Chapter Four
The Move Forward to the Solomons

The division moved north in three independent convoys at different times, but each group followed an identical route, and the ASG personnel in each flight had similar experiences. The loaded transports remained in Nouméa harbour for several days, but unlike the occasion of the departure from New Zealand, there were no fare' welling crowds, and neither was there much excitement among the 1,500 men packed on each ship. Of course, even at that stage, there was the occasional inveterate optimist who maintained that the whole move was a gigantic bluff to cover the return of the force to New Zealand, but most of those who lined the rail and watched speedy small craft dodging from ship to shore inside the submarine boom had no such illusions.

When each man climbed the net to board his ship he had been wearing his web equipment (with ammunition pouches full and pack and valise crammed), over which had been slung, bandolier style, a rolled blanket—and he had also been carrying his rifle or tommy gun. Nevertheless, after he had settled down aboard ship he was treated as though he had never seen the net before, and was introduced to it gently, working gradually from runs up and down the side of the ship without gear and in sandshoes, up to almost the conditions of his first climb. On some ships a practice net was hung from part of the superstructure down to the open deck, and the more energetic competed on it in their spare time, until many could swing up and down for good distances like monkeys, supported by the arms only. There page 62were also 'abandon ship' drills. All these practices began with an unpopular instruction over the loudspeaker: 'Now hear this! All troops lay below!' At such times the dark and crowded troop berths became a tangle of gear and perspiring men, and tempers were apt to become short as everyone groped for equipment and struggled to put it on. After all hands were loaded like packhorses, almost invariably there would be a long, sweating wait below decks for the call over the address system to 'go topside' to boat stations. That wait below with full pack up was a feature of shipboard life which recurred in all the division's later moves.

Several hours each day were absorbed by the business of getting fed. The loud speakers would cough and splutter, then a laconic American voice would say: 'All Noo Zealand troops … lay down to the galley for chow!' Long before that the majority would have formed themselves into queues on deck, and the remainder would then fall in behind and stretch the slowly shuffling lines up and down companionways, around hatchways and about most of the open deck. The meals were served on an assembly-line system which was a typical example of American organisation. As he filed down to the mess hall, each man collected knife, fork and spoon and a large stainless steel tray with half a dozen stamped compartments, and then ran the gauntlet of a line of mess hands, each of whom dumped into his tray a ladleful of some 'chow'. The mess hall was very clean, but there was no temptation to linger, as the noise down there was terrific, the heat stifling, and meals were eaten standing. Another queue formed on the way out, when the trays were scraped and dipped, and only ten minutes or so after entering the mess hall the endless chain of men, now fed, stumbled up to the comparative cool of the open deck. Quite a few of the ASC were put on permanent duty for the trip as cooks, bakers or mess hands, and were usually pleased to have regular duties to occupy their time.

In contrast to New Caledonia, the islands lying to the north are highly malarial, and on board ship the "dose of the malaria-suppressive drug atebrin was begun. A malaria record card was carried in each pay book, which was fast becoming a pocket encyclopaedia, and on the card the dosage of atebrin and any attacks of the complaint were noted throughout the period 'forward'. Great importance was attached by the authorities to the small yellow tablets, and in the beginning daily parades were held down in the troop berths, page 63at which the pills were popped into each gaping mouth under the watchful eye of an officer. A result was that many anticipated some spectacular reaction from the dose, and rumours spread about the many unfortunate effects to be expected. Some did become noticeably yellow in the skin, after a while, but when nothing happened to the average fellow the daily dose became a matter of unimportant routine.

As soon as the very large cargo of equipment and rations was loaded aboard the ships, they stood outside Nouméa harbour and a landing practice was held. After an early 'revilly1 everyone put on a light load of gear, and eventually troops shinned down, the nets four abreast into the small landing craft heaving at the foot. When those were filled with men they pulled away from the ship's side and circled nearby until a 'wave' was completed. Then the barges headed off to a beach several miles away, and as they approached it spaced themselves in line abreast so that they would hit the sand at several points simultaneously. The flat-bottomed craft surged in as far as they could on to the shore, the ramps clumped down and the assault troops dashed out with a whoop through the shallow surf and up across the beach. Then they sat down for a smoke under the trees … and wondered what a real landing against the enemy would be like.

