PNGAF MAGAZINE ISSUE # 2 of 7th October 2020

AUSTRALIAN FORESTERS in PAPUA NEW GUINEA 1922-1975

PNGAF MAGAZINE ISSUE # 2 of 7th October 2020 European Impacts on PNG until 1975 as pertaining to the PNG Forest Sector

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Continent of Papua and New Guinea 1884 to 1919 North Eastern New Guinea Germany Eastern Half of New Guinea Britain Western New Guinea Dutch

Editor R B McCarthy2 2020 1 2

En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New Guinea District Forester TPNG 1963-1975

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TABLE OF CONTENTS “FORWOOD” Early European Explorers PNG Investigations by European Explorers German New Guinea Neu Guinea Compagnie 1884-1899 German New Guinea 1899 to 1914 Australian Military Administration 1914-1921 The Mandated Territory 1921-1942 British New Guinea and Papua British New Guinea 1884-1906 Papua 1884-1906 Papua 1906 -1942 Papua and New Guinea World War 2 and ANGAU 1942-1947/8 Acronyms

Page 4 Page 7 Page 10 Page 12 Page 12 Page 12 Page 12 Page 13 Page 16 Page 17 Page 20 Page 21 Page 24 Page 24 Page 32

Sacred Heart Mission labourers hauling a record Eucalyptus deglupta log on the Toriu River logging railway around 1910 with German missionaries supervising.

Source Michael Pearson PNG National Library photo 314 Historishes Bildmaterial our dem Archives des staatlichen Museums fur Volkerkunda Dresden

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Sacred Heart Mission labourers hauling a record Eucalyptus deglupta log on the Toriu River logging railway around 1910 with German missionaries supervising.

Source Michael Pearson PNG National Library photo 314 Historishes Bildmaterial our dem Archives des staatlichen Museums fur Volkerkunda Dresden

View of the Sacred Heart Mission Toriu River Sawmill around 1902-1917. Source Michael Pearson PNG National Library photo 313. Source: Pioniere der Sudsee Werden und Wachsen der Herz = Jesu Mission von Rabaul zum Goldenen Jubilaum 1882 - 1932. p117, 118, 132 & 177

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“FORWOOD” The second PNGAF magazine addresses European impacts on PNG until 1975 as pertaining to forest sector development.

Little was known in Europe about PNG until the 19th Century although Portuguese and Spanish explorers had encountered it in the 16th century. Traders from Southeast Asia had visited New Guinea beginning 5,000 years ago to collect bird-of-paradise plumes with later traders seeking sandalwood and beche-de-mer (sea cucumber).

New Guinea was the name coined by the Spanish explorer Ynigo Ortis de Retez. In 1554, he noted the resemblance of the people to those he had seen earlier along the Guinea coast of Africa. Guinea, in its turn is etymologically derived from the Portuguese word Guine.

Then began, a history lesson re the competing forces within Europe wishing to be part of the island of New Guinea. New Guinea was divided into three sections- a Dutch section, a British section, and a German section.

This PNGAF magazine series is only interested in the British and German sections which lead to the nation of Papua New Guinea. How did the name Papua New Guinea arise?

The country’s dual name results from its complex administrative history before independence in 1975. In the nineteenth century, Germany ruled the northern half of the country for some decades, beginning in 1884 as a colony named German New Guinea. In 1914, after the outbreak of World War 1, Australian forces landed and captured German New Guinea in a small military campaign and occupied it during the war. After the war, where Germany was defeated, the League of Nations authorized Australia to administer this area as a League of Nations mandate territory that became the Territory of New Guinea.

The southern half of the country had been colonized in 1884 by the United Kingdom as British New Guinea. With the Papua Act 1905, (The word Papua is derived from an old local term of uncertain origin) the UK transferred this territory to the newly formed Commonwealth of Australia which took on its administration. From 1905, British New Guinea was renamed the Territory of Papua. In contrast to establishing an Australian mandate in former German New Guinea, the League of Nations determined that Papua was an external territory of the Australian Government - as a matter of law it remained a British possession. The difference in legal status, meant that until 1949, Papua and New Guinea had entirely separate administrations, both controlled by Australia.

During World War11, the New Guinea campaign (1942-1945) was one of the major military campaigns and conflicts between Japan and the Allies. After World War 11 and the victory of the Allies, the two territories were combined into the Territory of Papua and New Guinea.

