Guest Book Archive

Messages dated 03 January 2002 to 01 May 2005

Sunday 05/01/2005 2:23:18am
Name: Ned R. Young
Homepage:  
E-Mail: beckyned@columbus.rr.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Circleville,Ohio USA
Are you Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate Electricians Mate 1\C
Served on Mobile Unit? 78th USN Seabees Batt,
Comments: I was a part of the 78th that made the Base at Ponam Island 1944, We did the Air Field in 10 Weeks, night and day. You can check out the 78th on the net.
Ole Ned R.
 
 
Monday 02/21/2005 12:01:14am
Name: Christopher Watters
Homepage:  
E-Mail: cpr164@sympatico.ca
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Milton, Ontario Canada
Are you Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate Lt (A) R.N.V.R.
Served on Mobile Unit? Maryborough , Queensland, Australia
Comments: Was Senior Maintenance Test Pilot from Fall of 1945 until closing of the Station in April 1946
 
 
Saturday 01/29/2005 12:16:41am
Name: Les Peach
Homepage:  
E-Mail: landepeach@aol.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country:  
Are you Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate A/B
Served on Mobile Unit? Monab 9
Comments: Is there anybody there?
 
 
Wednesday 01/19/2005 2:40:05am
Name: Matthew Kawei
Homepage:  
E-Mail: tonuf1@shaw.ca
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Are you Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: I was born on Ponam Island and have seen the remains of the airstrip and building foundations. I was surfacing trying to find out about the role my island played in the Pacific War.

Tony, thanks for this wonderful site and keep up he good work.

For your infomation, a British pilot visited Ponam Island in 2001 on a sailing boat. I have recent pictures of the island as well. Here is a link I worte about my trip home last August 2004

http://www.pngbd.com/forum/showthread.php?p=41484#post41484

God Bless..matt

 

 

Monday 11/15/2004 8:15:23am
Name: Graham
Homepage:  
E-Mail: grahamcall@hotmail.com
Referred By: Search Engine
City/Country: sydney australia
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: Am here on research off pacific and indian ocean itinery of h.m.s. Venerable 44 -46 any info would be greatly recevied please .

Graham

 

 

Saturday 11/13/2004 7:58:28am
Name: Bill Brooks
Homepage:  
E-Mail: bill@brookswh.fsnet.co.uk
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Luton
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate Marine
Served on Mobile Unit? Yes 6 & 8
Comments: Revisiting to see the site improving constantly Keep up the good work Tony
 
 
Tuesday 09/28/2004 8:25:32pm
Name: WHBrooks
Homepage:  
E-Mail: bill@brookswh.fsnet.co.uk
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: uk
Ex Forces : No, Yes
Rank/Rate Royal Marine
Served on Mobile Unit? MONAB 6 MONAB 8 1945/1946
Comments: Would love to hear from any former oppos or any one who knew me at above units or the RNSM at Burford Oxon. or Eastney barracks Still in possession of MONAB photographs
 
 
Thursday 08/05/2004 8:36:37pm
Name: James Paulding
Homepage:  
E-Mail: edeerenberg@hotmail.com
Referred By: Search Engine
City/Country: Broadstairs, Kent
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: Dear Sir, I have found the name I have remembered since I was a small boy. The Dominian Monarch. My late father of the same name as myself sailed to Australia as a RN rating during the war on the DM & only with the wonders of the web have I discovered what she looked like & her general(mission). I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your superb info into my dear Dads past. Many Thanks Jim Paulding.
 
 
Sunday 07/04/2004 7:08:40pm
Name: Dianna Popp
Homepage:  
E-Mail: Poprika1@worldnet.att.net
Referred By: Search Engine
City/Country: New York, USA
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit? 104 Battalion - My Uncle Howard Roler
Comments: He was with the 104th Battalion of the SeaBees in 1943-on.I knew he was in the S. Pacific, Australia and new Guinea. Was a Lieutenant. Received Amer. Theatre Ribbon, Pacific Theatre Ribbon 3 Stars, Philippine Liberation, 2 Stars, Victory Ribbon, all WW II. Came home wih skin rashes/irritations. Now I know it was from Coral. I am reasearching to write about our Family.He passed on 1974, had a Career at Wright Patterson Airfield, Dayton, Ohio. If anyone knew him or has further info, Please email.
 

