2A Cattai Ridge Road
GLENORIE N.S.W. 2157
11 August 1971
Dr C.C. Fenton
42-78 Queens Road
Melbourne 3004
Dear Clyde,
Your letter [not on Dr Cook’s file] only arrived this morning so I am answering it immediately in case the Postmaster-General subjects my reply to a similar delay.
You have so phrased your letter as to suggest that you are seeking my advice on and help in measures to avoid acceptance without giving offence. This I am prepared to attempt at a later date if it should prove necessary, but for the moment, I am personally concerned that you should accept and I propose to integrate these lines to explaining why and to endeavour to convert you to my opinion.
Initially I am intrigued that they sought your agreement at all – I was just told I had been awarded it and in due course. It arrived in the post.
May I suggest that, strictly, it is not for you to decide whether or not you deserve a proffered honour: God forbid that honours should be primarily being for those who cherish the highest personal regard for their own merits or who might be expected to be resentful if they were passed over. If we agree on this principle, surely you must agree that the reverse also becomes axiomatic
Apart from principles, I gather that you personally feel the need for some valid assurance that there are real grounds other than, say, expediency, for proposing to make the award. It seems to me your dilemma derives from a fear that acceptance would imply that you concur with the proposition that you achieved some outstanding academic pre-eminence in tropical medicine or administrative expertise in native welfare. Since you yourself will not acknowledge these attributes, you are not disposed to have to defend the implication that you are prepared to accept them at second-hand. I do not think there is any ground for misgiving here. None of us, I am sure, who have preceded you in this situation could claim any such academic pre-eminence, and I am quite sure that the reasons for the award – in my case at any rate – were not expressed in the words used by Wells to you. My recollection is, and I shall try to confirm it at the first opportunity, that in those days the awards was made to one had contributed to advancing the health and welfare of the native people. It included New Guinea course.
If you apply that criterion, there is no reason at all why you should hesitate to accept. The contribution which you exclusively made to tropical medicine and welfare in the Territory was in bringing it to the Aboriginal. You will recall that at that time the much lauded and very costly Flying Doctor Service of the A.I.M. limited its operations to registered aerodromes in areas where road transport was usually adequate anyway and refused to accept a call for, or to carry, an Aboriginal.
The activities which you described as routine in your letter to Wells were in fact not routine in any circumstance. The fact that you regard them as routine when, indeed they represented a revolutionary contribution to the security and welfare of the native, only indicates that you are not looking at them from the same angle as those now offering you this award.
It should, I feel all, be enough assurance for you that Cilento, (who knows what he gave the medal for) will be delighted if you will accept it.
There is another reason why I feel it is important that you should accept. Recently I noticed in a ministerial blurb published all a variety of national publications commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Northern Territory Aerial Medical Service, the suggestion that our service was a thing apart or that it no longer existed, or has been replaced by something better. All were equally revolting to me – the more revolting because in its present form I believe the so-called Aerial Medical Service could quite comfortably be integrated into TAA [Trans Australia Airlines].
I have the strongest objection to this fragmentation of the old N.T.M.S. which was intended to cover clinical and preventive medicine at all levels and to operate as an integrated service. I believe your acceptance of this honour now would be a timely reminder that the service is in fact more than 25 years old and that it had in its earlier years admirable features which it lacks now.
Obviously it would be much better if I could talk to you about this and discuss the points that come to mind as you read it through. Denied this opportunity, I can only say that I myself believe this is an honour, you should accept without mental reservation and to express the hope that you would do just that.
Kindest regards to you both
Sincerely yours,
Mick
C. E. Cook M.D.
2A Cattai Ridge Road
GLENORIE N.S.W. 2157
11 August 1971
Dear Clyde,
Thank you for your reassuring letter [not on Dr Cook’s file], and I see no cause to worry about what you told me you have written.
On one point, however, I have misled you. The date for the commencement of the medical benefit fund was July 1, 1929: I told you 1928.
We organised in 1928, apparently, for its mention in the report of that year, but presumably to avoid administrative difficulties, it was started on the first day of the financial year 29/30.
I hope this does not involve any major upset.
