Hotel Hunters Hill Archives

February 10, 2024January 19, 2024

War Letters – New Guinea: 10 Feb 1944, Townsville; Killing time waiting

W.E. Pidgeon
C/o P.R. Unit
7 Murray St.
Stanton Hill
Townsville

Thurs. 10^th[10 February 1944]

Darling,

As you can see by the letter head I am back on the mainland, killing time while I wait for transport up to Cairns.¹ In all probability I shall be home in a week’s time. Have a nice steak in the house – and a cold bottle of course.

Will you please send me a page, or about 20 clothing coupons. Do not send the book as the Officer’s shop will accept loose coupons. I want to buy a pair of shoes they are very good and only 25/-. Post them as soon as you get this letter for I shall only be about 3 or 4 days up north. Shall then try and get home on the flying boat which gets to Sydney about 5 o’clock which, I hope, will just give us time to dash off a quick one at Coy’s.²

How are all the parlour geese there? Can Molly³ get through the swing doors now? Got any home brew?

Had a fine trip down from the island. Left at four on a slightly cloudy but moonlight morning and arrived here at 7.30 am. That’s good going. The dawn was really magnificent coming on while we were flying above the great cumulus clouds. The effect was brilliantly violent. It was a Superman sunrise.

Have struck Bill Marien⁴, who, by the way, is married to that girl and has a kid about 18 month’s old. We had dinner at the Officer’s Club⁵ and a quantity to drink. It affected me poorly and I am now happily feeling the retirement of the ragged hangover that accompanied my awakening. The rest of my time has been spent dismally sitting on my bum and gloomily reading old Lifes, Reader’s Digests, Mans and other sundry publications.

Have just heard that I will be moving off tomorrow.

If you happen to be going to town will you pop into Moore’s Bookshop next the Criterion Hotel and ask if they have a copy of the cheap edition of Laurence’s (sic)⁶ Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Also can you get me, at any bookstore a copy of Cleanliness and Godliness by Reginald Reynolds?

Have only had one letter from you so that if you have happened to send others I must presume their demise in the Jungle Hells of NG.

Nothing else of interest at the moment. So accept my utmost adoration. Your devoted willie.

[It is most probable that Bill visited the Atherton Tablelands on Saturday, February 12 where he sketched several men who had recently been awarded the Military Medal. They were Sgt Wyatt, Sgt. Marney and Pte. N. Blundell.⁷ Afterwards Wep hitched a ride with Major C.H. Cheong, editor of the Army newspaper ‘Table Tops’ who drove him to Cairns. It is estimated that he made it home by Thursday, 17 February 1944.]

Notes:

1
Permission had been granted for Wep to travel to the Atherton Tableland where he would make some sketches of several recipients of the Military Medal
2
Harold and Bassie Coy ran the Hotel Hunters Hill, a favoured drinking spot of Wep and Jess.
3
Molly Turton
4
Bill Marien was a former colleague of Wep’s at the Daily Telegraph and was now an Official War Correspondent working for the ABC.
5
Hotel Seaview on The Strand
6
T.E. Lawrence
7
Details of the incidents that earned these men the MM are available from James Parker’s site, Teller of Yarns – William Edwin Pidgeon: Sketching Battles of WWII. (2024, January 19). Retrieved from https://www.tellerofyarns.com/post/william-edwin-pidgeon-sketching-battles-of-wwii

February 7, 2024February 7, 2024

War Letters – New Guinea: 7 Feb 1944, Port Moresby; Picnic at Rouna Falls

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

6^th Feb Mon 10 am
[7 Feb 1944]

Darling,

Am back in Moresby and will soon (in a couple of days) be on my way back to the mainland where I am afraid I shall have to put in a week or so on the Tablelands. In any case it is certain that I shall be home within three weeks – maybe two.

Tommy [O’Dea] called into this unit on Sunday afternoon after five minutes after I had arrived back from the local air strip. Had only a few words with him but may go round to his living quarters tonight. Previously I couldn’t locate him as he is stationed away from the Navy proper. He drove off in a jeep. Christ, he looked funny! Quite a bleaming blade. Just as well he didn’t have a nurse or Amwas or something with him because on such occasions travel is accompanied by screams, cat calls and yahoos by all and sundry.

He looks well enough & quite happy. Said he flew up from Brisbane with only the slightest of brain flappings.

Bill Marien ex-Telegraph man (you will remember him up at the Castlereagh – big dark fattish chap with a girl wif lovely teef from Rockdale way) has gone back to mainland. I shall have a few drinks with him at the Officers Club where I last wrote you from.