 

Thursday 04/01/2004 2:51:55pm
Name: Derek Smith
Homepage:  
E-Mail: derekeasysmith@btinternet,com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Norwich UK
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate Sig. RN
Served on Mobile Unit? No
Comments: Searching for Manus, HMS Pepys, where I spent six months,JUL 45 -Jan 46. Picked up Monab site, which has reminded me of my time with The BPF. Believe we playedNabaron at football on Pityilu,hard and hot going.

 

 

Sunday 03/28/2004 11:22:00pm
Name: Anthony Balch
Homepage:  
E-Mail: afxbal@intergate.com
Referred By: Search Engine
City/Country: Canada
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate PO Tel
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: Noted that I also went to Australia on Dominion Monarch with Kenneth Peterkin, although I did not know him.
Welcome any other ex Golden Hind members to contact me.
 

 

Wednesday 03/17/2004 10:29:49am
Name: Alison Cutler
Homepage:  
E-Mail: alison@qst.com.au
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Brisbane Australia
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: Researching my Father's time during the WWII. According to Navy records that my Mother has, my Father William Cutler served with HMS Nabstock from 1945-1946. Unfortunately my Father passed away in 1996 and never spoke about his war time experiences. His grandsons and I are trying to trace his movements during this time. I have some photo's but times/places are not noted.
 

 

Thursday 03/11/2004 7:51:35pm
Name: Alan Woodward
Homepage:  
E-Mail: woodward@zetnet.co.uk
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Dorset, UK
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit? No
Comments: Great Site. My stepmother's first husband was married to Capt Peter Frai, C/O of Nabreekie. I'll check if she has any memorabilia.

 

 

Monday 02/02/2004 8:28:39pm
Name: Tony Mould
Homepage:  
E-Mail: sir.tony@btopenworld
Referred By: Friend
City/Country: Brighton East Sussex
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: Very well collated site.
NOTE:  
 
 
Sunday 12/28/2003 3:34:43pm
Name: Janice Ashworth
Homepage:  
E-Mail: steveandjanice@wellydog.freeserve.co.uk
Referred By: Search Engine
City/Country: Weston-super-mare England
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit? No But my father did
Comments: I have got a photo with signatures that as far as my dad remebers, he took at Nowra. He is reluctant to talk of his experiences but has talked about about riding a Harley Davidson out into the bush to recover parts from a crashed plane.

 

 

Thursday 12/11/2003 10:53:22am
Name: Douglas Evans (Taffy)
Homepage:  
E-Mail: Redragon1@big pond.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Sydney Australia
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate Airman Electrics
Served on Mobile Unit? No
Comments: Started off at HMS Duke then Gosling Then Henlow BEDS Then Daedulas All in 1943 and 1944 then invalided out from Haslar Hospital May 1944
 
 
Tuesday 10/28/2003 3:51:27pm
Name: Bill Brooks
Homepage:  
E-Mail: bill@brookswh.fsnet.co.uk
Referred By: Web Ring
City/Country:  
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate Royal Marine (Transport) PO/x 123514
Served on Mobile Unit? yes 6 & 8 Schofield & kai-tak
Comments: Just another visit with new address
Still hoping to contact any former oppos who may remember me
The site improves all the time Keep it going Tony All the Best
 
 
Friday 10/24/2003 6:04:51pm
Name: Les W Sherwood
Homepage:  
E-Mail: sherwood@mcleodusa.net
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: cedar rapids iowa USA
Ex Forces : No, Yes
Rank/Rate AMM@2
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: Served with C.A.S.U.13 USN 1944 and early 1945 on Ponam Island. Nothing concerning CASU 13 was in this article
 
 
Friday 10/24/2003 0:10:03am
Name: William Bailey
Homepage:  
E-Mail: wjbailey21@onetel.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: U.K.
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate Lt.Cdr.
Served on Mobile Unit? Yes 723 Squadron 1944-December1945.
Comments: Very Interesting story. Some ten years or so ago met my old CO. Harold Bullivant at local golf club New Year Ball and he told me he was getting married for first time and retiring to Ireland. He was an executive at the Bank of England Debden Essex
 
 
Sunday 10/05/2003 6:49:27am
Name: John Barker
Homepage:  
E-Mail: jdbarker@bigpond.com.au
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Brisbane
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate PO Air Fitter
Served on Mobile Unit? TAMY 1
Comments: Any fellow crew members /personnel please contact me for old times sake.

