ABBERTON, Joan
BECKETT, Leslie Thomas William
BONNELL,
Susanne (Susy)
D'ARCY,Colonel Peter Derek
FITZGERALD, John (Fitzy)
GILLIES, Les
GILLMAN, Jim
MATHESON,
Robert Graham
NOMBRI, Sir
Joseph
PARRY, Jean
Isabel
SULLIVAN, Des
TAYLOR
OBE, Archibald Norman
WESSELY, Fred
Back to
Vale Index
We hope to have "Vales" in the next update for the following
people -
John BROWN
Dimen de GRAAFF (21 November 2007)
William James ‘Jim’ GROSE (23 January 2008)
Margaret HARDING (22 January 2008, )
Dr Dorothy SHAW MBE (27 August 2008)
Joan ABBERTON (7 November 2007,
aged 87 years)
Late of Runaway Bay, formerly of Port Macquarie and Papua
New Guinea. Beloved wife of Tom (Deceased), loved mother of
Grahame and Tim and their families.
Joe Nitsche and the SMH 12/11/2007
Leslie Thomas
William BECKETT (26 November 2007, aged 76 years)
Les was born on 3 February 1931 at Regent’s Park, London.
After completing two years of active service in the Korean
conflict, he went to Libya where he was employed as a mine
disposal expert in the desert areas near Tripoli and
Benghazi. Having been sent home to London for minor surgery,
he contracted a golden staph infection which, for Les,
marked the beginning of a life-long battle against this
antibiotic-resistant bug. However, the constant debilitating
illness and need for major surgery was never enough to stop
Les from somehow following his dreams.
So in 1964 he and his wife June moved to Australia but,
unable to settle, they soon landed in the Territory of PNG
(as it then was) where Les quickly obtained employment as
the Rabaul Manager of J.C. Waller Shipping Agency. Four very
happy years in East New Britain saw the closure of the
agency but Les managed to find other employment for two
further years in Lae, reluctantly having to leave PNG for
good just prior to the declaration of Independence. Les
always referred to this six-year period as one of his
happiest experiences but, even though his fight against
debilitating illness continued for a further thirty years,
he never relinquished his love of travel and adventure.
Having married again in the 80s, he and his new wife, Ann,
went to live in Hong Kong for four years, eventually
returning to Forestville, NSW.
Les was a kind and gentle man. He died peacefully at home
and will be sorely missed by many people. Ann Beckett
Susanne (Susy) BONNELL
(23 December 2007, aged 67)
Californian born Susy, a 24 year-old adventurer with an
interest in anthropology, was on a 3-year work contract at a
Sydney library when, in the early 1960s, she took a trip to
PNG. A job offer for an interesting new community welfare
position was irresistible. She started work in New Guinea in
1964, serving as a government Welfare Officer in Mt Hagen,
New Ireland and Port Moresby and becoming known for some of
her innovative work with PNG village women. Her daughter
Sali was born while she was in Moresby. She later taught at
the Admin College and Vudal Agricultural College. From
1989-1991 she was employed at the Porgera mining project and
assisted with the relocation of villagers affected by mine
operations. Until the late 90s she worked as an independent
social development consultant to various mining companies.
During her long career she inspired a large number of PNG
women with the confidence to deal with change and to speak
out for their rights. Susy retired to Brisbane and later
moved to North Tamborine. She is survived by her daughter
Sali and two grandsons.
Judy (Peters) Duggan
Index
Colonel
Peter Derek D'ARCY (5 December 2007, aged 84 years)
Colonel Peter D'Arcy was a senior staff officer at PNG
Command, Murray Barracks, in the 1960s. He died in Canberra
in December.
During WW2 he served with the Indian Army's 11th Sikh
Regiment, taking part in the Arakan campaign and the great
battle on the plains of Imphal Kohima. Colonel D'Arcy joined
the Royal Australian Regiment in 1948 and served in Korea
and later with the ANZUK force in Singapore. His final
overseas posting was as defence attache in Cambodia. He is
survived by his widow Barbara, three daughters Georgie,
Libby and Angela, and seven grandchildren.
Don Hook
John ‘Fitzy’ FITZGERALD
(11 October 2007, aged 76 years)
Fitzy spent four years as Managing Editor of the South
Pacific Post, Papua New Guinea's only daily paper. John
Fitzgerald is survived by his wife of 50 years, Arline, two
daughters and three granddaughters.
Richard Jones
Les GILLIES (6 November 2007,
aged 89 years)
Les, LP to a chosen few, first arrived in PNG during WWII.
In 1947, at the completion of his army service, Les returned
to PNG and remained for the remainder of his working life.
Les’ contributions to PNG were numerous and varied. Those
who personally knew Les would know that he dedicated his
life to PNG and its people. That was just the type of man he
was. Les worked and lived in Lae, among other places
throughout the Morobe Province before moving to Goroka and
the Highlands. Les became renowned throughout the highlands
for his work ethics, sporting prowess and infamous lunches.