On the 18th September 1975, the nation established independence from Australia becoming Papua New Guinea.

During the 1930’s TPNG addressed the PNG Forest Sector to be placed onto a scientific management basis, with the appointment of Jim McAdam as Chief Forestry Officer in 1938, (assisted by Jim Cavanaugh) arising from the detailed investigations undertaken by Lane Poole (Commonwealth Government Forestry Adviser) in 1922-25 and 1935.

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With the threat of war in the Pacific, McAdam enlisted in the Australian Military Forces on 19 September 1940 at Wau. He began full-time duty with the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles on 22 January 1942 and was promoted sergeant within a fortnight. After the Japanese invaded Salamaua in March, he led a party of scouts which established an observation post within a mile (1.6 km) of enemy positions. The intelligence which the team gathered was crucial to the success of the Australian raid on the town in June. McAdam acted as a guide in the foray.

He was awarded the Military Medal for his outstanding service at Salamaua.

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L-R Jim McAdam (forester), Jim Cavanaugh (forester), Geoff Archer (gold miner Wau) Photo taken by war photographer Damien Parer in July 1942 just after the famous Salamaua raid. Photo Credit Australian War Memorial

Salamaua isthmus after capture by the 5th Division on 11 September 1943 Source Australian War Memorial 3

Details from Linda Cavanaugh Manning 9 April 2019

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Promoted temporary major, McAdam was appointed commander, Royal Australian Engineers (New Guinea Forests), in February 1944. His unit's task was to assess and map the forest resources of Papua, New Guinea, Bougainville, and Manus Island for war needs and for future management in peacetime.

In 1943-45, the activities of 1 Command Royal Engineers (New Guinea Forests) had as the Headquarters unit, with J B McAdam (head of the pre-war New Guinea Forest Service as commanding officer); 1 Australian Forestry Survey Coy with W R Suttie (Queensland) in command and 2 Australian Forestry Survey Coy with A E Head (Victoria) in command.

McAdam relinquished the appointment in September 1945. Following a brief attachment to Army Headquarters, Melbourne, he transferred to the Reserve of Officers on 8 February 1946 and settled in Port Moresby as Acting Secretary (later director) of the Department of Forests, Territory of Papua and New Guinea.

R B McCarthy Editor 7 October 2020

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EARLY EUROPEAN EXPLORERS The first European impact on PNG was indirect but far reaching. The sweet potato was taken to South East Asia from South America by the Portuguese and Spanish in the 16th century. It is believed Malay traders then brought it to western New Guinea, (now Irian Jaya) from where it was traded to the Highlands. The introduction of the sweet potato must have brought radical change to life in the Highlands, its high yield and tolerance for poor and cold soils allowed the colonisation of higher altitudes, the domestication of many more pigs and a major increase in human population.

The next development preceding the permanent arrival of Europeans was the arrival of steel axes which were traded from the coast to the Highlands. The introduction of these more efficient axes reduced the workload of men, increased bride price payments and maybe because of increased leisure time, encouraged war.

1512 1526/27 1545

1528/29 1545 1606 1616 1642 1700 1767 1768/69 1770 1788 1791 1792/93 1793

First Europeans to sight New Guinea two Portuguese Antonio de Abreu and Francesco Serram Portuguese Don Jorge de Meneses credited with naming it “Papua” Spaniard Ynigo Ortis de Retez sailing in San Juan along north coast New Britain coined name “New Guinea” because of some resemblance between inhabitants and those of African Guinea coast.

Alvardo de Saavedra North Coast to Admiralty Islands Inigo Ortiz North Coast to Astrolabe Bay Spaniard Luis Vaez de Torres –charted part of islands of Loiuisiades; Milne Bay; north east coast (Torres Strait named after him) Le Maire and Schouten surveyed portions north-east coast Abel Jantz Tasman sailed along coast New Ireland and part New Guinea coast British Explorer William Dampier sailed around New Britain English navigator Philip Carteret New Britain/New Ireland; named Admiralty Islands French navigator Louis Antonine de Bougainville navigated part of east coast of New Guinea, the Louisiades and islands of the Solomon Group Captain Cook Shortland – Shortland Islands McLure mapped portions of West Coast J A D’Entrecasteaux investigated south eastern districts East New Guinea Bampton and Alt (East India Company) explored south coast as far as Gulf of Papua

The first definite European sighting of PNG took place in 1512 when two Portuguese explorers sailed by. The first landing was by Portuguese Jorge de Meneses at Vogelkop Peninsula in 1526/27 who named it “Ilhas dos Papuas” (after a Malay word for the appearance of the Melanesian people’s hair.)