Shortly after the practice landing the convoy sailed with an escort of destroyers, and accompanied by seaplanes while within sight of land. About fifteen miles off the entrance to Nouméa harbour by a gap in the outer reef there is a sandy islet called Amédéé which bears a large iron lighthouse presented to the colony by Napoleon III. That landmark was the last part of New Caledonia to be seen as darkness fell and the convoy gathered speed.

At dusk each night the ships were blacked out and for 12 hours no smoking was permitted on deck. Many lay below on their bunks without clothing or covering, sleeping long and heavily in the heat with a towel handy for mopping up perspiration, but increasing numbers slept up top where the night air was cool and fresh, and found nooks and crannies about the steel decks. During the day the ships slowed down so that there would be no tell tale smudge of smoke from the funnels, and dipped and heaved through the swell as they pushed north with their circling escort. The hot decks were crammed with men filling in time, each wearing constantly a grey, page 64grubby lifejacket of kapoc, known as a Mae West. Shady spots were greatly prized, but wherever the niche it was not long before a team of deck swillers or painters drew near and a shift had to be made. No one had been able to bring much reading matter aboard, so a few American magazines donated by crew members were passed from hand to hand until they were tattered past use. The atmosphere of boredom encouraged gambling schools — groups stood about in secluded places around overs-and-unders or crown-and-anchor boards. There was a fascination in watching large and small sums change hands constantly, and in listening to the tireless patter of the experienced organisers of the schools. At first there were a few showers available below decks, but the demands on them were such that the ship's stock of water was depleted, and they were soon rationed to an occasional period of a few minutes. The hours each day passed slowly to a routine announced at frequent intervals by an almost unintelligible voice over the loudspeakers. At night pictures were screened down in the mess hall, but on account of the hothouse atmosphere and the absence of seating only the keen ones went.

A day and a half after leaving New Caledonia the convoy steamed into a wide bay in the island of Efate, New Hebrides Group, and eventually the transports passed through another submarine boom into the small enclosed harbour of Port Vila, the capital of that Anglo-French condominium. The big ships lay close together there for six days, but officially no one was allowed to land in the town. The view of buildings and gardens sprawling over a small hillside was tantalising, but no doubt the settlement looked more interesting from the harbour than it was in fact.

The stay was made so that landing exercises could be conducted as training for the operations shortly to be undertaken. Three landings were made at Mélé Bay, about three miles outside of the harbour. Full gear was worn down the nets, and a weapon or two was dropped and lost in the water. On occasions there was a considerable sea running in the bay, which had a wide sandy beach curving along for several miles, and when landing at such times a few barges were caught side on to the surf, and became out of control. Landing there from any barge was a matter for nice judgment, as a dash at the wrong second might mean a plunge into several feet of swirling water. The land at the back of the beach was level, and bore page 65neglected plantations of coconut palms and cocoa trees, through which ran a road or two.

The first two landings, one of which was made at dawn, were preliminaries to a two day exercise on a brigade scale. On that exercise, after a very early start on board the ships, the three combat teams, each with its quota of ASG personnel, landed simultaneously at separate points along the beach, from which the infantry battalions drove inland with a view to linking up eventually. An ASC officer was appointed shore party commander of each combat team; and was responsible for the landing of stores and the clearance of the beach. Planes added realism to the manoeuvres by going through the motions of dive bombing barges as they approached the shore, and strafing beaches from a low level. As soon as possible each man dug himself a fox-hole or slit trench back from the beach, and defensive positions were laid out. In some instances the lighting of fires was forbidden.

The exercises gave most of the troops their first experience of those US field rations which subsequently became a feature of the early days in each operation. There were two main types—C and K. Each meal of C rations was contained in two small tins. One had a key opener lightly attached to the bottom, and contained: Several round wholemeal biscuits; a packet of coffee, cocoa or bouillon powder; lump sugar if the drink were coffee; several boiled sweets; a key to open the second tin. The other tin always contained some kind of meat and vegetable hash, which was more palatable if it could be heated, though that was often impossible. Each meal of K rations (marked B, D or S for breakfast, dinner or supper) was packed in an oblong container of waxed cardboard, which would burn even in damp conditions and give enough heat to warm a canteen of water for a drink. Those cartons contained: A small packet of finger-shaped biscuits, sweet, but dry; a round tin of potted meat or cheese, with key opener; beverage powder as in C rations; a bar of chocolate, or dried fruit mixture, or a packet of dextrose tablets; a small packet of cigarettes and a stick of chewing gum.

