W.J. (Jack) Read joined the Australian administration of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea as a Cadet arriving in Rabaul on the SS Montoro on 11 July 1929. During his long and distinguished career Jack Read worked in most parts of the Territory:
Jul 1929-Mar 1931 – Cadet PO New Britain
Mar- Dec 1931 – Sydney
Mar 1932-Jun 1933 – Patrol Officer, Ambunti, Sepik River
Jun-Dec 1933 – Patrol Officer, Madang (Bogia)
Mar 1934-Dec 1935 – Assistant District Officer, Madang (Bogia)
Nov 1936-Sep 1938 – ADO, Madang
Jan 1939-Dec 1940 – ADO, Wau
Nov 1941-Feb 1942 – ADO Buka Passage
Feb 1942 – Sergeant, ANGAU
Apr 1942-Jul 1943 – Lieutenant, RAN, in Northern Bougainville
Aug-Sep 1943 - Lieutenant, RAN, in Guadalcanal
Sep 1943-Sep 1944 - Lieutenant, RAN, in Noumea and Brisbane
Sep 1944-Jun 1946 – Major, ANGAU, in Bougainville
Jun-Oct 1946 – District Officer, Bougainville
Oct 1946-Dec 1949 – Dictrict Commissioner, New Ireland
Jan-Dec 1950 long leave and retirement
… - Oct 1952 – Naval Office, Melbourne
Oct 1952-Mar 1975 – Native Lands Commissioner / Land Titles Commissioner, Rabaul (brief spell in Madang).

These papers mainly consist of W.J. (Jack) Read’s pre-World War II patrol reports and associated papers, as follows, together with five photographs:
• Kokopo Sub-District and adjacent areas, New Britain, 1930-1931;
• Ambunti, Sepik District, 1932;
• Bogia, Cape Gordon to the Ramu River, Ulingan, Dugumor, Manam, Boisa and Karkar Islands, and elsewhere in the Madang District, 1933-1938
• Wau and Lae Sub-Districts, Morobe District, 1940
See Finding aids for details.

See also PMB 1245 for Report by W. J. Read on coast watching activity Bougainville Island, 1941-1943.