In 1824, Britain and the Netherlands agreed that Holland’s claim to the western half (West Irian now Irian Jaya) should stand.

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Map showing the course taken by Luis Vaez de Torres on his 1606-07 voyage along the south coast of New Guinea. (map redrawn by Edgar Ford from Original in Mitchell Library)

William Dampier on his 1700 voyage in the Roebuck voyaged along the East Coast of New Ireland and the south coast of New Britain.

Reference: Dampier’s voyages ed J Masefield (London 1906) vol 2 p254 (Hallstrom Pacific Library)

Map showing William Dampier’s 1700 Voyage compared to present day map.

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Routes taken by Bougainville (1768) and d’Entrecasteaux (1792/93) through the waters of East New Guinea. (Maps redrawn by Edgar Ford Mitchell Library)

The first Leguminosae collected by a botanist in New Guinea were the five specimens found

by Banks and Solander when Captain Cook’s ship anchored very briefly on 3 September 1770 visiting a point on the south coast of western New Guinea (now West Irian Jaya) latitude 6 degrees 20 minutes S. Quote from “A Manual of New Guinea legumes” Bernard Verdcourt 1979 Division of Botany Office of Forests Lae.

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PNG INVESTIGATIONS BY EUROPEAN EXPLORERS 1842 1842 1847 1849 1858 1871

1872 1873

1875 1875 1876/77 1883 1883

Capt. Blackwood in H.M.S. Fly survey part Fly river estuary and western side of Gulf of Papua Capt. Yule H.M.S. Bramble survey Redscar Bay Captain Owen Stanley surveyed Papuan Coast Captain Owen Stanley H.M.S. Rattlesnake examined south eastern end of island Naturalist Alfred Wallace Dorei Bay Nicholas Miklouho-Maclay lived in north-eastern New Guinea (Madang environs) for a two-year period between 1871 and 1880 and returned in 1883.

Beccari with d’Albertis Arfak Mountains Capt. John Moresby HMS Basilisk discovered the harbour of Port Moresby and village of Hanuabada. He examined the north eastern coast from East Cape to Astrolabe Bay and defined the true shape of the Island William Macleay first Australian natural science expedition barque Chevert. Mawatta on Katau river Luigi Maria d’Albertis first trip up Fly River Luigi Maria d’Albertis second and third trips up Fly River with steam launch Neva.

Dr Guillemard Mansinam Island and Arfak Mountains Papua annexed by Queensland (repudiated by England)

Italian naturalist Luigi Maria d’Albertis (1841-1901) reached New Guinea in 1872 and spent two years living and working in the Arfak mountains behind Dorei. Then, from Yule Island he undertook the first navigation of the Fly River in 1875; a second expedition in 1876 and a third in 1877. (Source Information and Extension Services Administration of Papua New Guinea.)

Andrew Goldie came to Port Moresby in 1875 as a botanical collector. He explored the hinterland of Port Moresby and discovered the first gold in the basin of the Goldie River in 1877. He acted as collector for many of the world’s museums. (Source Commonwealth records CRS A24)

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Nicholas Miklouho-Maclay (1846-1888) was a Russian explorer, ethnologist, anthropologist, and biologist who became famous as one of the earliest scientists to settle among and study people in New Guinea who had never seen a European before. He lived in north-eastern New Guinea (Madang) for a two-year period between 1871 and 1880 and again in 1883. An early follower of Charles Darwin and based on his research, one of the first anthropologists to refute the prevailing view that the different races of mankind belonged to different species.

He is commemorated in the scientific name of the New Guinea tree species Pouteria maclayana; the banana species Musa Maclay and in the land snail species Canefriula maclayian. These were some of the species he discovered.

In 2013, a monument to celebrate the legacy of Nicholas MiklouhoMaclay was erected near Bongu village in Madang Province.

He was a prominent figure of nineteenth century Australian science; opposed to the “blackbirding” slave trade in the Pacific; opposed British and German colonial expansion in New Guinea; built the first biological research station in the Southern Hemisphere (Watson’s Bay); established the Australasian Biological Association and married the daughter of the Premier of New South Wales, Sir John Robertson.