Several meals of field rations were carried in each man's pack when he set out on an operation, and on the occasions of later landings subsequent issues of C or K rations were also made ashore until the normal (or B) rations were available. The concentrated field rations were easy to handle in case lots, and when issued individually they page 66were convenient for carriage in the pack. However, though they contained all that was necessary to keep a man going, they were not very attractive to eat after their novelty had worn off, and it was uncommon for a whole ration to be eaten, even when hunger was great.

In bivouacs at night at Mélé Bay mosquito nets were slung over beds of palm frond set up in the undergrowth, and when not acting as sentry or picket a brief sleep was snatched. The cool night ashore was a welcome change from the heat of the ship—except for those in the divisional troops convoy, who experienced a wet night. Another ASC supply used for the first time on the manoeuvres was insect repellent, said to be repugnant to mosquitoes. Each man was equipped with a bottle of it, and was supposed to rub the 'mosquito juice1 on the skin of hands, face and neck at intervals during the hours of darkness.

Early next morning bivouacs were cleared, and most of the day was taken up with reloading on the ships all the supplies and equipment that had been landed. For a few hours afterwards the ship seemed to be a comfortable home, while showers were taken, clothes washed, good meals eaten and arrears of sleep made up. Then boredom reappeared as the vessels continued to ride at anchor for another day, and nothing happened except that some canoes set off from shore and natives attempted to sell high priced curios. It was a relief when the convoy pulled out early one morning, and headed north with an augmented escort of destroyers.

A further two days were spent at sea, heading into weather which steadily grew hotter. Less than a year before, the sea lane from the New Hebrides had been a dangerous one known as torpedo alley, along which Japanese submarines lay in wait for US reinforcements making for Guadalcanal. Things were not yet entirely quiet, it proved, as the divisional troops convoy had an alarm when torpedoes passed harmlessly through the convoy. On the whole, though, that leg of the journey was uneventful, and life on board dragged on in the familiar way.

The convoy arrived off Guadalcanal in the early hours of the morning, and sailed along slowly off the north coast of that large, mountainous island until its reached the point of disembarkation. In turn the 14th and 8th Brigades landed at Point Cruz; and divisional troops at Lunga Point. The 14th Brigade convoy was the first to page break

Loading the various landing craft was a task which involved some thought and patience. The last shall come first and the first shall come last usually applied. Above, is a motor vehicle being packed for a voyage; Below: Vehicles on a landing craft

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There was little space to spare on the transports, but the ships were never so crowded that a game of cards was not possible. Below: Landing at Point Cruz, Guadalcanal, in August, 1943. The large flags indicated dumps of various types along the beach

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Heavy equipment being discharged from an LST at Barakoma, Veil a Lavella, soon after dawn on 25 September, 1943. These huge craft nosed in on the coral before the bow opened. Below: A convoy of LCIs on their way north to the Treasuries

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Digging fox-holes was a first priority after landing. This ASC representative has wasted no time at headquarters. The scene below shows men and artillery being-despatched by the 16th MT company from Maravari Beach, Vella Lavella, for the north-west part of the Island

page 67arrive, on 27 August, 1943, and the 8th Brigade the last, 18 days later. While the transports stood off shore, personnel and gear were ferried continuously to the beaches by the many small barges from the ships. It was essential to unload as quickly as possible so that the convoy could depart. Only a few weeks before, the USS John Penn had been bombed and sunk by an enemy aircraft while lying in the same vulnerable position. The 14th Brigade created a record when it completed the discharge of the cargo in seven hours 20 minutes, but the 8th Brigade bettered that time considerably in its turn. As quickly as the crates of stores and equipment were dumped on the beaches they were sorted, uplifted and taken back a short distance to the appropriate temporary dumps. Rusty wire entanglements half overgrown with creepers remained as a sign of the heavy fighting which had taken place on these beaches. Bunker-like emplacements built in the sand were littered with Japanese cartridge clips, ammunition boxes and other war débris, while the scattered trees were pitted with machinegun fire, and palm tops had been shot off by artillery, leaving splintered trunks. While unloading proceeded at the beaches, advanced parties from each unit went to the selected camp sites to set up cookhouses and storage tents, and to receive the jumble of equipment cases that began to pour in from the temporary dumps at the back of the beaches.

