In these Notes on New Year’s Eve, Colin Huggins mentioned meeting with Sue Hurrell, one of his former pupils at Wau Primary A School 40 years ago. The article mentioned in passing that Sue’s father is Lloyd Hurrell, as distinguished a PNG expatriate as they made them.

A few years ago, Lloyd, who's now 95, published an account of his PNG experiences in a book entitled Hurrell's Way. It's an entertaining and informative read by a former soldier, patrol officer, planter and politician.

Lloyd writes vividly of his experiences in war and in peace. He tells of his early adventures when he went to New Guinea in 1939 as a cadet patrol officer in the Rabaul, Salamaua and Morobe, which was followed by service in World War II, after being wounded, his subsequent return to New Guinea in 1945 and his years of ‘big bush’ patrolling.

Lloyd and his elder brother Les were members of the AIF’s first contingent who enlisted in New Guinea. They served with the elite 2/31 Infantry Battalion in the Middle East including Syria, and later in New Guinea in the Kokoda Track campaign, during which Lloyd won the Military Cross. Les was killed in this campaign. Lloyd fought in the Lae and Markham-Ramu campaigns before, on Bougainville, being accidentally wounded in the leg by a burst from a sub-machine gun. He spent a year recovering in an Australian hospital where one of his nurses was Margaret Crowther, who he later married.

After Lloyd's return to New Guinea, he conducted notable patrols in Bogia, Mumeng, Siassi and Finschhafen. His main feat was opening Menyamya station in 1950 in the then uncontrolled Kukukuku country.

Lloyd subsequently became a farmer and planter near Wau, entered national politics as a Member of the House of Assembly and served for many years as Chairman of the PNG Coffee Marketing Board, receiving a CMG and an OBE for his work.

Hurrell's Way by A Lloyd Hurrell. Edited by James Sinclair. 463 pages. Numerous photos and maps. $32.95 plus p&h $9.00 within Australia. Available from Crawford House Publishing, PO Box 50, Belair SA 5052 Tel 08 8370 3555 Fax 08 8370 3566 Email [email protected] crawfordhouse.com.au. ISBN 1863333169