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Sports |
RIGHT! Clear the decks … Quizzers ahoy. We left JK McCarthy in Kukukuku
territory yesterday, with nasty arrow wounds to his thigh and his belly.
Recovering, he created a station at Menyamya, but it was closed to “save
money”. Our congratulations to Namarola Lote of the Institute of Medical
Research, who has brought us this far in the tale.
***
NOW we turn to Colleen Tamaduk, who picks up the story. “McCarthy spent
his leave working his way to and from South Africa in a cargo ship. Back
in the Territory, he held a short posting on the Madang coast and
returned in 1935 to the Sepik as assistant district officer at Aitape.”
***
McCARTHY’S next move was of a more personal nature; on leave in Victoria,
he married Jean Letitia Beilby on April 30, 1937, at All Saints Anglican
church, East St Kilda. Colleen says: “They arrived in Rabaul a week
before the May volcanic eruptions in which nearly 450 people died.”
***
WITH the outbreak of war, Jean was evacuated with other women and
children, and McCarthy was at Talasea when the Japanese invaded Rabaul in
January 1942. JK made a dangerous journey into the Japanese-influenced
area to radio the first report of the fate of Rabaul.
***
QUOTING from the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Colleen adds:
“Assisted by a few planters, missionaries and other government officers,
he directed some 200 survivors south and west by foot, canoe and small
boat; they boarded the Lakatoi, which arrived at Cairns, Queensland, on
March 28.”
***
IN 1947, McCarthy became a district officer at Madang; in 1949 he was
appointed District Commissioner at Rabaul. Returning to Port Moresby in
1955 to the department of the Administrator, he held various
appointments. In 1963 his memoir Patrol into Yesterday was published in
Melbourne; in 1964 he was elected to the house of assembly and served as
deputy speaker for four years.
***
HE retired from the administration in 1967 and in 1971, left PNG for
Victoria, where he died at Frankston on Oct 29, 1976, survived by his
wife Jean. Join us tomorrow for more nominees to our Honour Roll. Cheers!
– Dee Nesenolis
 
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