Tommy Andrew

[Bobcat]

Bar none.......... my best mate in Oranjemund was Tommy Andrew. He was a gentleman and a scholar; and was very much like a fatherly figure to me over there.

I shared a room for a while with him until I was lucky to score a single room later on........... it was always a mystery to me why on certain nights of the month my room mate used to lock the door hoping I'd stay in Casey's Bar a while longer ............ while he got all dolled up in a penguin suit?

I sprung Tommy one night............ I only had one beer down Casey's instead of the mandatory dozen or so ............ and I went home to our room early............... there was such a kerfuffle and he wasn't apt to let me in? I got in eventually .................but not until he'd put away his regalia in his little brief case.

"Where you off to Tom............ we're in the middle of the Namib Desert and your all dolled up like that........ what gives mate.......... you off to a wedding?" I asked.

'Sssshhhhhh John............ afraid I can't tell you mate.......... it's a bit of a secret? Don't tell the other lads eh!" old Tommy replied.

'Bollocks.......... come on Tommy......... you can tell me ............. I'm your best mate?" I gave him back hoping he was going to enlighten me?

Well he did to a degree.......... no pun intended.

"Listen mate" he said, "Where I'm off to has got a lot to do with your name.......... it's a sort of a club and you have to get asked to join it. Can't go into great detail........... but if you ever get chance to join a men's kinda club thingy.......... a club that sort of bears your name.......... well jump at the chance mate......... it's wonderful.......... you won't regret it......... trust me on that?"

................. and with that my good mate old Tommy Andrew set off in stifling heat trudging through the Namib Desert wearing a penguin suit......... and a dicky bow????????

I must have been really dumb and not very much street wise in those days............ perhaps the cold beers had addled my brain? For years after .......... on my travels to wherever............I kept asking if anyone knew of a club called John?

What a dill I was eh?

Anyway........... a few years later after a long walk-a-bout in Western Australia; I ended up not in the middle of nowhere in the Sahara Desert............ it was nowhere........... a barren place called Gassi Touil. There were no 'John' clubs there.......... or if there were.......... they were extremely well hidden?

Eventually I ended up in paradise on a tiny pacific island by the name of Bougainville. I got my old mate Scouse Robinson a job up there................ and lo and behold........ unbeknownst to me Scouse knew all about this 'ere 'John' Club? Before too long he was paying them a visit down at Arawa........ and he was doing harmony in the South.......... whatever that was?

Scouse put in a good word for me.......... as he had known me for a couple of years in Oranjemund. Later on I was able to join the 'John' club............. and it really was magic. i joined it again when we moved onto the Solomon Islands ............. and then again when we returned to Perth.

Now back to the purpose of my story............... where is Tommy Andrew? I lost touch with him; he was going to visit Derek & Renee Waddington in Western australia......... and then shoot over to PNG for my wedding. I got married in '84 ................ last I heard from Tom was mid-83. I do know he was working on some dodgy building site in Germany aka Auf Wiedersehen Pet. Haven't heard from him since?

[Bobcat]

This is a photo of Tommy Andrew taken in the Sportsman's Lounge circa 1976

[Michael Alexander]

My dad was mumbling something about that Tommy had this Cine Camera with him wherever he went..... He also went back on the Union Castle Line the same time as my Grandparents went back...They stayed in touch until my Grandfather passed on......   :'(

[Bobcat]

My dad was mumbling something about that Tommy had this Cine Camera with him wherever he went..... He also went back on the Union Castle Line the same time as my Grandparents went back...They stayed in touch until my Grandfather passed on......   :'(

I was in regular contact with Tom for years and years............... and he was hoping to be best man at my wedding.............. but he never arrived in Papua New Guinea as was intended.............. plus; he ceased responding to my letters? I hope he is okay............ but he will be knocking on in years now........ but then again........ so am I.

There was always good craic when Tom was around. Here's another shot of Tommy at the Squirrel Pub in Bispham near Blackpool; taken about 2 years after I left Oranjemund probably round about mid '78.