Tag: Alice Hodgkinson

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War Letters – New Guinea: 27 Jan 1944, Finschhafen; Scarlet Beach and an afternoon swim

W.E. Pidgeon
C/O P.R. Unit
N. G. Forces
Moresby

Thurs 27th Jan [1944]

Darling,

Am writing by a 1 candle power lamp which as the mood suits the letter may be changed to cast either red, green or white light.  Green is the color called for but unfortunately its illuminative qualities are quite on the blink.

Red is not helpful.

Roy H is under his mosquito net growling about things in general and about the job he is on in particular.  He has to reconstruct a beach landing made here a couple of months ago. Not the best of jobs in the world with the extremely limited facilities available.  He has just yelled out his regards to you.  Alice comes in for a lit of cracks – appears she had all sorts of affairs.  Roy laughs a lot about it all.  Says she is stinking to the girl he now takes out.

Today is about the first time I have felt human since I arrived.  Possibly because I have done a bit of modest work and am settled down for a few days.  Am going round to the Casualty Clearing Station to see if there is anything of interest for the Weekly.  Should be because the nurses there are closer to the front lines than any others.  Did I tell you I travelled from Moresby in the plane with them?  Fifteen there were, and no beauties amongst them.  After that off to the Ramu Valley.

Sketch study for ‘Barges and Swimmers’ depicting Australian troops sun bathing and swimming off two wrecked Japanese barges at Scarlet Beach near Finschhafen, New Guinea

We had a swim this afternoon – it was delightful.  Crystal water – cool, refreshing.  Bombers going Japwards overhead.  Lots of lads in the water & on the beach. We’re getting pretty sick of the sight of bare bums & privates.

Barges and Swimmers – Depicting Australian troops sun bathing and swimming off two wrecked Japanese barges at Scarlet Beach near Finschhafen, New Guinea
Censorship Pass Expires 2/12/43.
Passed by Operational Censor.
Photo No. 16063. Issued by Department of Information, Commonwealth of Australia.
New Guinea. Finschhafen Area. 37 dead Japanese were counted in these two wrecked barges at Scarlet Beach.

Friday morning [28 Jan 1944]

Disaster overtook this letter last night.  Roy had borrowed this lamp I spoke of above from the Signallers – they implored him to look after it.  At the above stage of my letter the bloody thing caught fire & I couldn’t for the life of me blow it out.  All my puffing & blowing served to feed the flames turning the whole gazaboo into the finest of blow lamps.  The solder melted reflector and handle fell off – flaming kerosene spilled on Roy’s drawing board – he was in a panic for his work – I was busy shovelling sand (rather mud) over the blaze.

The lamps was a sorry sight.  We laughed ourselves sick.  Must have done me good for I slept till 6am.

Lots of love darling – Taking it easy?

Bill.

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War Letters – New Guinea: 20 Jan 1944, Port Moresby; Catching up with colleagues

Public Relations
Field Unit
HDQ
N.G. Force

20th Jan 44

Darling,

I am trying to write this in the correspondents dormitory.1Colloquially known as St Percy’s Seminary by the correspondents, it was situated at Headquarters, New Guinea Force in Four Mile Valley on the main road to Port Moresby – See FOUR MILE VALLEY, PAPUA, NEW GUINEA. 1944-01-02. A VIEW OF THE MAIN PORT MORESBY ROAD AT FOUR …. (2024, January 19). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C54321  Three or 4 of them lie about spine bashing – Others reminisce of their experiences in the area.  It is about 4.30 pm & it is still hot – albeit not so bad as Townsville where on Tuesday the water out of the taps (when one was allowed to use them) was 92º.

Left about 6 in the morning & we here for lunch.  It’s quite a treat to see land after flying over the sea for a couple of hours.  There were lots of clouds about & occasionally you could get glimpses of the barrier reef below – not that its much to see from the air.  Circled the town & landed amongst hills very little different from those down south.  The foliage & earth are much the same colour as that around Darwin.  However it is a picturesque spot as the mountains run fairly close to the sea & are an ominous blue under the clouds.  Long long off above the clouds can be see peaks jutting through – I guess they must be plenty high!

Tried to ring Tommy2Frederick Thomas O’Dea was the former General Manager of Guinea Airways and life-long close friend of Wep’s. At the beginning of the war he joined the RAAF and flew in an out of remote areas in New Guinea with supplies but following a severe crash he was unable to fly again and transfrred to the RAN where with the rank of Lieutenant became a Naval Coastwatcher in New Guinea.3WABAG, NEW GUINEA. NATIVES SURROUND THE FIRST AEROPLANE TO LAND AT WABAG WITH SUPPLIES FOR THE …. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C2557734Myola 2, Papua, 1942-10-22. A crowd of Australian soldiers gathers around a Ford tri-motor …. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C3190565LAE, NEW GUINEA. 1944-06-02. VX65671 MAJOR J.T. TAYLOR, OFFICER- IN- CHARGE, NORTHERN ECHELON, …. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C64803 but they said they hadn’t heard of him so I suppose he has not arrived yet.  I would have rung him in Brisbane but didn’t.