Kindest regards
Yours sincerely,
Mick
C. E. Cook M.D.
Dr C.C. Fenton
42-78 Queens Road
Melbourne 3004
42-78 Queens Road
Melbourne 3004
26 OCT 1974
Dear Mick,
Strange to say, your letter of the 14th inst. escaped the fate of its predecessor, and arrived on time. I have been able to decipher all of it with Bon’s held except one word which appears to begin with H, followed with a reference to Atkinson. Presumably it is a man’s name probably my successor at Wyndham. His identity cannot recall as indicated in my previous letter I haven’t the slightest objection to anything you care to write about me however to keep the record straight two points should be amended.
- I doubt whether I or anyone else would have survived a collision with so formidable and unyielding structure as the Bastian. In fact it was level ground that I hit due to lack of pilot skill. In flying parlance, it was a crash landing.
- Your version has a chronological error, hardly surprising after a lapse of 46 years. The bike episode came after not before the crash at Wyndham
The main facts are these. I had put up a brass plate in a Geelong suburb and was only scratching along when I saw an advertisement for a Medical Officer at Wyndham. I applied and to my great surprise got the job. The reason emerged later, I was the only applicant! Having a car, I decided to drive to Fremantle and ship it with me [to Wyndham]. Then [instead] it seemed a good idea to have a sporting go at the Overland record which stood at four days and 17 hours. My brother was roped in as a co-driver, we were promised financial reward if successful. We broke not only the record but the car by wiping off a narrow bridge off the map near the South Australian border and had to crawl ignominiously back to Melbourne in the guards van of a goods train. I was just able to catch a train to Perth in time to join the ‘Koolinda’, which in those days made the return trip to Darwin every two months. Arriving at Wyndham in November 1927, I was surprised to find that as well as District Medical Officer, I was Magistrate, Coroner, Quarantine Officer, Chemist, Dentist, Treasury Paymaster, Electoral Officer and Protector of Aborigines – a Pooh Bah indeed. The only office which had escaped me was that of the Undertaker and it soon became apparent that a sizeable portion of my time was to be spent in writing letters to myself.
The vast level surface of the nearby marshy area, hard as a board in the dry season attracted my interest and as I had been paying instalments of the small single seater monoplane in Adelaide. I had it shipped up in a crate on the ‘Kangaroo’. After arduous and lengthy labour and much trial and error assisted by two wide-eyed aborigines, I managed to get it assembled.
The original plan had been to have it towed to the marsh and proceed slowly in the process of self -tuition, but impatience was my undoing. The assembly had taken a long time and towing facilities were not immediately available, so I decided to chance my luck and take off from the narrow strip near the residence and somehow or another get it to the marsh. The attempt was a failure. The machine rose too quickly and then came down a damn sight faster. The crash occurred alongside the cemetery but to enhance the story, I usually claim it was in that establishment. Bon’s comment is that they weren’t ready for me yet!
I was so disgusted that I went straight to the post office and telegraphed my resignation, requesting relief by the next ship. That was probably early May so that Atkinson would have had four or five weeks to arrange a replacement. He duly turned up and instead of catching the ship on its Southward leg, I boarded northbound in order to have a look at Darwin. As you surmised, it was the ‘Koolinda’ off which you and your accomplices shanghaied me in June 1928.
You will recall that after you had me appointed. I’d bought a Douglas motorbike for local transport and towards the end of the year attempted to write to Melbourne. It broke down east of Pine Creek and I had to get out and walk. After a thirsty all-night trek, I reached the railway and thumbed a ride back to Darwin on a passing goods train.
That appears to cover the scope of your enquiry and you are free to use it as you wish. If you need further details, I should be glad to comply.
Best wishes to yourself, Jessie and Robin from us both
Clyde
42-78 Queens Road
Melbourne 3004
27/9/75
Dear Mick,
I acknowledge your letter of the 12th interest and apologise for the delay in replying. We managed to decipher most of it enough anyhow to get the drift of what you require.
I was posted to Darwin in February 1942, two weeks before the Japanese bombing raid which I escaped by a fluke, having departed for Melbourne the previous day to procure an aircraft suitable for what I had to do. I returned to work three days later and was then employed in aerial survey work, helping to pick sites for dispersal scripts which the civil population which were needed urgently. Darwin, of course, had been devastated and the civil population had fled except for a few diehards about mid ‘42 I was sent on a survey to the west coast as far as Port Hedland as an enemy landing in that area was feared in some quarters the cattle population was jittery and so was the army. I was fired on a couple of times and soon learn to approach any town with circumspection. There were other hazards. One day I called at a likely looking cattle station in search of fuel for man and motor and ran slap bang into an obstetric case. Everyone was delighted except me. You had to sit down and wait for it to come to our head. Unfortunately, the matter was hastened by the freight which she, like everyone else got when the plane was first heard and feared to be a Jack.
