Published: 15 May 2023

Chapter 24

Being home wasn’t sitting well with Owen and the ride back with Hank was almost without conversation, except for a question on why Winnie was giving him the cold shoulder, receiving the answer she was now going steady with someone from town. Hank made a quick turnaround at the farm gate, his final words, I’ll see you around kid, had a measure of finality in his tone.

The walk from the gate to the house gave Owen time to adjust his mood but it would take all of his ability to appear happy, as he was concerned with the direction of his relationship with Chip. It was as if he had reached a crossroad and could not see where any direction could head except in disappointment.

Before entering into the house Owen spies Gavin coming up from the paddock. Gavin gives a wave and Owen waits for his brother to arrive.

“How was your trip?” Gavin asks.

“It was great; I saw plenty of crocs and a Jap sub.”

“What were you doing out as sea?”

“Not as sea, it sailed past where we were staying,” Owen takes Chip’s advice and neglects it mention the submarine fired upon them.

“Did you catch any fish?”

“A couple of small ones, nothing like when dad took us down the coast on holidays.

“Dad’s had a bit of bother since you’ve been away.”

“What so?”

“That secrete he had, you know the one we all knew about.”

“What buying a new truck?”

“Yes that one, the deal fell through.”

They reach the door, “anything else?” Owen asks.

“Jim is still having nightmares but not as often as before and he is starting to disappear for most of the day, without mentioning where he is heading.”

They enter and May takes over the questioning while Owen keeps his answers simple and positive, then as May exhausts her probing, Alf becomes animated with a warning it would be Owen’s last excursion for some time.

It took Owen most of the week to readjust to his homecoming, with Chip’s admission of fondness remaining paramount and his longing to be with his airman strengthening as he waited for the promised telephone call. By the following weekend Owen still had not received Chip’s call, giving him concern and as Gavin readied to do the delivery to the base Owen steps in, deciding to do the run. An argument erupts until Alf takes the heat out of it, saying after the delivery he wants Owen to go into town for him, so it would be better for Owen to do both.

On reaching the base, Owen notices Chip’s Dakota is missing from its usual parking area. Also at the kitchens there is a new man in charge of accepting deliveries.

“Where is Grant?” Owen asks.

“Don’t know anyone by that name,” the lanky replacement admits, while giving the delivery equal scrutiny as Grant would.

“Bob Grant, he usually takes the delivery.”

“Don’t know, I’m Des O’Dea and it’s my job now, maybe he ate some of the food from the mess and come down with a crook gut.”

“Then Des I hope you aren’t as picky as Grant had been.”

“Lieutenant Goss is still here and he’s the picky one, I only do what he tells me to do, so don’t expect any favours.”

After the supplies are unloaded Owen has one more question, “Is Chip Miller on a mission, I don’t see his Dakota about.”

“You could say that?”

“What does that mean?’

“Miller has gone. He and his crew moved out a couple of days back. Now that Okinawa has fallen they need more pilots for the Tokyo bombing raids.” O’Dea takes a sharp breath, “I didn’t tell you that,” he nervously corrects the need for secrecy and quickly gazes about, assuring no one was likely to have heard him.

“Oh, when will he be back?”

“The fly-boys aren’t my problem, you asking questions and taking too long to unload is.”

Owen quickly reloaded the empty boxes from the previous delivery and passes the manifest to O’Dea for signature.”

“You will have to get the lieutenant to sign.”

“Where is Goss?”

“Don’t know.”

“Bob Grant always signed, so if you want me to be gone you better do it, as I’m not leaving until I have a signature.”

“Give it here.”

O’Dea scribbles something and departs from company without further word.

Owen continued through the day as if in a dream. Had his relationship with Chip come to nothing but most of all he wished that Chip had not declared his love and he had not returned the sentiment. Deep down in the pit of his gut he knew this day would come and had pushed the thought aside. It was easy before that week in Cooktown as he could have walked away from their friendship with minimum grief, now it was as if his heart had been wrenched from his chest, twisted and shoved back in sideward.

A further week past and there remained no word from Chip. Owen devoured every news report on the war, how many aircraft were lost, what was their design and how advance was the bombing of Japan but nothing gave him hope until at last he resigned to the fact that Chip had gone from his life forever.