Don’t write me any more letters here – or anywhere for that matter as I probably won’t get them. I received one from you while staying in the Ramu Valley. Sorry to hear you are so lonely – it won’t be so long now darling,

Hawkeye Hawkesley is the big noise around here. The life & soul of the party so to speak. Must get Tommy to take me down to the American Officer’s club as I would like to get myself some few things. Everybody at St Percy’s (as this school for boys is fondly known) has managed to get something or other.

Sunday saw a great organised picnic in the hills at a joint called Rouna Falls. Really very pleasant & falls quite impressive. The celibates managed to collect 5 nurses to take along. No Helens of Troy amongst them. 5 nurses to 12 men is a super abundance of feminity in these perfumeless parts.

Haven’t contracted as far as I know any scrofs, plagues or poxes. Have lost my pot belly and most of the other superfluous fats. Found it necessary to drag the belt in 4 holes. Sweated quite a bit in my time up here.

W.E. Pidgeon (WEP) at work in New Guinea near Rouna Falls, Port Morseby

2 New Guinea - 10 Port Moresby Area-5 — W.E. Pidgeon (WEP) at work in New Guinea near Rouna Falls, Port Morseby

Had a few snaps taken of myself. They are not of much consequence.

Nothing doing here, so there will be no more news from me until after I get away.

Saw “Stage door canteen” at the pictures Sat night. Just a show.

Hope you are feeling well & are not getting too bats for public circulation. Be good until you see me again. Shall probably arrive at Martin Place about 4.30 pm one bright day. Bring the Ponty in & we’ll give Coys a slight break. [Harold and Bassie Coy ran the Hotel Hunters Hill, a favoured drinking spot of Wep and Jess.] Haven’t missed the grog up here. If it’s not about you don’t need it. Lots of love dear.

Bill.

Unidentified War Correspondent, possibly a photographer, at Rouna Falls, near Port Moresby, New Guinea

A native Fuzzy Wuzzy at Rouna Falls, near Port Moresby, New Guinea

August 5, 2023August 1, 2023

War Letters – NW Australia: 5 Aug 1943, Livingstone Airfield; With the boys of a Spitfire squadron

W.E. Pidgeon
C/O DPR Unit
Army Post Office
Darwin

Wednesday
[4 Aug 1943]

Dear Jess,

Been quite an exhausting day. Plenty hot and plenty weak. However I pulled my gizzard up & got stuck into the work of drawing some fighter planes.

Clive (Killer) Caldwell’s Spitfire, CR-C, A58-484; Aug 1943

They’re sleek jobs and surprisingly small. You don’t get much idea of their performance when seen on duty flights around this district. Rarely are they flown flat out except in combat. After seeing them on the ground dirty dented & camouflaged you’d think they weren’t worth a plateful of cold tapioca pudding. But the boys like them.

The pilots are all hellishly young. The average age being about 22. The Squadron leader looks youngest of all like a bit of a school kid.

Believed to be Squadron Leader Ken James, commander of RAAF 457 Squadron

They have all had English experience & are a good bright lot. I get along very well with them as they are friendly & informal. The binge last night served well in breaking the ice. Almost all were as full as bulls. Incidently none of the crowd seem to like the journalists much. Being an artist makes everything so much easier. Tell Tommy there is a bit of a hoon up here – name of Pilot Officer Larry Alderson – says he knew him well in N.G. Gloria’s husband Flight Loot Newton isn’t a bad sort of bloke – Looks after me well. I still haven’t managed to buy anyone a drink. One is not allowed to – they insist on my being a guest.

Members of RAAF 457 Squadron join each other at the mess near Livingstone
L-R: FLTLT John Sefton Newton of Beaufort Vic., FLTLT E.S. Hall of Quirindi NSW, SQNLDR K.E. James of Frankston Vic., FLGOFF I.S. Mackenzie of Orange NSW, FLTLT D. Maclean of Rabaul and barman LAC Fred Storey. (Photo: Harold George Dick, 11 Aug 1943, Department of Information Official Photographer)

A big crowd of bomber pilots were also down last night. The film was fast & furious.

There’s some blasted thing I should tell you but for the life of me I can’t remember it. Guess it’ll come later.

Yes! I’ve got it! Do you recollect the air force medical officers at that party of Tilly’s² at which Bill Brindle³ & his wife were present. One of the crowd from up the road turned out to be one of them. He is now a Wing Commander. He was then a Fl. Lieutenant so he’s managed to step up very nicely.

