For its part in helping to preserve the general sanity and youth-fulness of mind of a large body of men placed in an unpleasant climate far from civilisation, and with practically no other method of breaking away even for a few hours from the Army, sport must rank high in any account of the doings of the 29th Battalion. Those in command were quick to realise the necessity for recreation and the unit lost no time in Fiji in laying the foundations of its outstanding sporting record.

The only two requirements for games of any sort were a ground, no matter how rough, and a willing opponent. Weather, expressed in terms of wet or heat, meant little. Rugby, for instance, was played when even the native population preferred to lie in the deepest shade. As a result the sporting seasons got well mixed up, but it was a rare enough day when the battalion had to call upon the weather as an excuse for a defeat.

At the very beginning practically the only opponents—the 30th Battalion—were on the other side of Fiji and sport was largely confined to boxing and swimming, with cricket, rugby, hockey and soccer only slowly coming into their own. The expansion of the force in Fiji after Pearl Harbour gave these activities a new impetus, delayed to some extent, of course, until the immediate threat of Japanese attack had passed. In the flood of sporting fixtures that was then borne in the 29th effectively rode the crest of the wave.

There was not the same need for sport when the unit returned to New Zealand in 1942, but New Caledonia proved even more barren than Fiji in ways of spending the idle hour. Sport had a boom in spite of the lack of suitable fields, and rugby went through a seven page 77months season of almost unbroken success. Soccer and hockey fared the same way, and baseball, swimming, boxing and the odd game of tenniquoits filled in any more time the army was disposed to spare.

As might be expected, the sporting scene was very quiet in the Solomons, being confined almost entirely to swimming carnivals. On the land there was room for nothing bigger than a volleyball court, and the fact that a few games of rugby were played on bare, stony ground was more a sample of foolhardiness than real keenness.

Only when the unit returned to New Caledonia did sport reach saturation point. The grounds at base training depot at Bourail were ideal and the powers-that-be decided that the men should be allowed to have a good time while awaiting leave in New Zealand. Although stripped by manpower boards of some of its best players, the battalion still stood at the top of every sport that was played. Even the officers at hockey did not let the unit down. At the end there were a couple of losses, as there must be when teams get broken up, but the 29th held its head high even at the last.

Cricket

The 29th had not been in Fiji long before cricket started off quietly with inter-platoon and company games. Many closly contested matches were enjoyed on the pretty little ground at Namaka, where a concrete pitch played very well. Many of the players showed good form and when a game was arranged against a local Nandi representative side it was difficult to pick a battalion team. After much debating the following were chosen:—P. E. Whitelaw (captain), A. D. Fullerton-Smith, F. Newton, J. W. Thorpe, R. W. Loader, H. G. Gillespie, G. N. Lockett, M. J. Dempsey, L. E. Sproule, C. L. Randall and S. H. Naismith. Thanks to a fine innings by the Fijian captain the Nandi team won on the first innings. It is some comfort to record that Nandi had one of the strongest district teams in Fiji and has since proved a thorn in the side of succeeding army and air force elevens.

After about two months of cricket at Namaka the unit moved to the Suva side of the island. Here most of the games were played on Albert Park, in Suva. This was a beautiful ground, near to the sea and surrounded by palms. The pitches were good, consisting of turf covered by matting, and for the benefit of anyone who made a 'duck' the Grand Pacific Hotel was just across the road. In these page 78well-nigh perfect conditions two army teams played each Saturday in the local Henry Luke Cup competition, which produced play of about the same standard as the senior 'B' grade in New Zealand. Many of the 29th were included in these army elevens, Paul Whitelaw being the skipper of the 'A' side which finished well up in the competition, The 'B' team, captained by Stuart Naismith, kept losing players to the other eleven and had its ups and downs. Battalion batsmen to be in the runs during the season were Whitelaw, Thorpe, A. W. Scholium, R. F. White, Loader and Fullerton-Smith. The highest individual score registered in competition games was 88, the result of a fine innings by Ron Loader, Newton bowled well to finish with an average for the season of 7.25, and Randall met with much success as a fast bowler. Useful change was provided by Lockett, Loader and Thorpe.

Organised inter-company games were held each Wednesday afternoon. In those days headquarters company, with Loader, Newton, Fullerton-Smith, A. J. Milne, Dempsey and L. T. G. Booth, proved a hard side to beat. However, A company managed it on one occasion and finished second to the 'specialists' in the competition. Consistent players for A company were Whitelaw, Lockett, White, Allan Scholium (later wounded on Mono Island) P. E. Holman, R. A. Stubbing and Naismith. Players who gave good service to the other sides were:— B company: Gillespie, L. W. Forbes, Randall, R. F. Gaskin and C. W. Jemison; C company: Thorpe, Sproule, Richardson; D company: L. D. Bell and Turner. Batting lists were continually changed and everyone had a turn with the ball. Whenever possible games were played against sides from visiting warships. On returning to New Zealand the men were more concerned with procuring winter woollies from Sam Slyfield than playing cricket, and it was only during the last few weeks at Karapiro that some company games were played.

The game appeared unknown to the inhabitants of New Caledonia, and in the first period on the island few areas were found sufficiently free from niaoulis to make matches worth while. This did not stop men like Ron Loader, 'Happy' White and Allan Scholium from organising company and platoon games on a couple of rough pitches at Ouameni. When the battalion returned from Mono, however, cricket once more came into its own on the wide playing areas at Bourail. The 29th side was very strong and made short page 79work of all other teams from the 8th Brigade. Bowling honours went to Newton and Sproule, while the most successful of a strong batting eleven were Stubbing, Richardson and Rough, each of whom got a century.