GERMAN NEW GUINEA 1883-1914 (AUSTRALIAN) NEW GUINEA (MANDATE L OF N) 1919-1945 (AUSTRALIAN) NEW GUINEA (TRUSTEESHIP U.N.)1946

DUTCH NEW GUINEA 1848-1962 WEST IRIAN (INDONESIA) 1962

BRITISH NEW GUINEA 1883-1906 PAPUA (AUSTRALIAN TERRITORY) 1906

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GERMAN NEW GUINEA NEU GUINEA COMPAGNIE 1884-1899 1884 Germany annexed north-eastern New Guinea and Bismarck Archipelago 1885 Dr F H Otto Finsch Sepik River Steamship Samoa 1887 C Sthrader (astronomer) with a botanist and a geologist travelled up the Sepik River 1888 H Zoller explored from Astrolabe Bay to Finisterre Ranges

1899 1907-1913

1914 1918-1924

GERMAN NEW GUINEA 1889-1914 Germany administers New Guinea directly Several German expeditions investigated upper Ramu River; lower Bismark Ranges; Aitape; Huon Gulf; Markham River AUSTRALIAN MILITARY ADMINISTRATION 1914-1921 British Administration of German New Guinea New Guinea Forestry Timber Resources Papua – Investigation

A detachment of the Naval Reserve leading the march of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force through Rabaul on 13 September 1914 following the reading of the proclamation establishing the military occupation of New Britain. (Australian News and Information Bureau)

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THE MANDATED TERRITORY 1921-1942 The Commonwealth of Australia assumed a mandate from the League of Nations for governing the former territory of New Guinea in 1920. It was administered under this mandate until the Japanese invasion in January 1942.

1920/21 1920’s 1921 1922 1922 1925

1925 1927/28 1929/30 1933 1933/34 1935 1935

1936 1936/37 1938 1938

1938 1939 1939

1940

Commonwealth New Guinea Expedition Interim report: Reporting on the Natural resources of the Mandated Territory (report 1922) Major gold find along the Bulolo River prompts another gold rush League of Nations mandate grants administration of German New Guinea to Australia Timber Ordinance New Guinea CE Lane Poole commenced assessment of the forests of Papua and then New Guinea Lane Poole published a report on the forest resources of the Territories of Papua and New Guinea. He became the Commonwealth Inspector General of Forests and then Principal of the Australian Forestry School Canberra New Guinea and Papua – national stock taking forestry questionnaire C. Karius and I.F. Champion Fly River to Sepik River expedition Akmana Expedition – Gold prospecting company Madang to Sepik River to Arrabundio River then Central Mountain Range to Baiyer River etc.

Leahy Brothers and J Taylor Highlands expedition Leonard Brass Plant Collector Arnold Arboretum America – Six Archbold Expeditions TPNG & West Irian 33,000 specimens J.G. Hides and L.J. O’Malley expedition Strickland Lake to Southern Highlands Lane Poole, C.E., 1935. ‘Report on the Forests of the Goldfields of New Guinea: Together with Recommendations Regarding a Forest Policy for the Whole Territory.’ Unpublished TS, 1935. NAA, A1 1938/802.

Timber Ordinance of New Guinea superseded by the Forestry Ordinance 1936 I. Champion expeditions to Mt Hagen and Lake Kutubu Taylor and Black expedition into Highlands Jim McAdam accepted a permanent position in the Mandated Territory of New Guinea as a Forestry Officer. He attended University of Queensland and AFS 1932/33 Dux Schlick Medal; worked with Queensland forestry and joined TPNG 1938; chief forester 1939; 1939-45 War awarded MM; 1944/45 Lt Col RAE 1 Forest Survey group; 1946 Director of Forests; died 1959 Forest Service established in New Guinea with appointment of two Australian Foresters Jim McAdam and Jim Cavanaugh Jim McAdam made Chief Forestry Officer of New Guinea Jim Cavanaugh to PNG with Jim McAdam; then war service PNG 1939-45 Aust Army forestry survey group; then 1945 Dept of Forests Resource Management retiring in 1972 then private forest consulting in PNG till 1982 when he retired to Queensland; died 2004 Jim McAdam, Jim Cavanaugh, Reay Weidenhofer signed up with NGVR (New Guinea Volunteer Rifles) on 19th September 1940

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Charles Lane Poole at Madang, 1924, showing the remains of a radio damaged in the raid at Kohu. Note his gaunt appearance after the rigours of his expedition to Mt Otto.

