I join the Australian Navy

 My car has arrived and I now have my own transport in Port Moresby. It’s great, not have to rely on other people.

They send us a chap named Fred Harrison, a refrigeration mechanic, who arrives complete with wife Wendy and a couple of small children. Dave finds them a flat to live in.  Fred is a cheerful fellow and within a short time is liked by everyone. Being married, he gets the company ute to take home with him, but has to drive us around if needed.

One of the first jobs Fred is given is at the Australian Naval Base in Manus Island, part of the Admiralty Islands near the Equator. A new air conditioning system needs to be installed and they send Peter Fides, a sheetmetal worker and myself up there to start the installation. Fred is to follow a week later to do the refrigeration work.

Peter and I arrive at the Naval Base called ‘HMAS Tarangau’ and are given a Nissan hut to ourselves. It is quite large with about ten bedroom cubicles with walls about 2 metres high and open above and there is a communal kitchen, which we don't use as we are eating at the Petty Officer's Mess. 

I sometimes listen to Swiss Radio
International on shortwave

There is absolutely nothing to do in the naval base so we work long hours. I sometimes listen to shortwave radio for news from Switzerland.

 There is a young native boy hanging around the hut. His name is Pius and he tells us he’s still at high school. He is an intelligent young native and I employ him to help me with my installation. On Sunday, Pius calls to our Donga and I ask him if he can get us some coconuts from one of the many palm trees outside our hut. 'Of course', he said and proceeds to climb one of the trees with the aid of his handkerchief with which he ties his feet together and up he goes right to the top where he dislodges a few coconuts.

Pius climbs a palm tree

I am amazed, here I am on a tropical island of the Pacific, so very far from my home in Switzerland, watching a native boy doing what comes natural to him, climbing palm trees to get coconuts.

Back on the ground, Pius takes the husk off with his teeth, a bit like we peel a banana. The milk of the freshly opened coconut tastes nice and in the heat is very refreshing.