There were quite a number of photos of Old Mr Murchison in his diving gear. The diving gear was the old-fashioned type with brass helmet, a rubberised canvas suit and huge lead boots, all festooned with lifelines and air hoses. In several photos Old Mr Murchison was seated or standing with the helmet off. In others he was climbing up or down ladders with his helmet on.
Some of the photos had handwritten captions, now faded but just legible. One said: ‘Recovering bodies from crashed RAAF Beaufighter- Oro Bay- New Guinea- 1943’.
‘That would be horrible!’ Andrew thought, but he knew that divers were often called on to carry out such gruesome tasks.
Muriel kept turning the pages. There were a lot of wrecks and small craft on beaches around Bougainville in 1945. Then there was a large studio photo of Old Mr Murchison in his dress whites. Andrew stared at the row of medal ribbons and was impressed.
Muriel pointed to the photo. “Gee, you were handsome Grandad!” she cried.
The old man flushed with pleasure. “What do you mean were? I still am,” he replied.
They all laughed at this and Muriel turned to give the old man a hug. Andrew was amazed at the transformation of the craggy, lined face. It softened and his eyes twinkled, then watered. He patted Muriel’s back, then suggested she get on with it so they could have lunch.
Muriel turned back to the photo album. Most of the photos were larger now, post-card size, and the dates were after World War 2: 1946, 1947. Old Mr Murchison had stayed in the navy after the war, being a regular naval man, and had retired after 12 years in 1953. Andrew noted that he was a Chief Petty Officer by then and that caused him not to ask about his own grandfather and father as both had been officers. Andrew had never known his own grandfather as he had been lost at sea, but he had seen photos of him, his own family having several similar photo albums.
Thus it was with some surprise that he found himself staring at a photo which he had seen in his own family album. His pulse quickened and he leaned forward, stopping Muriel from turning the page.
“What is it?” Muriel asked.
“This photo,” Andrew indicated, pointing to one which showed five men: two white divers and three black Torres Strait Islanders, on the deck of a small sailing ship. The handwritten caption read: ‘Lugger PEARL REEF - diving for trochas shell off Cape Grenville- 12 Sep 1956’
“What about it?” Muriel asked.
Andrew leaned forward to check, then nodded. It was definitely the same photo. “That man there,” he said, pointing to one of the two white men in diver’s suits. “He is my grandfather.”
Old Mr Murchison let out a gasp. “What’s that? What did you say?” he cried.
Andrew looked up in surprise, afraid he had startled or offended the old man. “We have a copy of this photo at home. This man here is my grandfather.”
“Are you sure? What.... what did you say your name was?” Old Mr Murchison asked, gripping Andrew by the wrist and staring hard at him.
“Andrew Collins,” Andrew replied, feeling quite frightened by the intensity of the old man’s reaction. “My grandfather was Herbert Collins.”
Old Mr Murchison peered intently at him. Andrew stared back, his heart beginning to beat with anxiety. To his dismay he noted the old man’s eyes widen and his face go pale.
“No! No! It.. it can’t be true.. I....” Old Mr Murchison gasped. Then he fainted and slid back into his seat.
CHAPTER 2
FADED MEMORIES
Andrew stared at Old Mr Murchison’s pale, waxy face in dismay, worried that he had caused the old man to have a heart attack. “Is he alright?” he asked.
Muriel moved to hold the old man’s head and Carmen helped her keep him in the chair. Grandma Murchison stood up and went pale, making Andrew wonder if she was also going to have some sort of attack. PO Walker then took charge and shoved the boys aside to kneel and feel the old man’s pulse.
“I think he has just fainted,” he said. “His heart seems to be beating strongly.”
That was a relief. Andrew looked around at the faces of Muriel’s mother and father and felt an irrational feeling of guilt. This flared into anger when Muriel turned on him.
“Oh Andrew!” she cried. “Look what you’ve done!”
The accusation was so unexpected and seemed to Andrew to be so unjust that he snapped back, “I didn’t do anything! He was just looking at the old photograph.”
For a moment he and Muriel stared hard at each other. Andrew was at a loss for words but now did feel guilty. He was saved from the necessity of a reply by Old Mr Murchison uttering a loud groan and opening his eyes. Mrs Murchison and Grandma Murchison both moved in to help sit him up. As Mr Murchison arrived with a glass of water Andrew stepped back, to join Blake and Shona on the edge of the group.
Helped by Mr Murchison and PO Walker Old Mr Murchison was lifted to his feet and assisted to walk into the house through the nearby double doors. Only when the group, including Grandma Murchison and Mrs Murchison, had gone from view did the remaining people speak. An anxious babble broke out as they discussed the old man’s collapse.
“He just fainted,” Sub Lt Sheldon offered.
Shona frowned. “But why?” she asked.
Carmen answered. “Andrew showed him this photo,” she said. She turned to Andrew, even as he experienced another wave of guilt. “Is this really our grandad?” she asked.
Andrew nodded and pointed to the diver on the left in the photo. “I’m sure it is. We have a copy of this in that old photo album that dad has. See, you can make out the name of the lugger on this lifebuoy behind them.”
Carmen bent to study the photo. “Pearl Reef,” she read. She nodded. “I seem to remember dad telling us that grandad was a pearl diver for a while.”
The others also moved to study the photo and Andrew found himself looking into Muriel’s eyes. She looked upset but also puzzled. He said, “I’m sorry Muriel, I didn’t mean to cause any harm. I was just curious.”
Muriel shrugged. “If it really is your grandad then I suppose your curiosity was justified.”
Mr Murchison and PO Walker came back out, followed a few minutes later by Grandma Murchison and Mrs Murchison.
“He is alright now,” Grandma Murchison said. “He is resting. I wanted to phone the ambulance but he assures me that it was just the shock of seeing young Collins here that caused him to have a bad turn.”
Andrew felt deeply embarrassed. “I’m sorry Mrs Murchison,” he replied.
“That’s alright. Not your fault. You weren’t to know.”
Carmen cut in. “Know what Mrs Murchison?”
Grandma Murchison looked at her, “That Joshua and Bert Collins worked together.”
“I’m Carmen Collins Mrs Murchison. Herbert Collins was our grandfather.” She gestured to include Andrew.
Andrew was puzzled. “But even if they did work together, why should seeing me cause Mr Murchison to.... to faint?”
“You don’t know?” Grandma Murchison asked.
They both shook their heads. Grandma Murchison shook her head sadly, then said, “Because they were both working on the same ship, as partners, when