Source: C. E. Lane Poole, Forest Resources (1925), facing p.

198, courtesy of the National Archives of Australia

In 1923 and 1924, Charles Lane Poole completed a survey of Papua and New Guinea and recommended the establishment of a forest service.

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Cover page C E Lane Poole 1925 Report on Forest Resources of the Territories of Papua and New Guinea Government Printer Melbourne 209 pp

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By the time a forerunner to a forest service was established in 1938, with the appointment of J B McAdam and J Cavanaugh, several Europeans had commenced sawmilling operations.

These operations serviced the domestic market in addition to copra plantation owners in the Islands Region exporting logs and processed timber to the American veneer market.

The history of PNG Forestry is intrinsically linked to the development of the Bulolo Wau valleys gold fields and their natural stands of Araucarias. Readers need to refer to separate authors as James Sinclair5 who have described in detail the history of the Bulolo Wau goldfields.

Lane Poole6 in his report on the forests of the goldfields of Bulolo Wau in 1935 stated: that the only asset that he could see to replace the wasting product gold, was timber. The region is purely a forest one, and its climate is decidedly a forest climate – in short it is proven forest country.

In contrast to the emphasis placed on industry use – values by miners and government officials in the mining office, government forestry officials emphasized the potential for an industry and the wastefulness of the mining community. In his 1935 survey of timber in the Morobe goldfields, Lane Poole was concerned with value of timber and overly critical that the timber was not being used appropriately by mining companies. For example, cedar was used as an all-purpose resource when durability was necessary. He quoted the use of cedar for a water race when the cedar would have been put better to use in the production of fine cabinetry. Evan Shield demonstrated this point with a photograph below of a bridge made from cedar7 over the Bulolo River above the confluence with the Watut River before World War 2.

Cedar1 Bridge over Bulolo River above confluence with the Watut River before World War 2. Photo Credit Evan Shield 5

James Sinclair 2019 ISBN 978-1-876561-15-4 “UP THE CREEK - Edie Creek and the Morobe Goldfields” Pictorial Press Corinda Qld 6 Lane Poole, C.E., 1935. ‘Report on the Forests of the Goldfields of New Guinea: Together with Recommendations Regarding a Forest Policy for the Whole Territory.’ Unpublished TS, 1935. NAA 7 Evan Shield Personal Comm 21/4/2020 “the misuse of timber species referred to by Lane Poole in 1935”

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Photo Credit Evan Shields Jensens Bridge Bulolo Valley Lane Poole, as the then Commonwealth Inspector General of Forests for the colony charged with making recommendations on the use of the forest resources found in the colony, enforced a set of values that sought to match grain and strength with products. He argued that the mining community needed to better use the resources available to them. They were too wasteful, knowing nothing of timber’s value.

From the discovery of gold at Koranga Creek near Wau by William “Shark eye” Park in 1922, the development of the Wau Bulolo valleys for gold mining with roads, townships and airstrips enabled a flourishing timber industry to be developed including large scale plantation development which continues to this day.

BRITISH NEW GUINEA AND PAPUA In 1883, the Colony of Queensland tried to annex the southern half of eastern New Guinea, but the British government did not approve. However, when Germany began settlements in the North, a British protectorate was proclaimed over the southern coast of New Guinea and its adjacent islands. It was called British New Guinea and annexed outright on 4th September 1888. The possession was placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1902. Following the passage of the Papua Act in 1905, British New Guinea became the Territory of Papua and formal Australian administration began in 1906.

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BRITISH NEW GUINEA 1884-1906 1884 1884

1885

1888 1888

1895 1902

Commodore John Erskine officially raised the Union Jack over British New Guinea Sir Peter Scratchley, Special Commissioner to the Crown appointed to administer the country. A protectorate was finally established over southeastern New Guinea and adjacent islands in 1884 to satisfy the need of the still unfederated Australian colonies for emotional and strategic security.

New Guinea Exploration Expedition on behalf of Victoria; New South Wales and Queensland.

H C Evrill – leader of the Australasian Geographic Society’s Fly River Expedition British annexed Papua as British New Guinea Dr William MacGregor appointed as Administrator and for British New Guinea – sovereignty formally proclaimed, and the country became an annexed Possession.