My arrival at Port Hedland was memorable. Headwinds had delayed me and darkness was falling as I neared the town. I was comforted by the fact that I had sent a telegram giving an ATA and expected that some lights would be improvised. And so I had a rude shock when the town was suddenly blacked out evidently by a master switch. I had only a rough idea with the aerodrome was located and grabbed my way in that direction. Then I noticed a couple of hearts with lights showing not long. They were put out in haste. Visibility by this time was close to 0. I had not been to the dream before and there was no knowing what obstructions had been arranged. It was a nasty situation but I escaped disaster by using a trick I had found useful before the war. I approached the blackout huts in a low silent glide and shouted, what about some bloodied lights. The effect was dramatic. Lights came on and men emerged from the buildings and flares were arranged enabling me to land in one piece. It appears that my telegram had not arrived as the line had been broken in the morning. I was horrified to see that the aerodrome had been blocked by a massive array of old cars and hurdles, leaving clear only the narrow lane on which I had come down. There had been two men on duty when they heard my shower once said to his mate. That’s no Jack had the heat agreed to take a chance with me.
In December 1942, number six communication unit was formed and I was appointed CEO we were based for a short time at Catherine then moved to bachelor remaining there until mid 1945 when we finally transferred to Darwin. I was posted to Melbourne for demob in December 1945 the unit was disbanded. I believe in early 1946. Our activities were many and varied, as were our aircraft, Tiger moths, dragons and symptoms. Anderson’s Maltese Hudson for the AOC and three walrus amphibians. We carried fresh food, cargo and mail to numerous outposts such as radar stations and operational bases varied personnel here and there as required. Picked up pilot shot down on land or sea rated daily newspaper runs serving all posts large and small between Darwin and Daly Waters with copies of the army news a great morale booster toad drugs for the army sought to the requirements of mission stations did all sorts of odd jobs and dealt with medical calls. The latter were always handled by me, usually accompanied by a nursing sister borrowed from the RAAF hospital.
I am at a loss to understand the assertion. If I have read you are right that the Alice Springs base was operated by number six communication flight. Original title unit was later substituted for flight. How the hell could that base or any other been have been operated from a location 800 miles away. I have no direct knowledge of what went on at Alice. During the war years in question but I’m sure that arrangements were the same as prewar when aircraft for FDS were provided by canal and airlock Airways. I was aware that any was carrying on his service as usual. They with reduced staff. In 1944 he sent me an urgent signal requesting a search for one of his pilots who had disappeared in bad weather somewhere south-east of Ord River Station . A formation of floor aircraft flew the area and in the first sweep. I was lucky enough to spot him sitting down in a disused cattle yard with machine undamaged and himself surviving comfortably by eating his cargo. I was able to land beside him and refuel his tanks after which we all flew in formation to Wyndham. The 6 mile hotel was handy to the aerodrome and was the only one in north-west area with plenty of beer and no one to drink it. We spent every evening, which was marred only by signal arriving in the small hours asking help for a badly burnt child some 300 miles away. I can my mechanic and I had to leave the party abruptly to get what sleep we could before departure at crack of dawn, mother and child were transported to the RAAF hospital at Darwin the same day.
To the best of my recollection, most if not all medical calls were attended to by six: unit in the northern part of the territory from December 1942 to December 1945 while the FDS answered those in the southern part. What happened between February and December 1942. I do not know, but assume that the RAAF would have been called in for any emergencies during that period.
I have included a few anecdotes in the hope of adding a little comic relief to an otherwise bald report. The letter is forwarded in duplicate, in case you find it convenient to send a copy to the historian if there are any points not clear. Let me know I shall be glad to cooperate. You in with you in any way you suggest to help in keeping the record straight.
We were pleased to hear from Peter McMillan that you had made a good recovery from your fracture but have been unable to ascertain the subsequent history of the horse and its injuries on joint BN reciprocating.
regards and good wishes to Jessie, Robin and yourself.