VII
Withdrawal

On 15 May, 1944, packing for the return to Necal was begun, and on 27 May the advanced party boarded the USS Naos, a Liberty ship. Two days later the whole unit embarked. The trip south was uneventful, though the ship ran into a strong south-east wind, which drove her off her course towards Australia. Bougainville and the Treasuries were seen on the first day out, but thereafter no land was sighted until one week later, when the dark mountains of northern New Caledonia loomed ahead. On the morning of 5 June disembarkation commenced at Nepoui, and darkness had just fallen when we reached our new camp at Moindah. This had been established by A company, under Major Simpson, and Major Sheppard and Captain Clouston page 86were there to meet us. We were camped alongside the 7th Field Ambulance, and Lieutenant-Colonel Barrowclough was able to meet, once more, fellow officers from his old unit. During the ensuing weeks camp construction and maintenance was the sole work of the unit. No hospital was established, since the convalescent depot and hospital at Kalavere were close by. Our officers were drawn upon from time to time to assist with medical boardings at the convalescent depot and at Base Camp Reception Hospital. Trips to Noumea and other parts of the island were made by all ranks to renew old acquaintances. Second-Lieutenant J. R. Hallam joined us in these latter days as transport officer.

In June Captain Hudson, who had been adjutant of the unit almost from its inception, left by air for New Zealand. Following this officer homeward bound went the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Barrowclough—a veteran of the Pacific, with service in Fiji, Necal, the Treasuries, Vella and Nissan. After many feverish days of packing the unit, commanded by Major Sheppard, moved to the convalescent depot at Kalavere, there to await the time for embarkation. Finally, on the night of 13 August, the move to Noumea began, and embarkation aboard the Torrens was completed by the early afternoon of the following day. We disembarked at Auckland on 17 August to proceed to Papakura Military Camp and thence on furlough.

The subsequent decision to disband the Third NZ Division meant that many men of the unit reported to their district mobilisation camps after the furlough, and so contact was lost. However, the commanding officer and adjutant were together for a short time at Mangere Crossing Camp with personnel of the three field ambulances—the 7th, 22nd and 24th.

It has not been possible within the confines set for this narrative to record the names of many whose work for the unit was of the highest order. No mention will be found of the RSM, Sergeant-Major Bob Brown; of Sergeant-Major H. P. Mayo, of A company; of Sergeant-Major R. D. Mclntyre, the RQMS; of Staff-Sergeant E. L. Wood, the dispenser; of Sergeants R. Barron and W. J. Gardner, Privates C. Cropp and A. S. Tunneycliffe, and the many others—all loyal and strong men, who never faltered. They are remembered with gratitude. For three years the 22nd had done all that had been asked of it with no little distinction, and this was the end. In Fiji, New Caledonia and the page 87Solomons the Kiwi 50 sign had shown the way to the sick or wounded soldier of the 14th NZ Brigade, and many an American serviceman has reason to be thankful for the ministrations of its doctors and orderlies. And so the silver cord is loosed for the 22nd NZ Field Ambulance and it joins the list of dead units of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. No more will its confines ring with Aupres de ma blonde or 'Coming Home on a Wing and a Prayer'; but its men will remember it and the quiet islands in which it lived, for those are memories of its very own.