Richard (Len)
Aisbett (25 February 2007, aged 76)
Born in Scarsdale, Victoria, Len worked for the
Commonwealth Bank in Ballarat and Melbourne before
applying for and being accepted as a Cadet Patrol
Officer in 1951 and after a short course at ASOPA
was posted to the Namatanai (New Ireland district).
From there he was posted to Balimo, Western
District. In 1956 whilst on a one year course at
ASOPA in Sydney he met and married Margaret. In 1957
he was posted to the Sepik where he was stationed at
Vanimo, Telefomin, Aitape and Angoram, before going
to Mt Hagen where he was stationed until 1972. His
final posting was to Port Moresby where he was
seconded to the Prime Minister’s Department as
Assistant Secretary, Management Services.
Len and Margaret returned to Australia to live in
1976 and settled in Geelong. In 1977 Len joined
Millers Rope works and was to see several takeovers
before he retired as the Personnel and Industrial
Relations Manager with Boral/Kinnears, on his 60th
birthday. Len is survived by his wife Margaret and
three daughters, Lynn, Cathy and Karen.
Karen Aisbett
Lexie Burns (25
March 2007) Port Moresby, died Bribie Island north
of Brisbane - no further details available.
Brian William Crane
(16 May 2007, aged 76 years)
After 5 years service in Victoria Police, joined
RPNGC on 14.3.1955, as Sub Inspector serving at Lae.
The onset of severe malaria caused him to resign on
19.4.1956, following which he joined the Australian
Army separating some years later as a Warrant
Officer. He then went into business and worked many
years as a consultant, before branching out into
becoming a specialist in militaria, coins and
medals. He was a member of PNGVR and in later years
a researcher for the PNGVR ex members Association.
He leaves a wife, Erma, a son and daughters.
Max Hayes
Raymond Burt Dodd
(24 January 2006, aged 71 years)
After serving 12 years in Victoria Police, he joined
RPNGC as a Sub Inspector on 27.6.1969 on a 12 year
contract, this then being the usual contract period
for appointments. He served throughout PNG but
largely at Rabaul, Lae, Wewak, Mendi and Mt Hagen.
He was retrenched on 30/9/1975. On returning to
Australia he became a hotel manager and later took
up a property at Curra. He leaves a widow Val and a
daughter.
D. Fitzgibbon and Max Hayes
Index
Wing
Commander Robert (Bobby) Gibbes DSO, DFC and
Bar, OAM (11 April 2007, aged 90 years)
For anyone who has done business or had a long term
interest in New Guinea, their ability to succeed was
more than likely impacted by the pioneering efforts
of Bobby Gibbes. It is therefore with great sadness
we announce his recent passing. Bobby, as he was
known to everyone, died in Mona Vale Hospital Sydney
three weeks shy of his 91st birthday.
The many obituaries that have been printed since his
death speak of a war hero, an adventurer, a pioneer
and reveal a life worthy of a Hollywood block
buster. The main difference was that Bobby's
exploits were real.
Born in country New South Wales in 1916, he spent
time in his youth as a jackaroo working the land.
When war broke, he was determined to be a fighter
pilot. At just over 5 feet tall, he had to cheat his
height as he was under the minimum allowed for the
air force. His exploits in WWII were well documented
- bravery awards of a DSO, DFC and BAR - made him a
hero to all of Australia. It was this time in the
desert, with makeshift landing strips, constant
moving of base that gave him a grounding for his
time in PNG.
After the war, civilian life in Australia was not
his cup of tea. In 1946 he came to New Guinea, saw
opportunity, and more importantly for such a
daredevil, he saw adventure. He set up Gibbes Sepik
Airways (GSA) that serviced both the Sepik and the
remote highlands. Over a period of many years, he
created airstrips in remote areas - inaccessible and
inhospitable. Such was the unregulated, primitive
locale that attracted Bobby. The arrival of GSA
meant that supply drops to government patrol
officers, explorers and locals could be made - the
catalyst to the opening up of the highlands. In one
of his earliest landings in the highlands, he
arrived in a small aircraft with his new wife
Jeannie (and his red kelpie Paddy - anyone who knew
Bobby, also knew Paddy Gibbes). Confused by the
landing of this enormous silver bird, the natives
were amazed. When Bobby emerged from the bird, the
men of the tribe carried him off to confirm he was
one of them. Satisfied this animal was a man, they
scoured the plane to establish its sex - what sort
of bird was this? He sold GSA in the late 50s to
Mandated Airlines.
His next venture was coffee. As a pioneer in coffee,
tea and other farming pursuits, he created the
infrastructure for agricultural businesses to thrive
in the highlands. He was always innovative and while
others were battling with fuel-driven devices, he
used the gravity flow of water to drive a generator
to power his coffee factory. Bobby was committed to
the development of PNG and, by passing his knowledge
and expertise to the local tribes, he helped educate
and advance the native population. He raised a
family there, making a home with Jeannie and their
two daughters on their coffee plantation between
Goroka and Mt Hagen.
