ruins

24 July 1945, Brunei; Afternoon tea with the local villagers

26 July 1945, Seria; Oil wells set on fire during Japanese evacuation

28 Jul – 2 Aug 1945, Limbang & Labuan; Visit to a Dyak village

3 Aug 1945, Weston; Jeep train to Beaufort

4-6 Aug 1945, Beaufort; An overnight visit to Papar

10-11 Aug 1945, Labuan; Peace rumours & concerns about getting home

15 Aug 1945, Morotai; Peace is officially declared

16 Aug 1945, Morotai; Draft copy for Women’s Weekly story

17 Aug 1945, Morotai; Overnight stop in Zamboanga, The Phillipines

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