Duke of Kent at 1 PIR DPR/TV/1162

The Duke of Kent, here to open the South Pacific Games, visited Taurama Barracks, Port Moresby, home of the 1st Battalion, Pacific Islands Regiment this week. The Duke, a major in the British Army's Royal Scots Greys, showed a keen interest in the barracks as he toured the area and met soldiers of "C" Company, accompanied by the Officer Commanding the company, Major R. A. Ducie of Concord, NSW. It was a big day for Corporal Merea from Kerema, when the Duke stopped to talk with him. Second Lieutenant David Read of Prospect, SA, a platoon commander with "C" Company, showed the Duke around the company barrack block. Later, the party visited the Taurama Primary School, where the soldiers' children attend. Here he spoke to little Susie Niaga, whose father is Lance Corporal Niaga, and whose brother is currently at the Officer Cadet School at Portsea, Vic. Susie soon lost her nervousness and chatted away merrily with the Duke. With her was the school's headteacher, Mrs Bronwyn Thompson of Ashgrove, Qld, wife of the second-in-command of the Battalion's Support Company. In the informal atmosphere of the decorated school grounds, the Duke spoke to spectators and children before moving off to the Officer's Mess for morning tea. He met a representative group of officers and soldiers, and their wives, to the background music of the Pipes and Drums of the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Pacific Islands Regiment. Also identified: C Coy CSM WO2 Komeng; Lt Col M. B. Pears; WO2 Tiuamoa Lewaraka, Pipe Major 2 PIR of Wewak; Lance Corporal Pitiari, Drum Major 1 PIR of Taurama; Corporal Reu, Drum Major 2 PIR.