Officers' Log Book

The day when…….

…Major H. A. Wernham began a school for officers at Samambula, and later a class in physical training at Mua, for subalterns only.

page 129

…Two 'big-bunger' crackers were set off in proximity (very close proximity) to Second-Lieutenant A. G. Steele, who was in a state of partial nudity in a chair at Bilo.

…Second-Lieutenant N. M. Cotching, who had complained that he never got to know the real Fijian, was invited to spend the weekend at a native village. Arriving by boat, he leapt ashore, and to the first Fijian he espied let out a very hearty and boisterous 'BULA!'. The Fijian, taken aback somewhat, replied, in the best accent that he had learnt at Oxford—'How nice of you to come.'

…Second-Lieutenant A. Alison, in a state of exasperation at trying to piece together a Browning gun at the airfield, Nausori, turned to an innocent looking two-pipper by his side and frankly told him that he didn't know a damned thing about the gun, and what he thought about it was worse. Repercussions were swift and sure when the innocent two-pipper turned out to be a lieutenant-colonel responsible for airdrome defence all over Fiji.

…Lieutenant E. Procter first learnt to sound bugle calls on the conch shell he picked up at Niutoua.

…The doc, the adj, and Sergeant Tom Thornburrow acted as undertakers at the death of the Mayor of Bouloupari.

…Captain P. H. Brooks and Captain D. B. Cameron, being distressed over the fact that neither had as yet shot at a Jap, let alone even seen one, set out for a walk one evening in the jungle near Luana, in the Treasuries, saw two Japs, and shot one each.

…With the Japs pressing hard around Soanotalu, Lieutenant I. McG. Logan dcided to take a stroll in the evening air, and returned later to tell his sergeant that he was sure there were Japs about, for several had run away from him, and that he would have had a shot at them, if he hadn't forgotten to take his pistol with him.

…Two hundred and seventeen officers of the division, accustomed to travelling in the comparative comfort of cabins, returned to New Zealand on the Torrens jam-packed into the for'ard hold, and still said they liked it.