Vince and Inger and Maria Gozalbez

Hello from Inger and Maria Gozalbez

We recently found this site and were delighted to read about the news from Bougainville, and the memories and personal comments from members of the Bougainville Copper community.

Vince Gozalbez joined a contractor in Bougainville late 1969 and Maria and I joined him early 1970 to stay for approximately 6 months which turned into 6 years! Vince was employed by BCL at the end of 1970 and worked in the Panguna workshop as a head of heavy equipment mechanical engineering, until we left in May 1976.
We first lived in Camp 5 (also known as Nairovi). We later moved up to Panguna, before finally settling in Arawa in 1971 opposite the Bovo school, where Maria was a pupil. I started the Boutique Bougainville (high fashion!) together with Pam Coale and moved the business to Arawa centre when the shops were built.
Vince was an eager sailor and active in the Kieta Sailing & Cruising Club from the start. He was also a keen member of the Arawa Hash House Harriers, and a Founder Member of Hash House Harriers, Bougainville Island.

We have many fond memories of our time in Bougainville - a beautiful island and surroundings which we were fotunate to explore with sailing friends. I now live in Sweden, and Maria in England.
We remember Pam and Bob Coale
Fred and Gretchen Brost
Trevor and Melody Schultz, and many, many more.
Would love to hear from you all from that time in Bougainville.

i.mgoz76@gmail.com

Harry Baxter

I was delighted to find your Bougainville site. Didn' find my name on the Honour Roll tho'.

I believe I was the 7th Bechtel employee to arrive on the Island back in 1969. By the time I left in 1972 I was the longest serving.
I was made redundant after having a beer with a senior American Bechtel project manager called Ray Bradfield, up in Panguna when he declared that he was the longest serving employee........I had to tell him that I had arrived 2 weeks before him.................He didn't like that one little bit. Funny that!

I was, at the beginning employed as a draftsman, later as a Civil Field Engineer (More money!)

Three days after my arrival the then Project Manager Jim Barnett along with a surveyor, the Aussie District Commissioner, myself, a PNG Police Inspector and approx 130 armed Riot Police went in and took Loloho plantation from the Rorovana villagers. It was quite a day.

After that I was given the job of designing the layout of both the expatriate and indigenious camps at Loloho.
Each day I would leave my Police escort under a canoe tree and trudge to and fro through the acres of bracken fern and coconut trees, getting a feel for how I could best use the area for a 1000 man expatriate camp and a 1700 indigenious camp.

The project manager Jim Barnett told me to cut down/bulldoze around 2000 trees. I really didnt like the idea of destroying this beautiful area. So, in between the time when Jim died tragically in Panguna from a Brain Haemorage and the arrival of the new Project Manager, I cut down only 60 trees to make way for roads. Dongas were being installed and there was no turning back.

One particular day when I went further than usual around the headland towards Rorovana village, I heard voices coming from the beach. I really wanted to meet the Rorovanans so I kept walking through the trees until I was well past them, then got on to the beach and walked back towards them.

There were three adults sitting on the sand with a bunch of pickininies playing on the edge of the bush. The adults consisted of two young men about my age and one lapun.
As I came abreast of them, I asked could I speak with them? One of them who later turned out to be a firm friend as time went by ,was
Willie Bele.
Sitting with them I tried to explain that I would deal with their land as carefully as possible and that if I didnt do the job then someone who would no be so carefull might come along. I also told them my name.
Willie was thoughtfull and silent for a moment before saying " We already know who you are and It's alright......we wont kill you"
I was pretty grateful. All the time they were watching me and I had never once seen them.

Bougainville was for me the greatest experience of my life.................Many stories...........

I returned in 1977 on holiday and again a few times during their conflict with PNG around 1990. I entered illegally from the Solomons.
At that time I took a lot of video footage which was aired on Channel 9 A Current Affair featuring Yana Went and ABC 7.30 report.

The Channel 9 footage featured the Armoured Vehicles which the BRA and myself built up in the Pit Mine Workshop. Now that......is a story!

I am now living in western Australia and still have contact with the people of Bougainville.

I hope this reaches you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

HARRY BAXTER
harrybaxter@dodo.com.au

Barry Apps

I worked for Morgan Equipment, 1971-1973.

I had the best time of my life and accordingly I am married to a Tolia(Rabaul)lady.

I am looking forward to working back in the Island - mining locations until retirement. I would like to hear from any past Morgan employees.

BARRY APPS
barryapps@bigpond.com

Greg Beehre looking for Des

Hi there ,

my name is Greg Beehre and i worked for Comtrade Eng on Bougainville from 1986-88.