 

Wednesday 08/27/2003 3:11:14am
Name: ERIC COLLINGS
Homepage:  
E-Mail: ranchi@hermes.net.au
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Portsmouth UK now in Australia
Ex Forces : No, Yes
Rank/Rate PettyOfficer Air Fitter (E)
Served on Mobile Unit? Flycatcher(Monab 5) Nabswick, Nabcatch
Comments: Served in FAA 1942 to 1946. at Daedalus,then to Australia on "Ranchi"
Then Nowra,Jervis Bay,Golden Hind,Kai Tak. Returned to UK on "Orion"

 

 
Sunday 08/03/2003 1:41:32am
Name: John 'Taff' Hemming
Homepage:  
E-Mail: john.b.hemming@btinternet.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Wales
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate REM (Air)
Served on Mobile Unit? Yes
Comments: I got drafted on to MONAB Henstridge in August 1955 - it was the cushiest job ever! There were 12 of us, various trades, plus our own cook. The OIC was a Lt. Jay. We were bussed out daily from Yeovilton & bussed back every afternoon. As the only Radio Mech there my job in the morning was to open up all the transmitter huts and switch on the transmitters. Lunchtime - switch them all off again. Then we'd all sit down to a splendid 3-course lunch, Lt.Jay included and prepare for the afternoon 'shift'. This comprised, for me anyway, was to open all the receiver huts and switch on all the receivers. Life gets teejus - doan it. The hardest part of the job was to keep out of the way of Lt.Jay - just in case he walked round. Life carried on in this merry fashion until October 1955 when an AFO came out asking for REM(Air) volunteers for loan service with the RAN so I banged in for that and - guess what - I end up at RNAS Nowra. (Mentioned many times in this website). I see Commander Charles Morris has made a contribution on this notice-board - he was my Divisional Officer back in those days - Lt.Charlie Morris as he was then.
Anyway, great site, really glad I came across it.

 

 
Monday 06/09/2003 9:06:17am
Name: Tim Coyle
Homepage:  
E-Mail: twcoyle@bigpond.com
Referred By: Search Engine
City/Country: Canberra/Australia
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate Lieutenant Commander RANR
Served on Mobile Unit? No
Comments: Tony

Wonderful site. I am very interested in the British Pacific Fleet and its activities in Australia. Didn't know much about MONABs until I found the site.
Re your comments about what happened to the Jervis Bay airfield (HMS NABSWICK). It is still going strong as its original use of satellite airfield for Nowra (HMAS ALBATROSS). It is also the location of the RAN NBCD school. For many years it was the airfield fronm which the old Jindivik drones were launched for fleet AAW training.
Although the RAN air station HMAS ALBATROSS has had million spent on it to support the Fleet Air Arm helicopters old MONABers might still recognise a few surviving WW2 buildings including the camp cinema (until recently the gym).
Again congratulations on the site.

Tim

 

 
Friday 05/30/2003 8:46:33pm
Name: Steven Tai Fong Lai
Homepage:  
E-Mail: amyandsteven@hotmail.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Toronto Canada
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: I saw the crash of the Hawker Hunter near Lion Rock in Hong Kong when I was a kid living in Diamind Hill behind Kai Tak
 
 
Friday 05/23/2003 4:48:55am
Name: Ron Sunderland
Homepage:  
E-Mail: ronantlette@hotmail.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Sydney
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate S/LT.[A] RNVR
Served on Mobile Unit? Nowra,Schofields & Bankstown
Comments: Introduced by Tony *****. Have Memories on this site. Also photos on the "Galleries". Hasn't Tony done a great job. Where are the aircrews of 820 & 828 squadrons?

 

 

Friday 05/23/2003 4:47:10am
Name: Arthur Frederic ROWSELL F970943L
Homepage:  
E-Mail: Rolton@bigpond.com
Referred By: Friend
City/Country: Montville, Australia
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate P.O.A.F. A/E
Served on Mobile Unit? N.A,M.D.U. Lee-on-Solent
Comments: Mick Rowsell served with you on the Hovercraft Unit and lives in Gosport.
He is my Brother and I vaguely remember you just before I left the service in 1981 and came to Australia.
Good work on the MONAB Story and I am a friend of Frank Beattie OAM who is a member of the sub Branch of the RSL at MALENY in Qld. In fact Frank is now the President of the RSL Sub Branch which meets in the old Cinema from Maryborough(Qld) MONAB which was called HMS NABSTOCK. I spent 3 months with the Unit at Lee making a model of the concept of a mobile Naval Air Base to be used in Spain, but it never got off the ground. Era? 1967.
Roly Ex FAA 26yrs.
 