This was under an 1887 agreement between the British government and the three Eastern State Governments (Vic/NSW/Qld) Gold found on Mambare River Letters Patent transferring the government of British New Guinea to the new Commonwealth of Australia issued (18/3/1902) Sir Hubert Murray

The New Guinea Exploration Expedition (1885) on behalf of the three eastern states of Australia (Victoria; New South Wales and Queensland) was a scientific, collecting, and anthropological expedition sent by the Geographical Society of Australasia to the Fly region of PNG. They named and explored the Strickland River.

Sir Peter H Scratchley (1835-1885) appointed special commissioner for the Protectorate of New Guinea (November 1884) but died in December 1885 (Mitchell Library)

Henry Ogg Forbes arrived in Port Moresby in August 1885 in command of an exploration expedition under the auspices of the Royal Geographical society, the Royal Scientific Geographical Society, and the British Government. Scratchley’s death caused postponement of this exploration work until 1887

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Port Moresby was discovered and named by Captain John Moresby R N in 1873. The next year, the first permanent mission station on the island of New Guinea was established there by the Rev W G Lawes of the London Missionary Society. By 1885, with a European population of about 70, Port Moresby was also a Government station.

Source 1959 Commonwealth Dept. of Territories. An expedition preparing to set out from Port Moresby in 1885 for the crest of the Owen Stanley Ranges.

Hon John Douglas, (1828-1904) appointed special commissioner for British New Guinea (27 February 1886), following the death of Sir Peter Scratchley. He was succeeded by Sir William MacGregor on 4th September 1888 with the proclamation of sovereignty. (Commonwealth Archives Office)

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Sir William MacGregor the first administrator of British New Guinea.

He retired in 1898 when arrangements were being made for the transfer of the territory to Australia were being undertaken. The Papuan Act decided in favour of Australia was not passed until 1905 He was succeeded by Sir George Le Hunte from 1989 to 1903. (Commonwealth Archives Office).

Captain F R Barton, administrator 1904-07 assumed office shortly before death by suicide of the acting administrator C S Robinson.

Barton was succeeded by J H P Murray in March 1907. (Mitchell Library)

The officers of the Papuan Administration in 1906. Left to right F Weekley; CA W Monckton; Judge Murray; Capt. Barton (administrator), D Ballantine; A M Campbell; W Whitten and W Little. (Photo credit - Information and Extension services Administration of Papua New Guinea)

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Royal Commission 1906 Samarai

Seated left to right W.E. Parry-Okeden; Col. J.A.K Mackay, C E Herbert Standing Left George Belford8 government guide and on right E Harris (source Mitchell Library) The Royal Commission was asked by the Commonwealth Government to inquire into “the present conditions, including the methods of government of the territory now known as Papua and the best means for their improvement.� The report of the Commission published in 1907 said that the policy should be to encourage enterprise and to pursue economic expansion.

PAPUA 1884 - 1906 Hood Bay Papua 1884. The first British sailors explain the new Government and its laws to Papuan Chiefs. Photo Credit PNGAA

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George Belford is related to PNG Forester Jim Belford

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PAPUA 1906-1942 There was little economic activity in Papua. Australia administered it separately under the Papua Act until it was invaded by Japan in 1942, and civil administration suspended.

1906 1908 1909

Papua (formerly British New Guinea) comes under Australian rule (Papua Act proclaimed 1906) Gilbert Burnett Timber Trees of the Territory of Papua Reports and catalogue Timber Ordinance in Papua

The Australian administrators of Papua and New Guinea first attempted to survey the timber potential of parts of Papua in 1908. By arrangement with the Queensland Government, Mr Gilbert Burnett went to Papua to report on its timber resources. He stayed there for seven months and visited various places along the coast from the Purari Delta to Samarai and in the vicinity of Buna Bay on the north- east.

Port Moresby 1900 (Mitchell Library)

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Port Moresby 1914 with Burns Philp Store (Dept. of Territories)

Waterfront Port Moresby 1914 with Burns Philp Store (Dept. of Territories)

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Main Wharf Port Moresby 1919 (S Stephenson Collection)

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PAPUA and NEW GUINEA -WORLD WAR 2 AND ANGAU 1942-1947/8 1942 1943-44 1943-45 1944-46

1944-45

1944-45 1944-45 1945 1946 1946 1946

1946

1946 1946 1946 1946 1947

Civil administration suspended Max Jacobs PNG war service including collecting on Bulldog track in 1944 Returned to Australia in 1944 to become Principal AFS Herbert Mair ANGAU Forest Botanist After discharge from AIF in 1946 joined Sydney Botanical Gardens.

