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This gallery was supplied by John Gibson who visited PNG on Remembrance Day, 23rd July 2013. John was a sergeant chalkie at Taurama Barracks in 1967-68 so there are many photos of Taurama Barracks as it is today.
John also provided two short videos of the day. To view these, click the links Video 1 and Video 2
Remembrance Day at Ella Beach
Remembrance Day
Headquarters
Headquarters
Names of the diggers
Officers’ mess with the stray dogs guarding it. The sergeants eat here now.
Our beloved pool
Roll of Honour
Same guard box but new painted over sign
Step up from the parade ground
The chapel
The education building. It is now the military police HQ.
The guard house and today’s uniforms
The obstacle course. The walls etc. are very dilapidated and not in use.
The old footie field
The old married quarters
The old RAP where the footballers enjoyed their weekly tetanus needle after each game.
The Parade Ground
The road is much better now
The Sergeants’ Mess – an electrical fault caused the fire
Sergeants Quarters. John’s room was on the lower floor to the left
Further photos showing Taurama Barracks and officers as well as the primary school taken by Terry Edwinsmith in 2007.
Fiona,
No doubt you are able to find many happy memories contained in these webpage articles and photos.
Are you able to find photos of Port Moresby and Goldie River from your time in TPNG? We would be most interested in these photos for our picture gallery. An article written of your time as a serviceman’s daughter might well be of interest to others also. You may also be interested to learn that a possible playmate of yours has her picture posted on this site under the “Árticles” section of the Menu above, in an article entitled, “Port Moresby Revisited”. Flora Peni was a serviceman’s daughter at Taurama Barracks. (Dad was Jock Peni who was attached to the Band.)
I hope that you continue to enjoy this website,
Regards,
Terry
Hi John,
My father was RQMS at Goldie River from 1966 to 1971. We lived there in married Q., & I attended Port Moresby High.
We made many “chalkie” friends whilst in PNG & Dad took many of them under his wing (his nickname was “mum” Bushell).
We also made a number of visits to Taurama, I remember attending school holiday activities out there (run by chalkies), movies & (I think) a Christmas party. (I was 12 in 1966). I had very happy memories of PNG
Really interested & a bit sad to see how things look there now, Thanks.
best wishes Fiona
Fiona,
No doubt you are able to find many happy memories contained in these webpage articles and photos.
Are you able to find photos of Port Moresby and Goldie River from your time in TPNG? We would be most interested in these photos for our picture gallery. An article written of your time as a serviceman’s daughter might well be of interest to others also. You may also be interested to learn that a possible playmate of yours has her picture posted on this site under the “Árticles” section of the Menu above, in an article entitled, “Port Moresby Revisited”. Flora Peni was a serviceman’s daughter at Taurama Barracks. (Dad was Jock Peni who was attached to the Band.)
I hope that you continue to enjoy this website,
Regards,
Terry
Hi John,
My father was RQMS at Goldie River from 1966 to 1971. We lived there in married Q., & I attended Port Moresby High.
We made many “chalkie” friends whilst in PNG & Dad took many of them under his wing (his nickname was “mum” Bushell).
We also made a number of visits to Taurama, I remember attending school holiday activities out there (run by chalkies), movies & (I think) a Christmas party. (I was 12 in 1966). I had very happy memories of PNG
Really interested & a bit sad to see how things look there now, Thanks.
best wishes Fiona