The country was comparatively open, sometimes bearing coarse grass with tenacious burrs, and in other parts wooded with large, straight trees from under which much of the undergrowth had been cleared. On all sides there were signs of old encampments and relics of the struggle which had swayed over that few miles of coast for a period of six months. One or two half buried skeletons wearing Japanese equipment were found on the camp sites and interred. Numerous white parrakeets squawked in the trees at first, but left the area as soon as it became inhabited again, while iguanas and snakes were novelties which occasionally caused excitement among New Zealanders. As enemy air raids were still being experienced from time to time, and the area had a thick coverage of anti-aircraft fire, fox-holes with splinter-proof covers of log and soil were very necessary, and it was a stroke of luck that many strong shelters which had been built by Americans were still in position, though some could not be used as they had been converted into graves and partly filled. There was found to be some danger from falling page 68boughs, as the area had been sprayed with shrapnel, and from UXBs (unexploded bombs). There was a good deal of live ammunition lying about.

Most of the unit equipment was cleared to the camp sites on the day of landing, but the ASC had the additional responsibility of handling the 90 days' rations brought forward, and those took two days to clear. Bivouacs for the first night were hastily set up either at the camp sites or down at the beach dumps, and pickets were mounted as it was known that there were still Japanese stragglers in the hills who might come down at night in search of food. In the hours of darkness Guadalcanal was noisy with strange cries—birds called on a sharp note which was like the crack of a whip or the sound of a shot, and the scrabbling noise of flying foxes resembled the crazy laugh of the kookaburra.

A break of ordinary rations had been commenced on the beach while the ships were still unloading, and by the end of the second day all units had received their issues from the unsorted dumps. However, some meals of K ration were eaten, and it was a relief when more attractive meals were resumed, though heat and exhaustion took the edge off most appetites. To combat the fatigue which follows excessive loss of perspiration, salt tablets were issued at meal times, but these were rather hard to take, and resulted in the prompt loss of many a meal. When the big job of shifting the 350,000 rations brought up with each brigade was completed, the bigger one of sorting them had to be tackled immediately. The rough conditions and the partly formed roads were a severe test for the 30 cwt four-by-four trucks, while dust and the intense heat made the hard work exhausting.

The Americans on the island took a great interest in the new arrivals. The two armies got on well together, and for many a New Zealander and Yank it was his first real contact with allies. At the time there was a US division on Guadalcanal which had just returned from the bitter fighting on New Georgia, and in the evenings Americans often visited their acquaintances in New Zealand camps, and hours passed in the lighted tents as experiences were exchanged. The Americans were very curious about New Zealand, so frequently hair-raising stories about the Japanese were capped by rather surprising tales of life in the Dominion. Very soon it was hard to distinguish New Zealanders, so widely worn were unfamiliar items page 69of US service clothing. An ASC officer down at one of the beaches was irritated on one occasion when some equipment was coming ashore to see that one man was standing aside looking on. He stirred the fellow up, but it was a case of mistaken identity, as the onlooker still failed to move, and merely replied in an American voice: 'Wal, Major, I been here a long time and jes' thought I'd step down and see what goes on.'

Strict rules had been laid down that shirts with sleeves roiled down and long trousers were to be worn at all times in the forward area, but they proved impracticable in the conditions encountered and were relaxed by stages, though not before they had caused a great deal of dissatisfaction. On Guadalcanal permission was given for work to be done during the day without shirts, though as an anti-malarial measure it was compulsory for everyone not under a mosquito net to be fully dressed between half an hour before sunset and half an hour after sunrise. As camps were set up other malarial control measures were introduced. Each unit had one or more members who had been trained in New Caledonia for full-time anti' mosquito duty, and mosquito breeding places in the camp and its environs were neutralised by clearing streams of obstructions, filling ruts and holes and using a knapsack oil sprayer on any other stag' nant water. All these energies were directed particularly against a malaria carrying mosquito called Anopheles punctulatus, which has a silent flight and a painless bite. However, at the same time a useful job was done by controlling other varieties, even when they bred in such unlikely places as pools up in the forks of trees. The ASC handled the distribution of the freon aerosole dispenser, a US wartime invention which releases by compressed air a spray toxic to all small insects. Those 'bombs' were useful for clearing tents, bed nets and other enclosed spaces, in which a spray of a few seconds duration would be completely effective.

