Coconut tree memories

By Bob Piper
Volume 48, No. 12, July 13, 2006

NIGHT TREMORS: Ground crews survey Jackson’s Strip, furling a chute which had opened in the blast. An inquisitive Yank in an Airacobra makes a very low pass inspecting the remains of the C-47. This raid is believed to have been by two Type 97 (Mavis) Japanese four-engine flying boats from Lae or Rabaul. Approximately 24 bombs were dropped that night but apart from the C-47 there was no other damage or loss of life.

Photos courtesy AWM.

CLOSE-UP: In 1942 Air Force personnel marked the still-burning radial engine from the destroyed C-47. Miraculously, the other aircraft only sustained relatively minor damage.

EVER wondered what an air raid was like in New Guinea in World War II? FLGOFF R.F. Munro, a wireless operator/air gunner with the RAAF’s 100SQN flying Beaufort bombers knows. He had just arrived in hot, dry Moresby from down south.

It was May 26, 1942, and the battle for Moresby in the skies above was just heating up. FLGOFF Munro describes just what it was like to be on the receiving end and down below.

“That night we slept in an American transit camp and, at about midnight, I was woken by three quick shots from a .303, which was the signal for an air raid.

“I had slept fully-dressed and, dragging on my flying boots, I raced through the bush followed by a group of about 20 Americans who jumped into a large slit trench covered by palm logs which left a narrow opening of about two feet.

“The bombs began to drop quite close and the air was filled with fumes. Suddenly an American officer, who was near to the entrance of the trench, picked up a handful of dirt and, on smelling it, shouted “geraniums — they are dropping mustard gas”. Everyone, except me, donned their masks — mine was back in Cairns.

“Before I had time to reflect on my predicament, pandemonium broke loose and there was a mad rush to get out of the trench and the Americans ran screaming into the bush. I stood for a moment and, realising that gas was heavier than air, I decided that my only chance was to climb up a tree.

“I literally flew about 30 feet up a coconut palm and hung on for dear life as the concussion from the bombs swayed the tree backwards and forwards. By now I noticed that blood was flowing down my legs into my flying boots because the bark of the coconut palm is razor sharp.

“I was feeling exhausted and although the air raid was still on, I said to myself: ‘I’ll climb down and die as I can’t last much longer up here’. Reaching the ground, I saw an Australian NCO who, in response to my concern about gas, said: “Rubbish, the smell is only cordite fumes and the fog is caused by dust from the bombs.”

“Although the bombs were still falling, I made my way back to the camp and fell into bed exhausted.”.

.