I'm trying to locate a friend i made on the island who worked in the pit workshop as a diesel fitter. Des is his name, originally from Scotland.

I can't remember his surname. Photo above.

I found your email address on the friends of Bougainville page so hope this reaches you and i hope this isn't an intrusion of youir privacy.

Yours Sincerely
Greg
gregnz@xtra.co.nz

Mike Edwards

G'day,

Happened to stumble on your page which is now in favourites so thought I might drop you a few lines. My name is Mike Edwards and I worked on Bougainville for Morgan Equipment 1970 / 71. Lived first up in Panguna, Kawrong Haus (excuse if spelling got lost somewhere), a long spell in Camp 6 Loloho. I do remember those red plastic chairs and the dongas under the coconut trees with a great deal of affection. I lived with friends Kevin & Mickey Gill in a Morgan unit in Toniva for a while. Finished up a bunch of us from Morgans lived in a house in Arawa.

I'm sure you would remember the wet mess at Camp 6, first time I went there I was a little amused at those little roof things over the tables, soon found out what they were there for. And could not go without a mention of Arovo Island (or the Davara Hotel in Toniva) spent many a happy Saturday night and / or Sunday there. And the diving, just magic.

I had just a little under two years on the island, after I had been home a while I found myself regretting leaving. Morgan Equipment was a great company to work for and with a very few exceptions the people both expats and locals were great.

I suppose the years have put a bit of a rosy glow on the memories, but looking back there were so many more good times than bad, would love to see the place again.

Regards
Mike Edwards
wombat45@internode.on.net

Lansel Taudevin

HI


I still look at the site and recall Bougainville. While I don't make it to many if the reunions in Australia, I still stay in contact with friends I made there. It is strange in one way. Having lived in many countries on many assignments, it is the people I met in Bougainville that I mainly keep in touch with.
I now spend my time in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur - it depends on the state of the laksa! - and if anyone is passing through, please get in touch.
My email contact is still the same at lanselltATmac.com


Lansell Taudevin

Blowing your own vuvuzela

Vuvuzelas are all the rage at South Africa's Soccer World Cup.

Of course, it helps to know where all those vuvuzelas come from:

Lisa Faithful née Beaton

Hi

I was a teacher with the International Education Agency on Bougainville Island from 1986 until September 1989, I was Lisa Beaton back then. I have the most wonderful memories of the island and my time at Panguna International Primary and North Solomons International High School. My classroom at NSIHS looked right over Loloho beach and there was many an afternoon when it was very difficult to concentrate on teaching a geography or economics lesson – I can’t imagine how hard it was for the students to concentrate. I would love to hear from some past students or parents of those great kids and see what they are doing now.

Thank you for putting together a wonderful website. I now live in freezing Calgary, Canada, a long way from the hot sunny days and torrential downpours at 2.00 pm that was Arawa. Great memories and wonderful times.

Lisa Faithful
Lisa_Faithful@golder.com

Mike Thorne emailed from Cape Town:

 

Thank you for your web page.

I came there from Western Australia and worked on shovels and drills for a year before going back to the iron ore mines in Western Australia.

I did however end up working and living in PNG for a total of 14 years at Ok Tedi and other construction projects till I left for the last time in 1994.

I ended up living and working in 22 countries, and now live in Cape Town, South Africa.

While in Indonesia did run into the old lost soul from PNG, and one Western Australia, Rod Chandler “The Fox”, but have not seen him for over 20 years now.

The shovels and drill foreman Frank Thomas was killed in a car accident in NSW in the 70’s. It was his first job after leaving PNG; it was very sad as he was so young.

Would I go back? Yes, just to visit as I did in 1983, to work no, have past that, enjoy living in Cape Town too much.

Loved looking at the photos, sorry I don’t have any left of my time on Bougainville, but all the best and thank you for doing what you have done.

I did recognize some of them but not all, there was John from the cricket club and I often wonder what did they all get up to and where are they today.

Have a Blessed Day,
Mike JW Thorne
afterhours@landlords.sa.com

Steve Scott

Hello,

Congrats on a great site.

I discovered your site by accident but it has brought back many memories. I ran in the Hash group for the 4 years and have still got the 400th Anniversary Run book which has many photos, stories, etc. I also have some old photos which I would be happy to share.

My details for the Honour Roll are:-

Steve Scott
Noosa, Sunshine Coast QLD
BCL Accounting 1976-1980
Email steve.scott@bigpond.com