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Thought your readers would enjoy seeing this 1946 CJ-2A up in lights in Times Square recently. The Land Report Magazine cover story featured a picture of me in my jeep driving up a hill on a Ranch I recently sold. I grew up in Papua New Guinea finding and rebuilding Military Ford GPWs & Willys Jeeps (and dodge weapons carriers etc.) with my Dad, Alf Uechtritz. I live in Dallas Texas, have all his jeeps in Australia, and own this one here for nostalgias sake.
HI Bernard,
I have just written a book about the Tolai fish-traps and referenced the work of Richard Parkinson husband of Phebe. I realise he is your forefather. My husband Brian Mennis wrote about and photographed these large traps on the 1970s; they are not made the same way any more but the men use modern materials. So Brian’s photos and descriptions are now important alongside the descriptions by Richard Parkinson. I was back in Rabaul in March this year doing follow-up work. The book is called “The Babau of Rabaul” and traces the history of the babau fish-traps through the time the Parkinson’s lived in Rabaul and later the war years and with the volcanic eruption causing havoc on the fishing industry.
The University of PNG press are going to publish this book which Is already at the printers. a print-run of only 50 copies has been ordered by them Would your extended family be interested in any copies
I write about Phebe in this book as I realise how important was the support she gave to her husband Richard.
I hear there is to be a memorial service for her at the cemetery at Kuradui in September and I am hoping t return to Rabaul for this in September . Thanks for your interest Mary Mennis – maryrm@iinet.net.au
Great looking ranch rig – good to see it running!