The 16th MT Company camped with the 14th Brigade to the west of the Matanikau River, in the Point Cruz area; Headquarters Divisional ASC and the 10th MT Company camped with Divisional Headquarters to the east of that river, as did also the 4th MT Company with the 8th Brigade. The 1st Field Bakery was situated 12 miles to the east of the division, on the far side of the Tenaru River, where it worked with the US Bakery. Since it was felt that most units would be moving forward again in a few weeks, elaborate camp page 70facilities were not planned, but even so camp establishment was solid work for those who had digging jobs, as the sub-soil was coral packed almost as hard as rock. In the evenings a drink was put on in unit recreation tents, which were crowded. The radios there filled the hunger for news, which came from KWID, San Francsico, and a lot of fun was had from the Japanese radio, with its 'zero hour'. The woman announcer, 'Tokyo Rose1, endeavoured unsuccessfully to assail morale with familiar recordings of popular American music, interspersed with sly propaganda digs and items of fantastic news. The ubiquitous ASC now had to issue rat traps, and not without reason, as a trap set in any tent at night was almost sure to have a victim by the morning. Small lands crabs were also common, though they were nothing like the giants which had been met with in Fiji. Water carts had been left in New Caledonia, so cans were used to collect and store water, though some of these must have been used before for other purposes, as sometimes tea or lemon drink would be flavoured with kerosene or diesel oil, the memory of which lingered for an hour or two. As soon as water became available in camp in any quantity, arrears of washing for two or three weeks had to be overtaken, and a warmer task than boiling up a tin full of clothes over an open fire on a blazing Guadalcanal day cannot be imagined. In that hot climate the abundance of perspiration caused a short lived fashion of convict haircuts, which revealed some surprisingly shaped heads. It was laid down that a siesta should be observed between noon and three each afternoon, but scarcely ever were ASC men able to enjoy it, as nearly always there seemed to be some pressing reason why work had to be carried on instead.

The island owed its Spanish name to Ortega, who first landed on it in 1568, though the Solomon Islands then remained undisturbed for a further 200 years. They were more or less a no man's land until the end of last century, when the southern portion became a British protectorate. They remain with that status today, and are governed by a resident commissioner who is responsible to the high commissioner in Fiji. In the later months of 1943, Guadalcanal was the base for large air operations against such Japanese strongholds as Bougainville Island and Rabaul on the island of New Britain. Sometimes late in the afternoon, when the beach just to the west of Point Cruz; was crowded with New Zealand soldiers enjoying a swim, as many as 200 planes would return in groups of varying size page 71from the northwest, after a strike. The vast extent and organisation of the two principal US aerodromes on 'the Canal'—Henderson Field and Carney Field—greatly impressed parties from New Zealand camps which visited them. The Japanese air activity which was experienced on the island could not be compared with the array of US air power, though it had to be taken seriously. The 'grape' vine1 (the American equivalent of the New Zealand 'bush telegraph') sent round circumstantial stories about a Japanese superman aviator named 'Washing Machine Charlie1, who gained his nickname from the distinctive beat of an enemy aeroplane engine, and the name was applied impartially to every Japanese airman who appeared over the island. During the part of the month lit by a full moon raids occurred on most fine nights, usually late in the evening or just before dawn. Planes often came in singly—sirens wailed, heavy ack' ack guns boomed and shook the ground, shells burst in red flashes about the raider, while sometimes searchlight fingers transfixed the high silver plane, which would make off after its stick of bombs had crumped across the airfield area. There was frequently a long interval between the condition red and all clear sirens, and though the musty fox-holes were used only when a flap was at its height, there were cases when men fell asleep in them and woke when everyone else had long since returned to his bedcot. A week after the arrival of the 8th Brigade two of four raiders which came over one night were shot down in spectacular fashion by an American night fighter, and one landed in flames close by the 1st Field Bakery camp. One baker took a header into a stinking creek in the excitement.

Those who were to move forward again never really settled down on Guadalcanal. The bakery and the Fijian commandos who were then on the island had a game of rugby which was thought to be possibly the first seen in the Solomon Islands; there were reunions with friends in the RNZAF units stationed on the island or on the Royal New Zealand Navy craft (formerly well-known New Zealand coastal vessels) which were occasional callers at the island; visits were-paid to old battlefields such as Death Valley which was still littered with Japanese skeletons and old equipment up to the size of field pieces: but no sooner had units arrived on their sites than preparations for the new moves were begun in earnest.