It was almost three months after the taking of Okinawa that a US services envelope arrived for Owen. It was from Chip and full of apologies for departing without at least a telephone call while lacking in anything relating to his feelings towards Owen. Only one short sentence gave such a clue, that being he remembered fondly their time in Cooktown along with a half scrubbed out line stating – when my tour ………… then I will again make contact, also ………….. at the Mareeba base. Owen read the letter many times but could not detect any suggestion of future. Eventually he folded the letter away as a keepsake of a war that he like most would wish to forget.

That was the month Winnie announced she had married a local man, Rod Clancy and some years older than she, saying it had been a private wedding performed in Cairns without either families in attendance. Naturally May was most peeved, as Winnie being her only daughter meant May had aspirations of designing a grand event but as Winnie explained, with the war most was rationed and travel restricted, therefore with the family so dispersed, it would have been difficult arranging such an event.

The following month after Winnie’s marriage, she visited home with an even more surprising event on the horizon, being she was again pregnant, this time supporting a document that made the birth legal. During the afternoon while Rod was in discussion with Alf on the availability of parts for his now failing truck Winnie sought out Owen, finding him seated on the verandah under the overhang of the oleander shrub.

“Winnie come and sit with me a while,” Owen offers.

“What are you drinking?” Winnie asks.

“Believe it or not it is Gavin’s supply of sarsaparilla, would you like one?”

“No thank you.”

“So you went and got yourself married,” Owen taps his fingers onto the armrest of a second cane chair, as if giving permission for her to join him in conversation.

Winnie accepts the offer.

“Are you intending to remain working at Jebreen’s?”

“I’ll stay until they can find a replacement.”

“That shouldn’t be difficult.”

“I hear you had a letter from Chip.”

“I did although it didn’t say much and like the letters we received from Jim when he was in New Guinea, some of it had been scrubbed out, what remained was more about his time here and how he enjoyed his visits to the farm.”

“How has Jim been?”

“Not so good,” Owen has a worried appearance as he continues, “he still has the reoccurring dreams and has become solitary, sometimes staying away for days at a time, only returning for a change of clothing or to fill his kitbag with supplies.”

“Will he get over his nightmares?”

“I can’t say, although the medics believe he may in time.”

“I was remembering when I was a little girl; Jim would promise when I married, he would to be the one to give me away.”

“You did upset Meagan-may by having a civil ceremony down in Cairns, as she had plans for a big wedding with family coming from all over Queensland.”

“What did dad say when he heard?”

“Simply gave a long silent sigh.”

“Nothing more?”

“No, I believe the sigh said it all.”

“I have really let the family down, first an unwanted pregnancy, then marrying without notice.”

“Like most thing they will get over it, besides they don’t know about,” Owen gives a throat clearing, “that earlier caper.”

“Caper?”

“It suffices for the conversation.”

“I agree and I hope it stays that way. Gavin has holidays soon and he suggested he could stay in town with Rod and me for a while, I think he is keen in dating a girl from his class.”

“I was surprised he returned for his senior year, although he is doing better this year,” Owen says.

“Yes as I recollect he was all for leaving last Christmas. What about you Owen?” Winnie’s tone lowers to concern.

“In what way Winn?”

“What of your future?”

“I haven’t thought much about the future. I know I don’t want to work on the land and I have thoughts of learning to fly and become a commercial pilot, other than that I’ll accept what providence has to offer.”

“What about marriage, will you marry?”

“Most probably not.”

“I thought not.”

It was with those few short sentences that Winnie and Owen came to understand each other and nothing more was said. Winnie remained in discussion with Owen for a good hour before her husband arrived from his conversation with Alf, pressing the need to depart.

Winnie collects her bag and is ready to depart, “I should say goodbye to Jim first.”

“He’s not about.”

“Where is he?”

“Like I said, he is hardly home these days, I think he’s been camping down the creek past Joliffe’s.”

“Jim better watch out for Mr. Climpson, or he’ll set the dogs onto him.”

“I think it’s beyond Climpson’s property.”

Winnie spies Rod returning from the shed and Alf, “anyway I can’t wait about. Ask him to visit me in town sometime.”

“I’ll do that.” Owen agrees.

Winnie hesitates; she feels concern for Jim and wishes there was something she could do or say that would be at least comforting. She quickly realizes only Jim can face his ghosts and no amount of words or wishes would help.

Rod returns and calls on his approach, “you ready Win, I’ve got to call in on Henry Lloyd before he leaves for Cairns.”

“Coming.”

