Little Darwin had an unexpected small part in a family reunion on Magnetic Island which honoured the memory of WWll American photographer, the late Arch Fraley, who set up a thriving photography postwar business in Townsville , still running today.
 |
Little Darwin was asked to take a picture of the entire group which included some from interstate, including one from Western Australia.
Arch -Archibald - Fraley served as a photographer and waist gunner in the 5th Bomber Group of the US Army Air Force , He was posted to Charters Towers , North Queensland, in March 1942. As part of General Douglas MacArthur's compaign in the Pacific , he took many photographs, went on bombing raids on the Japanese in New Guinea .
After the war, he returned to Townsville , married Charters Towers girl Lorraine Robinson, opened Arch Fraley Photographics which dealt in sports, Army , large groups and schools , many locals and major events photographed over the years .
The Fraley home at Cockle Bay included a swimming pool, now filled in ,several cars said to be buried within.
His wartime photographs , which included coverage of Townsville and General MacArthur , went on display at the Townville Airport in 2019, with the help of James Cook University .
It is believed some of his photos are in the Australian War Museum in Canberra.
Other Fraley wartime photos are in the heritage museum on Horn Island , in the Torres Strait, the captions faded and buckled , in need of attention .
