Peter Frederick MANSER (4 March 1991, aged 70)
Easy going - difficult - loveable - optimistic - intelligent -kind - a gentleman and a good christian. Known in the Airforce as Pinto Pete.
Born on 27 February 1921 at Lewisham Hospital, England, Peter was the only son of Harold and Ellen Manser and was blessed with four sisters. He immigrated to Australia in 1923 on board the Thermistocles, arriving Saturday 22 December 1923. He was two and a half years old and he travelled with his mother and four year old sister Patricia. His mother spent the voyage praying that he would not fall off the railing, which he always managed to climb onto. The family settled in Coogee in "two well furnished rooms" which his father had secured, having arrived a year earlier to prepare things "down under" for his family.
Peter grew up in Charles Street, Ryde, and attended Holy Cross College where he matriculated and after some office type jobs commenced accountancy with O'Brien & Co. in the city. This was interrupted by World War II when Peter enlisted in the Army. He was an unhappy recruit, he hated marching and everyone hated marching with him as he was always out of step. After much pleading he was accepted to transfer to the RAAF and spent his 21st birthday training in Western Australia. He was chosen for a special squadron to train in Canada. This was a very difficult period of his life as he became engaged to a beautiful Canadian girl, however they both found they could not leave their homelands and then the war ended and Peter's squadron was recalled to Australia. Many of his friends died in the first squadron which had already gone over.
Discharged from the RAAF in 1946 and not settling well into civilian life, he accepted a position with Carpenters, a well known firm in New Guinea, as a cost clerk. He made an impact in this firm asking a customer would she like a broom wrapped or would she ride it home, before leaving to secure a job with Gibbes Sepik Airways, then with Ansett Mandated Airlines where he became a Captain, finishing his service in 1970.
He settled in Sydney near his sisters and their children, first with his mother whom he lost in 1976, later at Brookvale where he met a good friend in Bob Wendt, and lately at Collaroy Plateau. He spent most of his adult life in New Guinea: Madang, Wewak and Goroka. He made some wonderful friends: the Healy family, Dennis Buchanan and last but not least Bob Rich. Their time together ended last Monday when Peter died at Bob's home in Davidson—peacefully—much loved and admired and, as always, looking forward to being fit enough for a beer with Dick O'Brien or the boys at Belrose.
"HAPPY LANDINGS PETE"
Eulogy delivered at Peter's funeral by Julie Ann, the eldest daughter of Bob and Ann Rich of Davidson, NSW
PNGAA - Vale, June 1991