During the SECOND WORLD WAR, Forestry matters including cutting and milling of timber controlled by the Army through the 1st Australian CRE New Guinea Forests. The OIC was Major Jim McAdam who commanded two forestry survey companies. He was awarded Military Medal MM. McAdam became first Director of Forests of Papua and New Guinea assisted by CT White Government Botanist Queensland & H E Dadswell CSIRO and Lt Lindsay Smith Govt Botanist Brisbane Bert Head commanded 1 Forest Survey Group PNG after McAdam; graduate Creswick 1933; After the war; General Manager Heyfield Logging Company in 1950’s and 1960’s Les Carron Australian Forestry Survey Group Lae then AFS Geoff Chandler Australian Army Engineers PNG then APMF Frank Vickery Forest Ranger Bulolo and the father-in-law of forester Robin Morwood Keith Cullen recruited from Queensland Forestry by Jim McAdam to work in Lae on aerial photography; then Konedobu. Left 1971 Robert Cattanach Kerevat plantation and then Bulolo Roading supervisor till 1972 when he retired to Queensland. Died 1996 First announcement of formal forest policy, army forestry records and equipment taken over by the administration. Former army personnel recruited to form the nucleus of the forest department e.g. Jim McAdam and Jim Cavanaugh Ted and Norma Collis to sawmill at Yalu near Lae then to Bulolo where he was responsible for the plantation nursery. He retired in 1975 to Bribie Island Queensland. Died 2011 Bill Jenkins to sawmill at Yalu then forester on forest resource surveys throughout PNG. Retired to Tasmania. Died 2004 Alan Fraser OIC Kerevat and then Technical Officer Bulolo and departed PNG 1970 Alex Hart Cadet Forest Officer; graduated 1952; Papua; 1956 departed PNG for CALM WA John Womersley Forest Botanist Lae; departed PNG 1975 for Adelaide Appointment of Cadet Foresters for the Territory of Papua New Guinea (Bond)

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Australia recalled its forestry army units in 1943 to go to Papua New Guinea to assist in the Pacific War 9

ACME Newsagency Photo October 1943 reprinted in Army Journal No 233 October 1968

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This photograph shows a march through New York on 1 October 1943 by 600 Australian foresters on their way home from the United Kingdom. In three years, three Australian forestry companies produced 30,000,000 super feet of sawn timber. The Australian foresters also acquired some 120 British brides.

Australian Army Foresters marching through New York 1 October 1943 From the United Kingdom. Dept of Army photograph.

During the war, Papua was governed by an Australian military administration from Port Moresby.

Source John Murphy’s10 Book of Pidgin English 1943 10

Murphy J 1943 The Book of Pidgin English Publisher W R Smith & Paterson Pty Ltd Brisbane

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John Murphy and Native Constables on Patrol

John Murphy’s photos of various Chiefs encountered during his patrols 26

Carron11 in A History of Forestry in Australia reported that in July 1943, a conference, conveyed to consider the utilization of the forest resources of Papua New Guinea to meet the requirements of the Allied Forces in the area, recommended to the Commonwealth Government that a central timber control be set up to do this, and that any timber surplus to the needs of the services be sent to Australia. As a result, the Engineer in Chief of the Australian Forces was instructed to raise a New Guinea Forest Service, within the Royal Australian Engineers, composed of a Headquarters Unit and three or more Survey (reconnaissance) Units to perform in New Guinea those functions normally carried out by a civil forestry department. Its duties were outlined as: • the implementation of forestry policy as determined by the Commander in Chief • prior allocation and survey, as far as operational conditions permitted of areas to be milled by all Australian Army sawmilling units • the compilation of information on milling necessary for compensation purposes • liaison with United States of America Forces to bring all timber production under a common policy and to obtain records necessary for reverse lend-lease adjustments • liaison with ANGAU on civil rights • the undertaking of surveys to provide the maximum forestry information • correlation and maintenance of forestry information and records in such a manner that they could be handed over to a civil service at an appropriate time.