I don’t know that there is much I can tell you about this place without infringing security regulations.  Letters take some time to get down to you from here & God knows how long from other areas.  If you do not hear from me for a while don’t worry because it will be purely a matter of mail difficulties.  I ……[torn]…….. will not be writing much under …………………….. I shan’t be able to get many ………[torn]………………d… 10 days so don’t bother ………[torn]………… feel like it.

Am leaving here tomorrow for more important spots.  Have been issued with jungle green clothing – that beautiful aspidistra leaf trembling in the breeze over there will be me.  I don’t feel like doing anything here – even writing – it’s such a dead end.  When I move off I shall probably be too tired to send much.

There were 2 correspondents here who were at Darwin.  Caught up again with Trotter  yesterday but he moved out today.  Bill Dargie official war artist6Captain William Dargie. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P65046 called in on me yesterday & we passed the time of day.  Roy Hodgkinson7Captain Roy Cecil Hodgkinson. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P65080 called this morning & I lunched with him at his mess up the road a bit.  He and Alice are divorced.  She is about to marry the Yank corpl (?)  Roy seems quite happy about it all.

Saw a native sing song which was turned on for Stella Wilson8Austral Groves Wilson. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austral_Groves_Wilson9New Guinea. Private M. Daly of Bendigo, Vic, offers Miss Strella Wilson a mug of Army tea after …. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C238355 who is up here at the moment.  It was interesting enough but somewhat scrappy around the edges.  Not the real McCoy.  Hardly get the best effect when the music consists of a boong banging a bucket with sticks and another playing a drum like the one we have at home.

Am going tonight with the rest of the gang to hear the final concert from Stella Wilson and Edwin Styles.10Edwin Styles. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Styles

Reg Harris who used to work in the office11Reg Harris was also a fomer Smith’s Weekly journalist and later press secretary to several Federal Ministers. has just stuck his head around the door & sends his regards to you & Petrovs12Geoff and Molly Turton, etc.  You probably don’t remember him but what the hell!  He is not a reporter.  Has just returned from Shaggy Ridge after months of front line fighting.  He very decently gave me aluminium mess tins to save on weight.  Said you  can buy him a drink when he gets back.

Later

I’ve had a rest – a shower – a shave, etc. Tea – & the rest.

All are getting ready for the show so bye-bye for the present dear.  Hope you are well and are being careful with Junior.  Not too much work – grog – travel – and contemplation.

Lots of love, darling,
Bill

Notes:

  • 1
    Colloquially known as St Percy’s Seminary by the correspondents, it was situated at Headquarters, New Guinea Force in Four Mile Valley on the main road to Port Moresby – See FOUR MILE VALLEY, PAPUA, NEW GUINEA. 1944-01-02. A VIEW OF THE MAIN PORT MORESBY ROAD AT FOUR …. (2024, January 19). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C54321
  • 2
    Frederick Thomas O’Dea was the former General Manager of Guinea Airways and life-long close friend of Wep’s. At the beginning of the war he joined the RAAF and flew in an out of remote areas in New Guinea with supplies but following a severe crash he was unable to fly again and transfrred to the RAN where with the rank of Lieutenant became a Naval Coastwatcher in New Guinea.
  • 3
    WABAG, NEW GUINEA. NATIVES SURROUND THE FIRST AEROPLANE TO LAND AT WABAG WITH SUPPLIES FOR THE …. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C255773
  • 4
    Myola 2, Papua, 1942-10-22. A crowd of Australian soldiers gathers around a Ford tri-motor …. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C319056
  • 5
    LAE, NEW GUINEA. 1944-06-02. VX65671 MAJOR J.T. TAYLOR, OFFICER- IN- CHARGE, NORTHERN ECHELON, …. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C64803
  • 6
    Captain William Dargie. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P65046
  • 7
    Captain Roy Cecil Hodgkinson. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P65080
  • 8
    Austral Groves Wilson. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austral_Groves_Wilson
  • 9
    New Guinea. Private M. Daly of Bendigo, Vic, offers Miss Strella Wilson a mug of Army tea after …. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C238355
  • 10
    Edwin Styles. (2024, January 16). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Styles
  • 11
    Reg Harris was also a fomer Smith’s Weekly journalist and later press secretary to several Federal Ministers.
  • 12
    Geoff and Molly Turton
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