HS White continues the PNG Spirit

3 May 2010

HS White crew (LCDR M.L. Gulyas, RAN) recently capped off a successful three-month deployment by donating a large quantity of money, clothing and sporting equipment to a local Papua New Guinea hospital before returning home to HMAS Cairns

HS White crew has been conducting survey operations in vicinity of the Trobriand Islands off the East coast of Papua New Guinea, a tasking that will allow greater access for commercial and tourism vessels into the area. Upon the ship’s arrival in early February the ship’s medical staff visited a hospital in the Island’s main community of Lousia. The visit highlighted a shortage of even the most basic medical equipment, food and clothing with a high percentage of the children’s ward suffering from AIDS and malaria.

The ship’s company decided during the deployment to raise money and collect any other items such as old clothing and general bric-a-brac in order to make a donation to the Lousia hospital. Other members of ship’s company purchased sporting equipment and clothes out of their own money to donate to the children.

HS White crew managed to raise $843 and this was presented to the local Chief of Medicine Dr. Damien Okapoko who thanked CO HS White, LCDR Gulyas, for his crew’s generosity. Dr. Okapoko said that the money will fund flying additional specialist doctors out to the remote hospital to help treat the children’s ward.

HS White crew had made a significant bond with the community of the Trobriand Islanders particularly during the four shore camps conducted during the survey. Each camp required personnel from the ship’s company to camp ashore with the villagers for periods of up to four days. It was common for the local population to help the shore parties move heavy survey equipment and camp supplies up steep hills and through dense jungle.

“It’s great to see the spirit and interaction between the local PNG population and Australian sailors. We are carrying on a proud military tradition between the two countries that dates back to World War II,” said CO HS White, LCDR Gulyas.

Geodetics ashore on Kaleuna Island.	A Survey Motor Boat at anchor in the Trobriand Islands
SMNMED Thornthwaite helping to set up a tide camp near Lousia	LSBM Hill admires a local village in Lousia en route to the tide camp