The raising of 1 Command Royal Engineers (New Guinea Forests) as the Headquarters unit, with J B McAdam (head of the pre-war New Guinea Forest Service as commanding officer); 1 Australian Forestry Survey Coy with W R Suttie (Queensland) in command and 2 Australian Forestry Survey Coy with A E Head (Victoria) in command, began in January 1944.

Their major tasks were the location of supplies of timber for immediate operational requirements of the various war services and an assessment of the forest resources of the south-west Pacific area, for both operational and post-war purposes to the extent that available transport, communications and enemy occupation permitted. In this, considerable use was made of air-photo interpretation supported by ground reconnaissance and sampling.

The units were gradually phased out towards the end of 1945 after the war had ended.

Following the surrender of the Japanese in 1945, civil administration of Papua as well as New Guinea was restored. Under the Papua New Guinea Provisional Administration Act (194546), Papua and New Guinea were combined in an administrative union.

Gordon Freegard12 of the Pickering Brook Heritage Group researched the history of the 2/1; 2/2 and 2/3 Forestry Companies of the Royal Australian Engineers in 2018. His work included some of their efforts in New Guinea and Bougainville. The Army selected experienced timbermen to undertake the forestry work of harvesting and processing logs for sawn timber supplies for the war effort. The forestry units were initially sent to Scotland.

When the Japanese entered the War in the Pacific the Australian Forestry Units were called back to Australia where they were deployed to the Northern Territory and New Guinea at Lae, Madang and Bougainville.

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Carron L 1985 A History of Forestry in Australia Publisher Australian National University Freegard G 2018 Pickering Brook Heritage Group 2/2nd Forestry Company RAE

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Australian Army Sawmillers Base Camp Lae New Guinea Photo credit State Library of South Australia In the forests near Lae, they erected a sawmill in less than six weeks, equipped with seven saw benches, taking logs up to 5 feet in diameter and giving an output of 100,000 feet of sawn timber a week for use by the Australian and American forces.

2/2 Forestry Company in Lae in 1944 Photo credit Australian War Memorial

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Barking Logs Lae. Photo credit PNGAA Frances Laker Collection and Australian War Memorial

Sawing logs in New Britain presumably at Jacquinot Bay Photo credit Australian War Memorial

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John Henry (Jack) O’Meagher from Karragullen driving a bulldozer in Torokina Bougainville Photo credit Australian War Memorial

2/2 Forestry Company Bougainville Photo Credit Australian War Memorial

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https://trove.nia.gov.au/newspaper/article/48947635?

02 Mar 1945 The Courier Mail Brisbane Qld 1933-1954 Page 4 “Axemen do Big Job in New Guinea.”

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ACRONYMS ACT AFS AFPNG ANBG ANGAU ANU APMF APPM ASOPA BFC BGD BUC C cm CALM CFA CNGT CRE CSIRO CHAH DEPT FAO F &TB FPRC Forkol ha IFA L of N m3 MM NAA NB no.

NG NZ NSW PNG PNGAA PNGAF PNGFIA PNGUT POM Q QF RAE UK UN

Australian Capital Territory Australian Forestry School Association of Foresters of PNG Australian National Botanical Gardens Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit Australian National University Australian Paper Manufacturers Forestry Pty Ltd Australia Paper and Pulp Manufacturers Australian School of Pacific Administration Bulolo Forestry College Bulolo Gold Dredging Company Bulolo University College Commonwealth Centimetre Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management Commonwealth Forestry Association Commonwealth New Guinea Timbers Bulolo Corps of Royal Engineers Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria Department Food and Agriculture Organisation Forest and Timber Bureau Canberra Forest Products Research Centre Hohola Bulolo Forestry College Hectare Institute of Foresters of Australia League of Nations cubic metre Military Medal National Archives Australia New Britain Number New Guinea New Zealand New South Wales Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea Australia Association Papua New Guinea Australian Foresters Magazine Series PNG Forest Industries Association PNG University of Technology Port Moresby Queensland Queensland Forestry Royal Australian Engineers/Australian Army United Kingdom United Nations 32

UNE UNI UNITECH UPNG TPNG TA TRP WA WB

University of New England Armidale NSW University University of Technology Lae PNG University of Papua New Guinea Territory of Papua and New Guinea Timber Area Timber Rights Purchase Western Australia World Bank

33