II
First Destination

No member of the unit is likely to forget the experience of sailing into Noumea Harbour through the glistening coral reefs in the brilliant sunshine of a mid-afternoon. The day was 1 page 123July, 1943, and everyone was feeling very fit. Brigadier Twhigg welcomed the unit on arrival at the port, and soon we were speeding in convoy through a new country.

Somewhere in archives will be a return known as a location state bearing the date 8 July, 1943, and showing a map reference and the place named Ouameni. Here, and on the banks ofthe river bearing that name, the 2nd NZ CCS was under ordersto establish a field hospital. The project served not only as atry out for a new unit, but also helped to relieve the 7th Field Ambulance for other duties. Days of hard work followed—daysof road making, draining, tent-pitching, carting gravel for wardsites and performing the hundred and one other tasks incidentalto camp construction. When the hospital was completed and, with the admission of patients, came members of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service, with Charge-Sister Joyce Sexton incommand, to act in a supervisory capacity in matters relating to the hospitalisation and care of sick and injured.

Throughout this busy period the sporting side of field life was not neglected. Though we were yet hardly acclimatised, rugby football was popular, despite the heat and the concrete-hardness of the ground. It was a game fifteen who, not having played together long enough to register wins, suffered honourable defeat at the hands of the veterans of 4th Motor Transport Company and 7th Field Ambulance. Much talent was brought to light at a unit sports meeting, at which the quartermaster's department amazed us with a rare burst of speed and at which the officer representatives achieved an ignominious placing at the foot of the points total.

After operating as a hospital for only three weeks orders were received to close down and pack equipment for a further move. The division was going into action, and a quiet determination was in evidence as preparations progressed. At this stage command of the unit was assumed by Lieutenant-Colonel S. L. Wilson, DSO, who had recently relinquished the post of second-in-command, No. 1 NZ CCS, Second Division.

On 1 August, 1943, No. 1 and No. 2 Field Surgical Units, commanded by Major P. C. Brunette and Major G. E. Water-worth respectively, were attached to the 2nd N.Z. CCS for administrative and accounting purposes. These units were designed to handle surgical work in the actual area of combat and were therefore detached from us for their operational roles to page 124the field ambulances. Also attached to the 2nd NZ CCS was No. 1 Field Transfusion Unit, whose personnel were employed in conjunction with our laboratory staff. Medical officers who joined the unit prior to its move to the forward area were Major C. G. Riley and Captain M. W. Gatman, Captain S. Jolly. NZDC, replaced Captain H. G. Simpson as unit dental officer, and Staff-Sergeant H. S. Walkley became RSM in the place of Sergeant-Major F. A. Graham. Eight other ranks were marched out to the 4th NZ General Hospital, and these were replaced by experienced nursing orderlies from that hospital. Thus was the 2nd NZ CCS reshaped for the task ahead.

With no little speculation as to what lay before us we sailed from New Caledonia on 4 September, 1943. Each day at sea the atmosphere became hotter, and a break at Vila, New Hebrides, for carrying out landing exercises was most welcome. These exercises were both interesting and beneficial, as it was our first experience of net climbing and of shore invasion from landing barges. They were carried out with full packs, and provided a strenuous five days. After leaving the Hebrides the seas were exceptionally calm for the remainder of the journey. On 14 September, 1943, a series of islands was passed, and by 0900 hours the ship was standing by in Lunga Roads, off Guadalcanal.