This Pen Picture has been compiled by Kev Horton, Hon Secretary, PIB- NGIB- HQ- PIR Assn from information provided by Frankie Maclean – Daughter of Lt Lucas.
This year, 2020, a paver recognizing, Lt Frederick Louis Lucas, the father of Association Treasurer Frankie Maclean will be laid at the rear of the Kokoda Memorial Wall. The paver will join those of past president, Sgt Frank Wust, Major Harold Jesser, Alan Hooper and Ian McDonald with whom Fred served in the PIB during WWII. Fittingly it will also join pavers honoring several PIB and NGIB Papua Nuigini soldiers.
The PIB NGIB HQ PIR Association’s late, laconic Past President, Sgt Frank Wust, fought alongside Fred. When asked to describe what sort of a man he was he replied – ‘He was as game as a meat ant!’ An epitaph any soldier would wear as a badge of honour.
Fred Lucas passed away in 1974 due to war related injuries. His daughter Frankie was only 12 years old then, but through some dedicated research, she has put together a wonderful account of her dad’s time in the army both in the Middle East and in PNG including some terrific photos.
Service Synopsis
- June 1940 – enlisted – Woodside
- Oct 1940 – Embarked on ‘Mauritania’ for Palestine via short period in Bombay, India.
- Transferred to 1 Australian Base Supply Depot Middle East – rose to rank of Staff Sergeant by August 1942.
- Late 1942 embarked on SS ‘Katoomba’ for Port Moresby via Brisbane
- Jan 1943 Joined 1 Papuan Infantry Battalion and in April – appointed as Lieutenant
- Served in many areas often ‘behind the Japanese lines’ with the PIB until April 1944 suffering from malaria and scrub typhus during this time.
- April 1944 – evac. from Finschaven aboard ‘Katoomba’ for treatment – Townsville
- Returned to Moresby in July 1944 and thence to Lae aboard the ‘Tarooma’ for reposting – transferred to 9 Australian Infantry Battalion in Feb 1945.
- Finally evacuated to 105 Australian General Hospital with ‘tropical ulcers on both ankles’ and during recovery was employed in ‘duties not involving prolonged standing or marching’.
- Successfully completed a 5 week ‘ Junior Aust Army Leaders Course’ at Seymour.
- On October 1945 he completed a ‘Termination of an Officer’s Appointment Form’ after 1284 days of service as an Officer and over 5 years fighting for his country.
Items provided by Frankie Maclean which give a small window into the life of her father, Frederick Louis Lucas. He was a Lieutenant in the Papuan Infantry Battalion, assigned to B Company and leading 6 Platoon in 1943. At this time Fred was 32 years old.
Extract from a Letter written by Mr Frank Wust, dated 28 January 2003
“In June ’43 we flew out to Wau together in a D.C.3. We had to walk from the air strip down the Bulolo Valley, approx 40/50 miles in full pack to a place called Wampait (July ’43) here we split into Sections (areas) of 1 white Sgt and 8-10 Natives. Fred was Platoon Officer based at H.Q with Jack Lamberton and two other Sgts***. and I patrolled our different areas. I didn’t see Fred until about mid-Sept 43 when we crossed the Markham River and reached a place called Kaiapit. The Platoon again formed up and took up positions in Kaiapit Village and for the first time Fred was with us. I no longer recall where the Platoon Sgt. was but Fred was in charge. He sent a message he wanted to see me. Leaving my men I responded and he said “I want you to come with me and inspect our defences”. We set off together around the village and while we were doing our inspection the Japs came in opposite my section with light machine guns and opened fire.
As usual Fred was smoking his old bendy pipe and through great clouds of smoke turned to me and said, between puffs of smoke, “Come on Frank, let’s charge these bastards (his exact words). Without a hint of hesitation he took off at a run. This gave me the courage to follow – I thought if it is good enough for Fred it is good enough for me. I’ll never forget those words or his attitude and action and to me Fred was as game as a meat ant…. I recall only one other Patrol – Platoon strength with Fred in charge. We captured a Japanese food dump and one prisoner was taken. We understood he gave worthwhile information.
I have no recall of where Fred went after this. Our companies could be split to 100 Miles apart and attached to different Brigades (Brigade is 3 Battalions) for patrol work…”
Extracts from Fred Lucas’ letters home
The following is taken from a personal letter written to my mother, Halcyon Lucas, by my father, dated 1 November 1943, and the context suggests he was responding to a letter in which she had claimed he was cynical.
“Regret that I have appeared to be cynical in some of my letters. Quite accidental but to tell the truth I’m getting a wee bit weary. Four years of war, over three years since I received what they so nicely call my “baptism of fire”, I’ve seen so many boys scrubbed off and read of so much pettiness, political dissension, and labour trouble, that I’m rather weary. Weary physically too I think, although one of oxlike shoulders and brick like skull, as myself should never get tired physically. Perhaps I can blame the fever, the old tropical excuse for laziness and bad-manners and bad temper. Haven’t been free of fever though for over a month and it is an excuse for a certain amount of lassitude and please accept it as an excuse for cynicism.”
