Stephen Romney Gill
Anglican Missionary in New Guinea

Background
Stephen Romney Gill became a Anglican Church (Church of England) missionary. On July 21, 1924, Reverend Gill established an Anglican mission at Duvira (Maimba) in New Guinea.

Wartime History
On July 30, 1942 Japanese aircraft bomb Duvira Mission for the first time.

On August 3, 1942 Duvira Mission was spotted by three Japanese aircraft, two dropped five bombs. One hit near the northeast corner of the mission house, causing a large crater and damaging the building's veranda.

As the war moved closer to Duvira, Reverend Gill relocated his camp further inland to a new camp location known as "X", located down the hill, southwest of the mission station. Then to "X1" further away and afterwards to "X2" closer to the Mambare River, then a third time to "X3" further inland and finally "X4" furthest inland.

During 1942-1943, native people in the vicinity loyal to Reverend Gill aided nine American aviators and escorted them to Reverend Gill at Duvira mission.

On January 26, 1942 and January 27, 1942 natives brought the crew of Hudson A16-106 to Duvira over two days and were aided by Reverend Gill. After resting for three days, the crew trekked up the Mambare River on January 29, 1942 bound for Ioma roughly 70 miles away, arriving on February 1, 1942.

The next aviator was Sgt Leo T. Ranta a crew member from B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2435. Next, the seven crew members from B-26 "Dixie" 40-1496 arrived at Duvira. With Gill's assistance, the group of aviators walked to Garaina Airfield and were flown back to Port Moresby.

On November 28, 1942 Lt. Don Sutliff pilot P-40E Warhawk 41-5610 that crashed six days earlier was brought to Duvira and later transported back to Port Moresby

Reverend Romney Gill wrote:
"...at 5 p.m., boys arrived to say that an airman - an American - was being brought to me... He [had] spent six nights in that swamp, before he at last struck the Mamba [River]. The emergency articles, which should have been in the 'chute seat were missing, so he suffered much. ... I had Lt. Sutcliffe [sic] with me for nearly sixteen days so we got to know each other. ... Considering the hardships he had been through, he recovered very quickly, but a dose of fever laid him down for several days."

On January 10, 1943 Reverend Gill met a crew member of B-26 “Yeah!” 40-1421 ditched January 7, 1943 into Hercules Bay.

Reverend Gill Diary extract, January 10, 1943:
“An American airman was brought up from the coast at 6pm. I spoke to him for a few minutes a the Tamata crossing. He then went on to Ioma. Boys carried him on an improvised strecher. He was one of a crew of six of a B.26, which had its engines knocked out by ackack fire over Lae. The plane came down into the sea just before reaching this coast. The others were either killed or drowned. He seems to have come ashore near the Eia, and was found by P.I.B.s and villagers at the Gira [River] Mouth.”

On December 30, 1942 A-20s strafe forces at Duvira Creek.

On December 31, 1942 another Japanese air raid completely destroyed Duvira Mission.

On January 10, 1943 Reverend Gill met a crew member of B-26 “Yeah!” 40-1421.

Reverend Gill Diary January 10, 1943 extract:
“An American airman was brought up from the coast at 6pm. I spoke to him for a few minutes a the Tamata crossing. He then went on to Ioma. Boys carried him on an improvised strecher. He was one of a crew of six of a B.26, which had its engines knocked out by ackack fire over Lae. The plane came down into the sea just before reaching this coast. The others were either killed or drowned. He seems to have come ashore near the Eia, and was found by P.I.B.s and villagers at the Gira [River] Mouth.”

References
Reverend Romney Gill Diary 1942–1943
Letters from the Papuan Bush 1942-1946 by Reverend Stephen Romney Gill

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