We had a tremendous and ecstatic reception from the press and  other dignitaries. Everywhere there were flashlights and photographers as we were the first POW vessel to return from Japan. The  carrier seethed with friends and relatives who had come aboard to be re-united with their long lost loved ones back from  Japan, and the flight deck was overflowing with   happy couples and parties celebrating.  Of course the Australian personnel got the biggest welcome with Champagne and drinks flowing freely with all the kisses, hugs, and back slapping.  Mother and I were given a big write up with our photos in the papers, as was also the case of Gabby Lyons, on account of her coming back as the  widow  of a War Hero.  The rest of the passengers who like us had no one to meet them, or anywhere to go, were transferred to various transit hostelries spread across that huge sprawling city. We said our goodbyes and I thanked all those Geordies, Carl Drennan, Stewart for his lessons, and others who had been so good in looking after me on the men’s side. Also I said goodbye to my young room-mate Graham Sparke who had been such a close buddy and we  had done so much together. Soon we found ourselves late  that afternoon in a small  boarding house not far from the Randwyck racecourse. It was a typical Australian clap-boarded  wooden building  painted a dirty ochre colour with a corrugated iron roof, wide verandahs and surrounded by heavily scented lemon eucalyptus  gums. The place was adequate and comfortable, but the very next morning we travelled into town to the Bank of New South Wales to collect some money that Father had sent, and then went to see about getting a passage back to Ceylon.  We made straight for the P.O.W. reception offices, arriving  early  in the morning, with  Mother in an absolute determined frenzy to get  moving as soon as possible on a passage to Colombo. But the news was bad and we were firmly told that it was quite impossible, to expect to get any passage for at least six months. The first priority  for all passenger liners was  to get  Australian  servicemen home from all the far flung theatres of war.   It was then that  I was able to witness  Mother’s determination come into full force. Whilst in the office  being given the bad news  she demanded a telephone  to ask to speak to her friend Commander Crane who was involved with Naval transport and shipping  in Melbourne when we were there three years before  in 1942. Back came the reply from his office  however  that he was no longer there, but even luckier he was now based in Sydney and  his rank had been raised to  that of Commodore.and he was now fortuitously in charge of all transport movements We discovered his new number and made contact, and joined him for lunch  that day at his  office. He was as usual most charming and most considerate wanting to hear all about our experiences,  and said that he would look into what could be done, and assured us that he would try to do his very best by the time we came to see him the following day. We then busied ourselves that afternoon in, shopping for clothes in Myers and Coles  to once again make ourselves well dressed and respectable, a pleasant change from our GI Kit and ex-prison  garb. The following morning we went to see Commodore Crane once  again, who told us of all the difficulties that he had trying  to get us a passage. It was quite impossible to get anything to Colombo, but there was a ship the “Otranto” 17,000 tons  with plenty of spare capacity sailing in 12 days time for Bombay. It was just returning from the Middle East with 1,000 Australian servicemen and women and he had booked us on it, and advised us to take it , and make our own way from Bombay back to Ceylon. We gratefully accepted his kind advice, and thanked him for all his trouble  from the depth of our hearts, secure in the knowledge that soon we would once again be on our way. This little episode was so very typical of Mother who would never ever take “no” for an answer, and who through sheer will power  and determination  eventually always managed to wangle her own way in the end when she could see a distant goal.   She was completely single minded in using friends,  contacts, and her sheer charm to achieve her aims.    It was a lesson that I never forgot for the rest of my life that by focussing on ones

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