During the evening Alf took to his chair with his newspaper as May tidied the kitchen. August was but a week old and thoughts were given to Gavin’s future as his final year approached an end, therefore he would need to aspire towards some trade. If so he should commence his enquiries as if the war, as many suggested, was coming to conclusion, there would be countless young men returning in need of work, or returning to their former employment.

As Gavin sat close by with the wireless turned to almost inaudible Alf lifted from his reading, “School holidays and then your final term, have you thought of a trade?” he says bringing both Owen and Gavin to attention.

“I don’t need a trade,” Gavin simply remarks.

“And why would that be young fellow?”

“I intend to work the farm and seeing Jim doesn’t want it and Owen wants to fly, I would think it will be up to me to take over when you are gone.”

“Gone? I think there are a few good years left in me before anyone inherits but thank you for the vote of confidence towards my life expectancy.”

“You know what I mean,” Gavin says.

“When did Jim say he wasn’t interested in the farm?” Alf had long imagined his eldest would follow him, even if Alf’s two older brothers, one being Ted, had turned down the opportunity, therefore allowing the property to pass onto him.

“Many times.”

“Even so, I think you should take up a trade, possibly something mechanical, as it would be handy around farm machinery. What about you Owen?”

“I’ve never wanted to work the land, I’ll find something – shush, listen!” Owen turns up the volume of the wireless.

“What did it say?” Alf asks.

“They dropped a bomb on a Jap city called Hiroshima and it killed eighty thousand people.”

“One bomb did that?” Alf discredits.

“It was called an atomic bomb and had the destructive force of fifteen thousand tons of TNT, whatever that means,” Owen recants what was reported.

“All those innocent people,” May sighs and places aside her sewing in readiness to hear more.

“They were Japs,” Gavin discredits without empathy.

“That maybe but most would have been women and children, not soldiers,” May adds to her distress.

“Japs are Japs.”

“Gavin I thought your mother taught you a little more sensitivity than that,” Alf suggests as he notices May’s displeasure.

During the following day there was nothing but atomic, a word that was new to the English language soon became its most spoken, then three days after the first on Hiroshima, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki and equally as devastating to the civilian population.

Why be so destructive may have been on most minds. It was soon explained, if an example had not been made the Japanese Empire would have fought to the last and as in Churchill’s famous adage, on the beaches and in the streets. Japan would have made sure it took as many American and Ally lives as possible, with hand to hand fighting before Tokyo fell, or became nothing but bomb craters, grave yards and cinders.

Once again the Japanese leaders were asked to surrender and in doing so it would need to be absolute.

Within days it was agreed, with Japan’s only condition being to keep the Emperor. With that agreed Japan surrendered and readied itself for total occupation.

So the war in the Pacific, as it had been in Europe since April, was over. Now it was time to put the world’s broken pieces back together. To rebuild countries and trade, to bring home the boys and sooth away the terror they encountered. Soon enemies would become friends also trading partners and strangely in time both Germany and Japan would be the strongest trading countries, bringing many to utter, who won the flaming war.

Early September arrived and Winnie had a son she named Gary. By December she was again expecting, proving if nothing else she and Roy were fertile. Then there was Christmas and the New Year seeing out 1945, with Gavin finishing his schooling and to everyone’s surprise passing with distinction in some subjects but not mathematics and Alf purchasing an army surplus truck, as there was a litany of unwanted vehicles across the country.

Much of the surplus equipment, from aircraft to tanks, was simply dumped into the sea, as it was easier than taking it back to America. Also with advancement in design and capability, within a short time most of the aircraft had become obsolete, with Sir Frank Whittle’s turbo jet engine powering many of the new aircraft and the arrival of the jet age. Some of the lighter equipment was sold at giveaway prices to Pacific Islands, as remuneration for war damage inflicted firstly by Japan’s invasion then the blasting to dislodge the soldiers of the Empire from their holes.

Once the year was gone and a new one commenced, hopefully more peaceful, Gavin became Alf’s right hand on the farm, with Jim more distant keeping to himself. While in New Guinea Jim had souvenired a Nambu point three caliber pistol he had taken from a prisoner and now spent more time cleaning it than what would be considered necessary.

It was a hot morning and Owen found Jim in his favourite chair under the oleander spread cleaning his pistol.

“Why did you bring that pistol back?” Owen asks.

“I actually took it from a Jap officer.”

“Did he surrender?”

