by Major General Brian Howard and Brigadier Dick Flint

The Goldie River area which was around 30km from Port Moresby is located at the foot of the Owen Stanley Range. It was first used by PIR for training in 1955 and became the recruit training area in 1957 when Warrant Officers Charlie Scholl and Col Macgregor relocated the recruits from Taurama Barracks. It was formally established as the PIR Recruit Training Company in 1960, when it became known locally as “E” Company PIR. Recruit training was initially of six months duration but by 1962 had been increased to one year. Goldie was commanded by a captain, there was no 2IC, but there were three platoon commanders, a Pacific Islander CSM and an Australian CQMS. The commanders in order were: Ian Fisher, Ian (Digger) Campbell and Jim Monteath. Education was a major part of the recruit curriculum, with around one period each day. In the early 60’s the Education Officers were Captain Tom Sweeney and WO2 Alan King, who did an outstanding job.

The camp was located near the banks of the Goldie River. It was constructed almost entirely of native material and was very basic. The formed road to Port Moresby finished around 7kms from the camp with the rest being a rough dirt track which often became impassable during the end of year monsoon season. Those who decided to visit Port Moresby were forced to walk the 7kms accompanied by millions of mosquitos and the occasional curious crocodile. This led to most staying in camp for long periods.

The recruits’ accommodation consisted of huts, at times built by themselves, with wooden floors and “sak sak” roofs. There were no walls. The recruits slept on stretchers under mosquito nets and their personal possessions were stored in large wooden trunks.



The officers’ and sergeants’ accommodation was constructed of similar material but had weaved bamboo walls and was divided into small rooms. After dark it was necessary to be under a mosquito net.

The combined officers’ and sergeants’ mess consisted of a cement slab, flywire walls and a “sak sak” roof, which contained large numbers of local wildlife including geckos, millipedes and spiders, which often dropped on one’s head to the amusement of the others present.



There were many snakes around the camp as they were prone to shelter under the huts from the heat. The pythons made tasty meals for the recruits and a welcome change to the meat and rice diet, which was also supplemented occasionally by fishing expeditions using somewhat unorthodox methods.

Much of the furniture and other equipment was “scrounged” from Taurama as Goldie had no entitlements in those days. Fortunately the COs and QMs were generally benevolent toward the occasional pilfering expeditions.

Power was from a diesel generator but the stoves were wood fired. The refrigerator was an elderly kerosene model which worked after a fashion. Toilets were of the deep trench variety and hot water for showers came from a gravity system based around a 44 gallon drum with a fire under it. When it was inoperative washing was in the river which came with its own challenges in the form of a local crocodile.
The NCOs were carefully selected for service at Goldie and produced well trained and motivated recruits. Just two of the better known NCOs in the early 60’s were Sgt Paulus and Cpl Mamare. Some of the platoon commanders of the time were Gary Ghent, Jim Devitt, John Maddams, Hori Howard and “Ben” Hall.

“Ben” Hall was a talented artist who sadly was killed in 1963 in an aircraft accident in Australia while observing an Australian Army exercise. He had illustrated a local fable called “The Dwarf of Bua” which was compiled by Captain Tom Sweeney. Unfortunately the book has been lost as widespread enquiries have failed to locate it.

No story of the Old Goldie would be complete without two of the many stories. There was one general duty PIR soldier at Goldie whose tasks included keeping fuel up to the single Landrover, the kerosene refrigerator and the diesel generator. On several occasions he managed to mix up two of the three tasks. Fortunately he managed to put the correct fuel in the generator.

His other claim to fame was blowing up the deep trench latrines. He used petrol rather than range fuel and realising that he had left his matches in his hut, left the scene for sufficient time to allow the fumes to create an explosive mix. When he lit up the latrine the result was quite spectacular. Fortunately though he was unharmed.

The Goldie River Camp became the Papua New Guinea Military District Training Depot on 1 January 1964 with Captain Jim Monteath the commander. This signalled the end of a colourful era in PIR.



Further photographs may be viewed here.