| TITLE | A TOWN LIKE ALICE | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Published: | 1950 | |
| Setting: | During and after World War II | |
| Story: | A ragged group of womenfolk of the British Tea- planters was forced by the Japanese invaders to march across Malaya. Jean Paget was fed by an Australian PoW who was then crucified by the Japanese. The women worked in the Malay paddy fields to keep alive. Back in London Jean inherited money and returned to the Malay village to fund a well. She learnt that the Australian had survived and she flew to the Outback to find him. At the same time, unknowingly he had flown to London to try to find her, Soon they were reunited and set up a business to make their township prosper like Alice Springs. | |
| Locations: |
Malaya: Trek from coast to coast via Kuantan Australia: Alice Springs and Outback townships |
|
| Main Characters: |
Jean Paget, an English secretary working in Malaya Joe Harman, an Australian Army POW Japanese sergeant |
|
| Flying Episodes: | (Largely incidental to the story) | |
| Aircraft: |
Dakota DH Dragonfly plus Old Dragon (same?) Unidentified airliners UK - Singapore - Australia |
|
| Flying Characters: | Captain Jimmie Cope ANA (Flying Doctor Service) | |
| Aviation Location(s): |
Kota Bahru, Malaya Cloncurry Willstown Cairns, Cooktown Plus numerous Cattle stations in the Outback |
|
| Aviation Activities |
Local air transport in Malaya and the Outback Flying Doctor Service in hazardous weather to rough strip in the outback |
See text Chap. 10 |
| Additional Comments: | Spells out the important role of air transport to serve otherwise isolated cattle stations in the Australian Outback. |