“Of sorts, I took the pistol from his hand and walked a number of paces to show it to my mate Stumpy Burns and the bugger pulled out a grenade and fell on it, his last words were something like Tennoheika Banzai as he blew his guts over us all, he took Mal Fletcher with him.”

“What does Tennoheika Banzai mean?”

“I wouldn’t have a clue.” Jim put the gun aside and placed a single cartridge beside the weapon, “That slug had my name on it.”

“What makes you say that Jim?”

“The officer was about to fire it at me when Jack Langford walloped him on the chin and I took the gun from his hand.”

“Then all I can say you were lucky.”

“Lucky that day yes but they got me on another.” Jim again collects the gun from table, “it’s an ugly looking instrument, not like the German Luger my mate Stretch Wilson scored in North Africa.”

“Do you want my opinion Jim?”

“No.”

“I’ll give it anyway – I think you should hand it in, or toss it in the river.”

“And little brother you should mind your own flaming business,” Jim points the unloaded pistol at Owen. “Bang!” he quietly utters.

“I don’t like that Jim.”

“I was only joking, it isn’t loaded.”

“Loaded or not I don’t appreciate it. Anyway dad wants you he is over in the equipment shed.”

“What does he want?”

“I couldn’t say but I think it could be to do with the new truck. It arrived yesterday while you were away.

Jim finds Alf in the shed and enters.

“What do you think of her?”Alf asks.

“It’s a GMC-Jimmy, straight six and two and a half tons,” Jim describes but by his expression wasn’t impressed with Alf’s new acquisition.

“I didn’t ask for its pedigree son.”

“In my opinion it’s a heap of shit.”

“Have you driven one?”

“There wasn’t much use for trucks on the track and yes I did during my time in training.”

“Then what have you against it?”

“In the most it is sturdy and does what it was designed for but it is a petrol guzzler, heavy through the gears, has a bugger of a clutch and in no time at all you won’t be able to get spare parts.”

“It will do for now. At least until the local industry is back on its feet or we can get a new Bedford out from England.”

“I’ve a mate from the army who is importing Ex-German army Magidus A3000’s which are four cylinders and use less fuel,” Jim says.

“If I’m not mistaken they run on diesel.”

“True but soon most trucks will run on diesel.”

“I was hoping you would do the future deliveries to the base,” Alf’s expectant was to bring Jim out of whatever was bothering and give him some future purpose.

“I thought Owen did the deliveries.”

“I was hoping you would start showing interest in the farm, I won’t he here forever and eventually you will inherit it.”

“Farming is not for me dad, give it to Owen,”

“Owen is only interested in fly-boys and flying.” Alf was becoming annoyed with Jim’s obvious lack of interest. He lifts the bonnet and inspects the motor. Some of the paint remained on the block giving confidence the truck hadn’t been long in service.

“What does that mean?” Jim questions.

“Owen wants to get a commercial pilot’s license and isn’t interested in farming.”

“Then it appears it will have to go to Gavin, he’s eager enough for all of us.”

“We’ll have this conversation at another time,” Alf says and gives the truck’s wheel a kick as May comes to the back door and calls. “Alf lunch is on the table.”

“Coming,” Alf answers.

“Give mum my apologies, I’m not hungry; I’ll go and look in on Ruby.” Jim excuses.

Gavin and Owen were already at the table when Alf comes to the dining room, his hands covered in axel grease.

“Those hand Alf, wash up; you are as bad as the boys.”

Alf gives them both a cheeky wink, “I did; the rest will wear off.”

“Where is Jim?” May asks, expecting him to follow in behind Alf.

“He said he wasn’t hungry.”

“I’m worried about him Alf.”

“As am I but what can I do other than encourage him.”

“He has a Jap gun.” Owen says.

“Alf you should take it from him,” May suggests while taking on a new concern for her son.

“He is an adult May and there isn’t any law that says he shouldn’t have a gun but to please you, I’ll have a word with him.”

“Soon and not later please Alf, I know how you procrastinate.”

“Procrastinate,” Gavin repeats.

“Yes Gavin procrastinate, you do enough of it yourself,” May returns her concern to Alf but with an expression without repeating.

“Yes mother, I said I will,” Alf reiterates.

Gary’s stories are about life for gay men in Australia’s past and present. Your emails to him are the only payment he receives. Email Gary to let him know you are reading: Conder 333 at Hotmail dot Com

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