In the mid 60s, he moved into hospitality with the
conversion of his house into the first hotel in the
region. The Bird of Paradise Hotel in Goroka remains
today one of the key hotels of the region. He was
the founder of Tourist Hotels of New Guinea and
remained active on the board for many years.
Bobby thrived on "No, it can't be done". It just
made the challenge more inviting. At his funeral
service in Sydney, his wife Jeannie quoted long time
friend and supporter Sid Neilsen who said of Bobby:
"He tackled things that no sensible man would."
Jeannie added, "and he was always successful". The
stories of Bobby will be told and retold for years.
In 2004, he was awarded the Order of Australia medal
for his services to New Guinea - an accolade well
overdue. In 1980, he was honoured on the Australian
TV program "This is Your Life". His surprise guest
was Poppa, the Gibbes’ houseboy for over 25 years.
Poppa spoke of the drums that told him he had to go
to Australia for Master Bob. The drums again will be
talking of Masta Bob - such was his impact and
respect.
He is survived by Jeannie his wife of 62 years,
daughters Julie and Robyn, and five grandchildren.
Robin and Greg Apps
Index
Muttu Gware OBE
(6 May 2007 aged 72 years)
A Paramount Chief, Muttu was Chairman of Ahi
Holdings, the business entity of the Butibum,
Hengali, Kamkumung, Yanga, Wagang and Yalu villages.
Muttu was Papua New Guinea’s first national
newspaper journalist and was noted for writing the
country’s first Tok Pisin newspaper, Nu Gini Tok Tok,
whilst working for the New Guinea Times Courier. A
wing at the ANGAU Memorial Hospital in Lae is named
in honour of the contribution of Muttu’s father to
the health sector in Morobe Province, PNG.
Info from the Post Courier 8 May 2007
Philip Leslie
Oakley (26 May 2006, aged 82 years)
Philip was born in Worcester in England and migrated
to Australia with his parents as a small child,
completing his education at Scots College in Sydney.
He finished school during the Second World War and
joined the RAAF soon after. Following on from his
initial training he was posted to Number 10 squadron
to serve on Sunderland flying boats based in
Plymouth on the south coast of England.
After the war Phil joined Qantas and applied to go
to Papua New Guinea in 1947 he was seconded to the
Australian Petroleum Company operating the Grumman
Widgeon VH-AZ0. He flew around the western areas of
Papua for several years until he returned to Qantas
to fly the Catalina service on the coast to Rabaul
and the islands. In 1957 he was posted to Lae to fly
the DC-3 aircraft and was appointed Chief Pilot in
1958. When TAA took over the Qantas operations in
PNG in 1960 he returned to Sydney before being
seconded to Fiji Airways for a short time, where he
filled the role of Operations Advisor. Following on
from his time in Fiji he flew for Qantas eventually
converting to fly the Boeing 707 which he flew until
they were fazed out of operation in the late 1970s.
He retired from Qantas in 1979.
Phil married Nance Sefton in Port Moresby in 1948
and a daughter Pamela and son Christopher were born
in due course. He flew for 13 years in PNG and grew
to love the country in his time there. He was proud
to receive an award recognising his service to the
country on the 25th anniversary of Independence.
Phil is survived by his wife Nance, daughter Pamela
and son Christopher.
Chris Oakley
Shayla Orken (28
March 2007, aged 84 years)
Shayla was born in far north Queensland. In late
1941 she commenced nursing training at Darwin
Hospital and there survived the trauma of the
Japanese bombing. She joined the PNG Health
Department in 1951 and was posted to Rabaul. In 1953
she married Max Orken, ADO at Rabaul, and their son,
Keith James, was born in 1954. The family was posted
to Goroka in 1958. Shayla then spent some years in
Brisbane until Keith was old enough to commence
boarding school. She returned to Goroka in 1965 and
worked as Sister in charge of Casualty and
Outpatients at Goroka Base Hospital, then as School
Health Nurse and finally as District Supervisor
Community Health, Eastern Highlands District. The
family retired to SE Queensland in 1973. Shayla
continued her nursing career at the Woorabinda
Aboriginal Settlement and the Greenvale Nickel Mine.
In later years she was actively involved with the
Older Womens Network and in political and
environmental issues. She is survived by her son
Keith and four grandchildren.
Ken Hanrahan
Samuel Piniau OBE
(1941-2007, aged 67 years)
Samuel Piniau, from Rakatop village near Kokopo, was
the founding Chairman of the National Broadcasting
Corporation of PNG. The son of a pastor in the
Gazelle Peninsula, Sam had a brilliant career and a
very full life. He was a strong advocate of media
freedom and impartiality in broadcasting, even when
there was almost irresistible political pressure.
His life story is told in more detail on page 23 of
the June 2007 issue of "Una Voce".
His first wife Atu predeceased him. He is survived
by his second wife, Dulcie, and six children –
Guise, Aarol, Evah, Gladish, Dianna and Sam Junior
and five grandchildren. His funeral service at
Rakotop was attended by 700 people.
Keith Jackson AM
Brian Stevens (3
April 2007) - no further details available.