Rubber jungle boots were already on issue, and at that stage the ensemble was completed with jungle suit and headgear to match. page 72There were varieties in the issue—light green suits of herring bone material and notably shapeless design went with an unflattering stoker's cap, while suits of drill heavily sprayed with variegated patches of dark green paint were matched by hats with wavy brims. All vehicles were given a rapid overhaul by ordnance workshops. The 4th and 16th MT Companies had each marched in an ammunition officer from the artillery to handle technical problems in connection with the large quantity of ammunition which they would be controlling. Timber for crating equipment was drawn from the RNZAF mill, and to simplify unloading at the other end everything possible was loaded on to the vehicles which were to go forward, All crates were graded according to urgency and were labelled with unit and priority numbers. The 16th MT Company was to move again in combat team formation, so as far as possible stores and equipment were packed in three separate lots, one to accompany each team.

Loading for the Vella Lavella and Treasury Islands operations Was a gigantic task. While tents were being struck in the camps and final packing was done, ASC drivers and trucks were fully extended for several days by the work of transporting rations, petrol, page 73ammunition and unit equipment to the loading beaches — either Kokumbona or Kukum. At both there were long cleared stretches of foreshore, somewhat desolate in appearance, on which enormous quantities of cargo were stacked.

Three main types of landing craft were loaded: The LCT (landing craft, tanks) was an open-decked type of moderate size which lowered its ramp to the beach, and could carry several loaded vehicles and a large amount of miscellaneous cargo, totalling 160 tons in all. The LCTs were slow at sea, and left a day or two before the first of the main sections of the convoy, to make the trip by stages. The LST (landing ship, tanks) was a large vessel with the general appearance of an oil tanker riding high in the water. Two heavy doors opened in the squarish bow and let down on to the beach a massive ramp which required to be packed round with sand by a bulldozer, so that trucks and heavy wheeled equipment could run up into the bowels of the ship. A lift inside carried vehicles up on to the open deck above, and when that was packed the huge hold could also be crammed with more vehicles, stores and equipment—the weight of cargo which they carried during the division's operations was usually about 900 tons. Those ships, known facetiously as "large, slow targets', made up the first large section of a convoy, and left in a group with destroyer escort. The LCI (landing craft, infantry) was a small, trim craft rather like a miniature destroyer in appearance. A number of them normally loaded and left a day after the LSTs. They were designed to cany 190 personnel and 20 tons of deck cargo, usually rations for the troops and a little unit equipment. When the bow was beached steel gangplanks were run out on either side and let down. On the third day of the embarkation APDS (assault personnel, destroyers) stood off shore and loaded on men and five tons of deck cargo, and left to join the two preceding convoy sections at the rendezvous.

After they had finished the task of loading the ASC men going forward embarked on their various ships, trussed up like fowls with their loads of equipment and perspiring freely. Among other things in their packs they carried filled water bottles and C rations sufficient to last the trip and provide the first meal or two after landing.

Guadalcanal was the forward base for the division while it remained in the Solomons-Bismarcks area, and some ASG men were stationed there for as long as nine months. The base organisation page 74at Kukum, known as the Field Maintenance Centre, held reinforcements and medical cases who had been evacuated from their units "and were awaiting return forward-—they were employed meanwhile on general working duties at the base.

After detachments had left for Vella Lavella and the Treasury Islands the small remaining group of 1st Field Bakery men shifted camp to a spot about one mile from the Field Maintenance Centre. The section was rather unfortunate and had to fend for itself a great deal. Its site was not very good, some of the time the equipment was worn out, and a considerable amount of sickness was experienced. However, bread requirements of the New Zealand troops on Guadalcanal were always met.

A large section of the 1oth MT Company remained on the island to perform general transport, supply and working duties — hard, monotonous and unspectacular work. When possible, each day was worked from 0700 hours until 1200 hours and the remainder was free. Ships were loaded and unloaded, a lot of work was put in to the drainage of the camp site, buildings of a fairly permanent nature were erected and a large transport park was built. The company provided drivers for bulldozers' and graders, performed roading work, and took over the responsibility for maintenance of a section of the highway. In November, 1943, there was a spectacular ammunition dump fire on the island which will be long remembered by those who were there at the time. During the blaze projectiles and unfired primers were scattered over a wide area, and for some time constituted a serious hazard. Some of the 10th MT Company men who went up to Vella Lavella returned to Guadalcanal in March, 1944. In June those men and the others from the company who had remained on the island throughout returned with the 1st Field Bakery personnel to New Caledonia.