Later in the same letter he comments on Mum’s news that her then husband had sailed for New Guinea. Dad takes on the tone of an old hand and offers the following observations about the nature of the war in New Guinea.
“And young “Worthy” has sailed for New Guinea. Though he may be thrilled at the idea of sailing overseas, apparently has not had the experience in the army before, it’s not half as thrilled as he will be to sail back to Aust. Whether he likes it or not depends purely on his temperament. For some men this island is the “little hell” that the newspapers paint it, to others, I’m still amongst these latter, despite fever, it is a great country full of interest.”
In a further brief letter dated 3 December 1943 Dad explains “To tell truth the impossible happened and the conceited tropic-hardened Lucas took the knock in quite a big way. However lived thru it and hope to get out of bed in a day or two (I’ve been shot back to a blasted base hospital) and out of the M.O’s clutches in a week or two.” Mum has noted on the bottom of this letter that she “gathered from Dad that on some patrols; ie into enemy held areas, ID’s were not worn. When he was taken into hospital he was identified by a letter from me [Mum] presumably on his person.”
Another letter from Dad to Mum, dated 18 December, 1943 states “In spite of my boasted toughness I went down with the very unromantic diseases of malaria, Dysentery and Scrub Typhus, quite an effective combination. For approx 4 weeks I did not know much about anything and I am informed that for three weeks, a hole and a little wooden cross was reserved for me. Then I came down to Moresby area and afterwards to this Con depot. Have hopes of reducing my sentence here and getting back with my boys, although the M.O’s aren’t giving me much of a hearing, purely because they have very bad stethoscopes and have decided the heart is still umpty doodle, which is all rot of course. That’s all there is to it, very unromantic and uninteresting, just a matter of an old man cracking up and going a bit lunatic for a few weeks.”
Extract from Mr Campbell’s letter
Mr Campbell wrote to me on 1 February 2004 and described the following incident.
“In early November, 1943, on patrol with your father, our platoon discovered a substantial number of Japanese regrouping in the hills above the Ramu Valley. In a basin about the size of two football fields, we observed, in haste, many hundreds who were apparently retreating from either Lae or Kaiapit and making for the north coast of New Guinea near Madang, which was still held by a strong force of Japanese. These were probably the Japs who gave our 7th Division a lot of trouble at Shaggy Ridge not long after our sighting.
On this occasion we were very fortunate in not being ‘shot-up’ as the Japanese soldier guarding the track leading to their camp was sitting behind a machine gun (called a ‘Woodpecker’) and failed to observe us as he was doing up his shoes! We withdrew as rapidly and quietly as possible. The whereabouts of the Japanese was reported promptly to Company Headquarters by morse-code by myself and not long after vacating the area we observed our Boomerang fighter planes strafing the enemy.”
Mr Campbell goes on to say that “this episode … gave credit to the P.I.B. and particularly to your father for a successful patrol into enemy-held territory.” (Letter, 1 February 2004)
William Marien’s broadcast
On the 3rd December 1943 William Marien (a well known War Correspondent) broadcast the following as a postscript to a story he had done “some weeks ago … on fighting Australian courage”. Dad’s captain, presumably Captain Chalk, wrote to William Marien and he related the following.
“It was at dusk at Kaiapit. Lieut. Fred Lucas of Streaky Bay, Western Australia (S.A.actually) was in command of a unit of Papuan Infantry. His men, white NCO’s and black native troops, were posted in one of three villages below the steep mission hill. A Jap Patrol came sneaking though the grass skirting the clean swept village. They wounded a native Bren gunner, captured the gun and made off. The shots gave the alarm and Lucas raced up. He blazed at the Japs with his Owen gun, and put them into a hasty retreat. They dropped the Bren which Lucas recaptured. It was now dark and another enemy patrol, doubled in strength, approached. Lucas and a native soldier, Pte. Hau, heard the rustling in the grass and advanced towards the sound. The native sighted the Japs. “Down, Taubada, down” he whispered urgently, and as they both went to ground the Japs fired. Hau was slightly wounded. All through that night and the next the twenty Australians and native troops held the village. The Japs were determined to succeed. So was Lucas. During the day, when the Japs sought cover, he led his men in search of the Japanese, harassing and disturbing their plans. That is not a spectacular feat. But the success and offensive drive put into the holding of the village is typical of the daily feats which total up to the success we are having in the New Guinea war.”
The above is included because the timing roughly fits with the photos above and Marien says Dad’s Captain was “far up the Ramu Valley”.
POST WWII
