| Accession Number | P02423.036 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white |
| Physical description | Black & white |
| Maker |
Hobson, Arthur Francis |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Sangara, Papua, 1942-11-18. NX473 Major Ian Firth Vickery, a Medical Officer (MO) serving with ...
Description
Sangara, Papua, 1942-11-18. NX473 Major Ian Firth Vickery, a Medical Officer (MO) serving with 2/4th Field Ambulance, has a refreshing drink of coconut milk straight from a coconut. Major Vickery and his Field Ambulance colleagues have just arrived at Sangi Sangara Mission after completing three days of the five-day trek from Kokoda to Soputa. Despite being promised fresh rations at every stop, the Field Ambulance staff have received nothing since the start of the journey. All they have had to eat so far is one days' supply of rations plus some emergency rations that they had brought with them. Less than two weeks later, on 1942-11-27, Major Vickery was killed in action (KIA) when Japanese aircraft strafed and bombed the Field Ambulance's Main Dressing Station (MDS) at Soputa.