 
Sunday 05/18/2003 7:07:34am
Name: Scouse Davis
Homepage:  
E-Mail: woodyted@macn.bc.ca
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Parksville.BC.Canada
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate LAM(E)
Served on Mobile Unit? Monab 5 &Monab 8
Comments: I would love to hear from anyone from Monab5 or8 especially from the Sea Otter Squadron at Kai Tak.Reading this document really carries me back 58 years.
 
 
Saturday 03/22/2003 3:20:02am
Name: Charles Morris
Homepage:  
E-Mail: obelix@netspace.net.au
Referred By: Friend
City/Country: Australia
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate Commander RAN
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: RN Sept 1943 -Dec 1946
HMS Slinger
Collected Monab 5 from Ponam Island, Sept/Oct? 1945 to Sydney.
Demobbed 1948 Joined RAN same year, retired as Commander Electrical 1980

 

 

Sunday 03/02/2003 11:38:17am
Name: gordon saunders
Homepage:  
E-Mail: JAYARESS2@aol.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: broadstone.dorset.u.k.
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate air fitter
Served on Mobile Unit? MONAB 8 + TAMY 1
Comments: Thrilled to see photograph,in galleries,from George Searle of group at Kai Tak. I'm the one bottom row 3rd right,I have a copy of the same photo & also the one of Ah Sing the Chinese Mess Boy. I still remember all of them

 

 
Thursday 02/20/2003 4:33:30am
Name: Charles Adams
Homepage:  
E-Mail: marciaa@paradise.net.nz
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: kapiti Coast New Zealand
Ex Forces : No, Yes
Rank/Rate Leading Stoker
Served on Mobile Unit? H.M.S. Unicorn 43-46
Comments: Remember Manus and Ponam, spent time as motorboats crew, a beautiful spot, at least it was. My first time on this site, very well done, I will be back.

 

 
Friday 12/20/2002 11:05:56pm
Name: John Burge
Homepage:  
E-Mail: cheakamus@earthlink.net
Referred By: Search Engine
City/Country: Seattle, Washington
Ex Forces : No,
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: My father, Maurice "Dickie" Burge served on Ponam. I believe he was a sublieutenant and had something to do with codes. He died in 1975, before I was able (and ready) to find out much about his early life (i.e., before me!) Now, I'm helping my 12-year-old son research a term-long family-history project and realizing how little I know. I would be very happy to have a "hello" from anyone who knew my dad. BTW, he was from Weston-super-Mare and emmigrated to Canada (Vancouver) in 1953. Thanks.

 

 

Thursday 12/19/2002 9:05:17pm
Name: zohar eliave
Homepage: http://www.chi.co.il
E-Mail: appolo98@netvision.net.il
Referred By: Search Engine
City/Country: israel
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: one of the best sites of it's kind
well informed and god quality pics

 

 
Tuesday 12/17/2002 10:12:31pm
Name: Gary
Homepage: http://www.boatsville.com
E-Mail: gary@boatsville.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Clinton Township, Michigan
Ex Forces : No
Rank/Rate  
Served on Mobile Unit?  
Comments: Nice site.

 

 
Saturday 12/14/2002 9:26:25pm
Name: Pete Biggadike
Homepage:  
E-Mail: g8jan@waitrose.com
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: UK
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate CHIEF TECHNICIAN
Served on Mobile Unit? Ex RAF 1911 Flight 656 sqdn
Comments: Hi all it's nice to see information about Sembawang. I was stationed there during 1957/58 on 1911 flight of 656 sqdn army air corps. If anyone would like to see more photographs please have a look at my website:
http://www.users.waitrose.com/~g8jan
I hope you enjoy them.

 

 
Saturday 11/23/2002 11:25:17am
Name: Geoff McKeown
Homepage:  
E-Mail: geoffmck1@bigpond.com
Referred By: Web Ring
City/Country: Sydney, Auswallibie Land
Ex Forces : Yes
Rank/Rate W0 (RAN), SQNLDR (RAAF)
Served on Mobile Unit? No
Comments: Was having a look at RAN FAA Site and thought that I would grace this book with one who served under all the Ensigns and National Flags of Australia.

They are:
Your White Ensign (which Aust shared),
The Aust White Ensign,
The RAAF Ensign and
The Australian National Flag.

Served 20 years in RAN Fleet Air Arm and 12 years in RAAF. Enjoyed all of it and would join RAN again if an opportunity to be young again came around.

PS
Don't be put off by talk of terrorists, the crocodiles pose a greater danger. Come over and visit the last great frontier.

Geoff

 

 
Friday 11/15/2002 9:29:55pm
Name: Thomas V. Chambers
Homepage: