{"id":3307,"date":"2024-02-10T10:00:36","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T23:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=3307"},"modified":"2024-01-19T08:30:44","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T21:30:44","slug":"war-letters-new-guinea-10-feb-1944-townsville-killing-time-waiting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=3307","title":{"rendered":"War Letters – New Guinea: 10 Feb 1944, Townsville; Killing time waiting"},"content":{"rendered":"

W.E. Pidgeon
\nC\/o P.R. Unit
\n7 Murray St.
\nStanton Hill
\nTownsville<\/p>\n

Thurs. 10th
\n<\/sup>[10 February 1944]<\/p>\n

Darling,<\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/sup>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<\/span>\u00a0 In all probability I shall be home in a week\u2019s time.\u00a0 Have a nice steak in the house \u2013 and a cold bottle of course.<\/p>\n

Will you please send me a page, or about 20 clothing coupons.\u00a0 Do not send the book as the Officer\u2019s shop will accept loose coupons.\u00a0 I want to buy a pair of shoes they are very good and only 25\/-.\u00a0 Post them as soon as you get this letter for I shall only be about 3 or 4 days up north.\u00a0 Shall then try and get home on the flying boat which gets to Sydney about 5 o\u2019clock which, I hope, will just give us time to dash off a quick one at Coy\u2019s.2<\/a><\/sup>Harold and Bassie Coy ran the Hotel Hunters Hill, a favoured drinking spot of Wep and Jess.<\/span><\/p>\n

How are all the parlour geese there?\u00a0 Can Molly3<\/a><\/sup>Molly Turton<\/span> get through the swing doors now?\u00a0 Got any home brew?<\/p>\n

Had a fine trip down from the island.\u00a0 Left at four on a slightly cloudy but moonlight morning and arrived here at 7.30 am.\u00a0 That\u2019s good going.\u00a0 The dawn was really magnificent coming on while we were flying above the great cumulus clouds.\u00a0 The effect was brilliantly violent.\u00a0 It was a Superman sunrise.<\/p>\n

Have struck Bill Marien4<\/a><\/sup>Bill Marien was a former colleague of Wep’s at the Daily Telegraph and was now an Official War Correspondent working for the ABC.<\/span>, who, by the way, is married to that girl and has a kid about 18 month\u2019s old.\u00a0 We had dinner at the Officer\u2019s Club5<\/a><\/sup>Hotel Seaview on The Strand<\/span> and a quantity to drink.\u00a0 It affected me poorly and I am now happily feeling the retirement of the ragged hangover that accompanied my awakening.\u00a0 The rest of my time has been spent dismally sitting on my bum and gloomily reading old Lifes, Reader\u2019s Digests, Mans and other sundry publications.<\/p>\n

Have just heard that I will be moving off tomorrow.<\/p>\n

If you happen to be going to town will you pop into Moore\u2019s Bookshop next the Criterion Hotel and ask if they have a copy of the cheap edition of Laurence\u2019s (sic)6<\/a><\/sup>T.E. Lawrence<\/span> Seven Pillars of Wisdom.\u00a0 Also can you get me, at any bookstore a copy of Cleanliness and Godliness by Reginald Reynolds?<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Nothing else of interest at the moment.\u00a0 So accept my utmost adoration.\u00a0 Your devoted willie.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[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<\/a><\/sup>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<\/span> 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.]<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
Sgt. Arthur James Wyatt, MM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Sgt. Ray McDonald Marney, MM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Pte. Neville Blundell, MM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Notes:<\/h3>