AWM41 996 - [Nurses Narratives] Sister Catherine E Lethbridge - Part 3

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The road a good part of the way, lies
close to the water
& is fringed in places with different
coloured crotans, hibiscus plants,
franjepani etc. We pass by several
native villages, & the Lu Lui or
chief of each village is responsible
for keeping to tidy a certain section
of the road. The tropical scenery
would appear incomplete without
the natives, as very picturesque they
are with their copper coloured skins,
& various coloured lava lavas, which
is usually their only clothing. One
passes large groups of them on the
roads, & we used to see dozens of
them bathing in the sparkling water,
to which the tiniest look so like
fish.
On two occasions I had a delightful
outing amongst the Duke of York
group of islands, each trip was
for administrative purposes, & the 

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Administrator kindly invited any of
the ladies of the garrison to go too.
On the first occasion we visited
Mioko; one could hardly describe
the fascination of these islands,
coconut fringed, & set in a sea of
sparkling blue, with streaks of wonderful
green in the water, & deeper coloured
blue, showing where the coral reefs
lie. We landed at Mioko, & went
for a tour of inspection, followed
by a long string of natives; some
of them brought shells, which
they wished us to purchase for
native tobacco, they were cunning
enough to dip these in water first
to give them a shiny appearance
We arrived home after dark, so
enjoyed the beauties of the sunset
on the water. 

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About three months after I had
Malaria was sent to Toma (about
30 miles from Rabaul) Toma was
about the only health resort we
could get to, & being a little higer
than Namanula was slightly
cooler. M^rs Newport (wife of G.C.
botannical gardens) came with me.
& we stayed at the only available
accomodation, a boarding house kept
by a German. The scenery round
Toma is extremely beautiful, one
looks over extensive valleys, with
hills in the distance there is also
a glimpse of the harbour. Far away
on the horizon there is a blue
line of hills, which is the commencement 
of the Baining ranges. Many
tales are told of the natives from
the Bainings, how in the old
days, they stole down, & murdered 

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the coastal tribes or carried them off
as slaves. Canabilism is still supposed
to be rife on parts of the Bainings.
Four days was quite enough for us
at Toma, we found the loneliness
rather trying, the natives not being
quite as civilized as n round Rabaul,
we were afraid to venture on very
long walks. The German element at
the boarding house was also trying
My year at Rabaul on the whole
was a happy one, & it was only
during the last two months, I had
a real longing to return to
Australia, & that was solely on
account of my health.
Was extremely fortunate in the two
matrons I worked under, Miss Gibbin
being there the first six months,
& afterwards Miss Robertson, both
of whom as well as being capable
heads 

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in our hospital duty, did everything
to make our home life happy,
which meant a great deal in a
place like Rabaul, as we were
dependent on each others companionship
more than in most places.
I also found my fellow workers
pleasant, & easy to work with.
Our work did not always run on
easy lines, as there were times when
all of us including the Matron were
on duty for 13 or 14 hours at a
stretch for days at a time, which
was particularly trying in a tropical
climate, but the good comradeship
which existed between us, always
made things seem easier. On looking
back it is really the pleasant
memories one dwells on most, & my
year with the A.N. & M.E.F. is
an experience I should not like to
have missed.
Catherine E. Lethbridge.

(Late A.N. & M.E.F.)

A.W.M.
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Australian War Memorial
005172241