Flash – last night two of the pilots after a sufficient steeping in the fiery juices set off on journey back to tent. One – hopelessly lost curled up on the floor of a brother officers tent. The other made the grade & work about an hour later with the tent in flames around him. Much hilarity whilst domicile was razed to the ground.

May be off to see “In which we serve”⁴ tonight – that is – if I don’t get sucked into the alcoholic vortex which is apparently about to swirl any tick of the clock.

I’m still not 100%.

It doesn’t look as if I’ll be down by the 24^th.⁵ You will probably forgive me but it would be best for me not to dash down without properly doing the place over. I’d love to be there. However have a good dinner. Get that or the other casserole or what ever you like – go to £20. With love from your devoted, Willie.

Thursday [5 Aug 1943]

Bad show I didn’t mail the above pages this morning. I went up to the strip with a crowd of pilots at 6.30am and arrived by at 4pm. Consequently missed the bus, I mean the mail.

This blarsted country is full of things wot bite. Between the heat & the wogs I’m as knobbly as a mills bomb.

All day the fighter lads lounge about inside their dispersal hut (near the ‘drome) in attitudes crooked but horizontal.

There they remain, with but slight variation waiting for the call to arms. One morning early at least 4 of them were asleep when an alert came over. Like trains through a station they were off & in the air. Fortunately the aircraft responsible for the alarm was identified as friendly.

The weather seems to be getting hotter. Myself more enervated. Sweat rolls off me – thirsty ants swim up my cascading body & quaff the salty juices. Beaut-O!

There’s been quite a lot of feeling that it’s near time the yellow men come over. They sunk a ship a few days ago & have been fairly active. A couple of months have passed since they did anything and the fighter lads are anxious to have a crack at them to relieve the boredom.

Hope Harold Coy has been behaving.⁶ Also the damned old Ponty.⁷ You poor darling I dare say Jane⁸ has been giving you the real works. Is Tommy⁹ up north indefinitely?

Hope Dossie’s little girl doesn’t have 6 tits – it’ll be awful hard to find a beau with 6 hands.

Some bear bandit or other has got down on my bottle whilst Iwas away. That’s the sort of thing that leads to lynching in this h’yar country. You can as King from me – Where is the Ethics Committee of the A.J.A?¹⁰ What are they doing about it all? When are they going to send a missionary up here?

That there smudge is sweat.

Which reminds me you mentioned Turkish Baths. Haven’t you had any? Why don’t you go away somewhere for a couple of weeks? It’s getting right hot, mu chickadee. I’m afraid this climate would suit you down to the ground. I can’t see how one could stay very flat what with all this here perspiring going on.

Don’t get too morbid, honey. It won’t be long before I’m home. How’s the houses for sale? Why don’t you go around and have a look at a few just to get an idea of value, etc.¹¹ I can’t think of anything for the flairs.

When its winter
Way down yonder
It’s a pint’er
Beer I ponder
And a bit er bread
An’ butter an’ a sponge

Which reminds me how’s frige behaving?

Lots of love from yours meltingly,

Willie.

[On top of 1^st page is a note written by another person]

Hello Jess you beautiful thing I love you despite all absences(?).

Yours

(?) x [indecipherable]

That goes for me too

Willie

Believed to be members of RAAF 457 Squadron, Livingstone Airfield

Dispersal room at a fighter squadron, Livingstone Airfield

Snooze in the sun for a weary pilot, The Australian Women’s Weekly, 20 Nov 1943, p9

Notes:

1
Wep must have obtained a print of this photo with F/L Newton in it taken by official photographer Harold Dick a week after Wep’s visit. It is also reproduced in Darwin Spitfires; the real battle for Australia by Anthony Cooper 2022, pp132-133
2
Australian Women’s Weekly journalist Adele ‘Tilly’ Shelton-Smith was the first woman to travel from Australia in 1941 to report from an overseas military theatre in Malaya.
3
William Brindle was a Daily Telegraph photographer
4
In Which We Serve (1942) starring Noel Coward starring
5
Wep and Jess 10th wedding anniversary
6
Harold and Bassie Coy ran the Hotel Hunters Hill, a favoured drinking spot of Wep and Jess
7
Wep’s 1935 Pontiac 8
8
Mary Jane Graham (nee Wray), Jess’s mother
9
Tommy O’Dea was the former General Manager of Guinea Air in Papua New Guinea. He joined the air force but following a major crash in New Guinea he transfered to the Royal Australian Navy as a Coast Watcher
10
Australian Journalists’ Association
11
Wep and Jess moved to 85 Northwood Road, Northwood in mid 1940. They were initially renting the property and ultimately purchased it in August 1944 from Harry Charles Allan, Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Navy