Merv, Les’ brother, was by his side during many of the
lunches and rugby matches. On the rugby field, the Gillies
were a force to be reckoned. Les is survived by his sister
in Temora and Merv and his family at Hervey Bay.
Lisa Adams
Index
Jim GILLMAN (16 November 2007)
Lately of the Garden City Retirement Home, Upper Gravatt,
Jim was Treasury Officer Rabaul. Albert Speer (More next
update
Robert Graham MATHESON
(24 November 2007, aged 78 years)
Graham had a long involvement with the surveying profession
in PNG. He arrived in 1951and was employed by the
Commonwealth Dept. of Works in Moresby and Lae. He then
transferred to the Dept. of Lands Surveys and Mines based in
Rabaul. He was transferred to Moresby in 1956 and in 1957 he
was appointed Chief of Division Surveys. This position was
upgraded and renamed Surveyor General shortly afterwards.
Graham set about modernizing the administration of the
Survey Division and introducing new and correctly drafted
legislation to guide the proper functioning of surveying in
a rapidly developing country. The recruitment of experienced
expatriate surveyors allowed him to establish Regional
Survey offices throughout the country. Town Planning
legislation was introduced together with a functioning Town
Planning Section established within the Survey Division.
Survey Division staff did not have the capacity to attend to
the rapid increase in demands to survey alienated land and
undertake the surveying program for the copra, coffee and
oil palm farm lots rapidly being introduced, so Graham
established a funding program that introduced private survey
practices to the Territory. A National Mapping Bureau was
established, and agreements were reached with Indonesia
which resulted in substantial marking of the border between
West Irian and PNG. Graham took particular pleasure and
pride in the establishment of the Degree in Surveying Course
at the University of Technology in Lae – this initiative
culminated in a National surveying graduate succeeding
Graham as Surveyor General at Independence in 1975.
Info taken from The National 21 Jan 2008
Sir Joseph NOMBRI (14
January 2008)
Sir Joe, together with PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare,
formed the Pangu Pati and aimed to achieve Independence for
Papua New Guinea in the early 70s. Sir Joseph was PNG’s
longest serving ambassador and a statesman.
Info from Post Courier 18-20 January 2008
Index
Jean
Isabel PARRY (2 December 2007)
Jean and husband Colwyn were married in 1951 and settled in
Col’s birthplace, Rabaul. Twins, Roslyn and Rhonda were born
in 1952. The couple then moved to Lae where their third
daughter, Catherine, was born. Later they moved to Port
Moresby, Mt Hagen and Madang. At Independence, Jean and Col
returned to Australia and settled in Sydney. Later they
moved to Queensland, first to Samford and then Buderim where
Jean became an ardent bridge player. Jean was diagnosed with
cancer in late 2005. She is survived by her husband Col,
their daughters and grandchildren. Colwyn Arthur Parry
Des SULLIVAN
Arriving in Moresby in 1946 as a clerk in District Services,
he rose to become chief clerk and a formidable organiser of
sport, especially cricket and tennis. On his frequent visits
to the "bush" as aide and then official secretary to the
administrator, he took a great interest in the varied duties
of kiaps and often talked about these to me. After leaving
Moresby in 1959 he became town clerk at Albany and then came
into his own as secretary of the Rottnest Island Board and
manager of the island. Here his knowledge of kiaps can be
seen. He was police chief, harbour master, JP, fisheries
inspector, and responsible for the water and electricity
supply and for roads. He also built the golf course and the
main ferry jetty. His "court" powers were limited to
ordering a strong kick in the pants or the immediate removal
of the offender from the island. His success and the reason
he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia can be
directly traced to his observation of kiaps at work and his
natural get up and go attitude.
Fred Kaad
Archibald Norman TAYLOR
OBE (24 November 2007, aged 86 years)
Arch first arrived in Rabaul in 1941 and served a
distinguished war service in and around Rabaul both during
the invasion and occupation. After escaping down the coast
of New Britain in early 1942 he was evacuated on the
Laurabada. He eventually joined the 1st New Guinea Infantry
Battalion, operating behind Japanese lines on New Britain.
From 1973-1975 he was the relieving plantation manager on
Tovarur Plantation, out of Rabaul. Arch loved the country
and the true bush native. After ‘going finish’ several
visits were made back to the country, up until the 80s. Arch
and Vera had a wonderful married life and came close to
reaching their 65th wedding anniversary. Arch is survived by
Vera and their children Robert and Susan.
Vera Taylor
Fred WESSELY (July 2007)
Fred worked for various government departments during his
service in PNG but it is as a producer of excellent drama
for the Port Moresby Theatre Co that he will be remembered
by many. During the South Pacific Games in 1969 he produced
The Good Woman of Sechzuan and it was with Brecht's
Threepenny Opera that he christened the new Waigani Theatre.
Fred is survived by wife Ann, four children and
grandchildren. Ray Watson
Index
