{"id":364,"date":"2023-08-03T08:00:56","date_gmt":"2023-08-02T22:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=364"},"modified":"2023-08-16T11:29:56","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T01:29:56","slug":"war-letters-darwin-montue-23aug-1943-reviewing-the-n-w-navy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=364","title":{"rendered":"War Letters – NW Australia: 3 Aug 1943, Darwin; Reviewing the N.W. Navy"},"content":{"rendered":"

W.E. Pidgeon
\nC\/O DPR Unit
\nArmy Post Office
\nDarwin<\/p>\n

Monday night
\n[2 Aug 1943]<\/p>\n

Dear Jesso,<\/p>\n

I may as well carry on with the news concluded by the letter I posted you by today\u2019s mail.\u00a0 As I\u2019m going down the road tomorrow I won\u2019t be writing.\u00a0 This letter will serve that day\u2019s purpose as it won\u2019t get away from here until then.\u00a0 This week I am staying with a fighter squadron under the command of Caldwell1<\/a><\/sup>Clive Robert (Killer) Caldwell was Acting Wing Commander in charge of RAAF No. 1 (Fighter) Wing which consisted of RAAF 452 Sqn based at Strauss Airfield, RAAF 457 Sqn based at Livingstone Airfield and RAF No 54 Sqn based at RAAF Station Darwin<\/span> \u2013 shall probably meet Flutter eye Gloria\u2019s husband \u2013 I believe he is with the same bunch.2<\/a><\/sup>John Sefton Newton and Gloria Olga Newton (nee Metchkoff Larsen, m 1943. F\/L John Sefton Newton was a Stock and Station Agent. He enlisted in October 1940. Following service overseas he married Gloria in January 1943 and was was posted to NW area with 457 Sqn in mid January 1943. At the time of Wep’s visit, 457 Squadron was based at Livingstone Airfield.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks for thinking about my lack of amenities.\u00a0 I\u2019m running somewhat short \u2013 only 24 large packets left.<\/p>\n

I hope Tommy3<\/a><\/sup>Frederick Thomas O’Dea (1894-1975)<\/span> got as much out of his drawing as he hoped for.\u00a0 Selina is dopey alright.\u00a0 Are you still getting plenty of steak over there?<\/p>\n

The thing has started off again \u2013 Gawd help us!\u00a0 Tap-tap-tap-BLOODY TAP!\u00a0 This will be damn short \u2013 I get into such a helluva bate (?).\u00a0 It\u2019s worse than being in a machine gun nest with all guns firing and hailstones beating on my tin hat.\u00a0 I\u2019m not deaf enough to take it \u2013 Tap \u2013 tap \u2013 taP \u2013 tAP \u2013 TAP TAPTAP! \u2013 and so on.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll write you tomorrow some time \u2013 or else wait till the bastards go to bed.\u00a0 Up\u2019em!<\/p>\n

[3 Aug 1943]<\/p>\n

Next morning \u2013 Much quieter \u2013 I am by far the earliest bird up here, all of which doesn\u2019t help catch the non existent worms, but it\u2019s plumb peaceful like.\u00a0 Inside, spines are slowly being zipped into action, razors being flapped, and kidneys drained in preparation for a general exodus down the road in the wake of the Governor-General who has begun his tour of inspection.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Aboard HMAS Kookaburra during the steam past of all the naval vessels<\/a> in the area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yesterday he reviewed the N.W. navy such as it was.4<\/a><\/sup>On 2 August 1943, several smaller RAN vessels steamed past, in review order, the boom defence vessel HMAS Kookaburra, which had the Governor-General of Australia, The Right Honourable Lord Gowrie, VC, PC, GCMG, CB, DSO and Bar and Lady Gowrie aboard. Lord Gowrie (Governor-General during 1938-44) was on an inspection tour of defences in northern Australia commencing with a review of the Navy in Darwin Harbour.<\/span>\u00a0 We got out onto the flagship5<\/a><\/sup>HMAS Kookaburra<\/a><\/span> & under panicky directions of some naval lieut. allowed ourselves to be hid behind pipes, vents, doors, etc so that the G.G.\u2019s august vision would not be defiled by the sight of the lowly non-combatant press correspondents.\u00a0 It was wretched farce \u2013 the boys have wiped the navy or so they say.\u00a0 Seems more like to me the navy doesn\u2019t care about the press.\u00a0 The review of passing ships was catastrophic.\u00a0 Some of the old tubs couldn\u2019t make any speed against the out-running tide, with the unhappy consequent cancellation of part of the programme.<\/p>\n

The tide, by the way, has a rise & fall of 20 ft and as the approaches to the land here are very shallow the water when it gets a move on races like one thing.\u00a0 In the harbour I believe it does about 5-6 knots and in the creeks about 10.\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen it coming in on the creeks \u2013 it moves alright.\u00a0 The harbour is a big one with an average width & foreshores much like Botany Bay.\u00a0 Because of its lack of depth the water is quite green.\u00a0 Here and there the side of a sunken ship rises up.\u00a0 Somewhere else the masts & funnel of another stick forlornly & ridiculously out to provide parking stations for the few sea birds to be seen in these parts.<\/p>\n

Will have to leave now \u2013 have had breakfast the all are ready for the trip.<\/p>\n

Mail came in & I have just got another of your letters \u2013 you beaut. \u00a0Haven\u2019t read it yet \u2013 lots of love honey \u2013 look after yourself for Willie.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Aboard HMAS Kookaburra<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Aboard HMAS Kookaburra<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Aboard HMAS Kookaburra<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Aboard HMAS Kookaburra<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Aboard HMAS Kookaburra<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Notes:<\/h3>