Rugby Football

The wearers of the red and black battalion jersey created an outstanding record on the rugby field, being defeated only three times in competition football. Wherever the 2.9th was stationed platoon, company and battalion games were played and followed with great keenness. During the early days in the land of Isa Lei three battalion games were played against the CSR at Mba, a picturesque little spot on the Namaka side of Viti Levu, the chief island of the Fiji group. The 29th team always managed to win, but this fact in no way altered the hospitality shown to players and spectators. Early players to represent the unit were Max Conder (skipper of the side and later a Major in another brigade), F. Allen, A.R. Stubbing, 'Horizontal' MacDonald, R. H. Barlow, R. F. Nurse, H. M. Richards, W. D. Sutherland and C. L. Randall.

Later, on the Suva side of the island, games were played between the different battalions and each week hundreds of spectators including civilians, soldiers, Fijians and Indians thronged Albert Park to see the army teams in action. Many of the best tries, however, were scored after the game in the Grand Pacific Hotel. Great rivalry existed between the 29th and 36th Battalions, and the 29th always had to play hard to keep on top.

At Suva a representative side picked from units of the eastern side of the island played a similar team from the western area. To the Kiwis the fixture was equally important as the yearly clash between the North and South Islands. Battalion players to earn the distinction of playing in that game were:— Backs: Barlow, L. R. Jordan, Nurse, Richards; Forwards: Ted McKenzie, W Sargison, A. D. Pye. The East team, in which the battalion was represented, won 11-9. East also won 13-5 in a second game, played at Namaka. During one of these fixtures played away from home the 29th side, minus eight of its regular players, was narrowly defeated by the 2nd FDF team. Two very enjoyable games were played against teams from HMS Leander., After one of these games the battalion side was invited to dinner aboard the ship and found that a rum issue, plus page 80other refreshments, could help to make an evening most enjoyable.

At the end of June, 1942, the 29th went down to the troopship with kitbags, footballs, broken wheelbarrows and shovels with no handles. New Zealand was right in the middle of the football season and Papakura Camp soon rang to the sounds of rugby. After a game against an air force team came the divisional fixture against Auckland, which resulted in a win for the Kiwis 23-13. In the divisional side the battalion side was well represented by P. J. Eastwood, B. J. Vile, Nurse and Ted McKenzie, with Jordan as first emergency. Randall and Fred Allen (who captained the divisional side) were both originally members of the 29th before being commissioned and transferred to other units.

The next move was to New Caledonia, and as soon as the men had settled in goal posts rose over the hard, hot, dusty grounds. Now ably captained by Dick Burke (a member of the New Zealand University team which toured Japan in 1936) the battalion team had a great run of success, maintaining an unbeaten record for months until it was defeated in the semi-final of the Barrowclough Cup competition.

Company games each Wednesday were followed with interest. The most evenly matched teams were headquarters company and A company; many a real battle was fought between them. The rugged play of H. G. Cutler, Ted McKenzie, Conder, G. F. J. Bolt, A. W. Wright and J. P. Meadows, aided on a few occasions by a bit of weight from 'Bags', often had A company on the defensive. On the other hand, the brilliant back combination of D. S. Swinburne, C. E. Rogers and Jordan usually pulled the game out of the fire for A company, who also turned on forward rushes led by Pye, K. E. J. Ward and 'Jeep' McKenzie.

For weeks in the land of the niaouli rugby was the chief topic of conversation. Without it the long stay in New Caledonia would have been much more tedious. As it was the team went from success to success. No side in the brigade offered serious resistance, and sometimes cricket scores were run up. So the brigade championship was won easily, the points tally standing at 306 for and 71 against. But hopes of higher things remained and one day All Black Archie Strang took his fifteen battalion representatives out of the brigade area to play the 37th Battalion in the semi-final of the Barrowclough Cup competition. This was the most important fixture in the bat-page 81talion's rugby history as the championship of the division was at stake.

Here the team met its first reverse. The score was n-6, composed of two tries, one conversion and a penalty against one try and a penalty. It was a day of bitter disappointment for players and supporters. The fast breaking tactics of the 37th Battalion forwards continually harassed the 29th defence, and the side did not function in its usual welloiled manner. On the day Des Thurston was the only 29th man who possessed the will to score. His determined runs had just the necessary polish added to them and he, together with Ted McKenaie, Alie Pye and 'Jeep' McKensie, worked like Trojans to save the sinking ship. AU told, the game was exciting but the standard of football was not high. The battalion was grateful to their opponents, however, for their hospitality and their readiness to accept, at even money, the almighty dollar on the name of the 29th.

As a climax to this first period of football in New Caledonia an exhibition game was arranged between a base units team and a side from the 8th Brigade. This was played at Noumea before hundreds of Americans, who showed their appreciation by their hospitality after the game. Archie Strang, Len Jordan, Bill Wright and Bob Barlow were the only men from the battalion able to make the trip.

After the tumult and the shouting had died on Mono Island, Falamai Beach saw several company games, plus a match between NCO's and officers, in which Colonel Davis played fullback. The 'old man' proved that he had played the game before, and was not nailed quite as much as many of the CB men would have wished.

Severe damage had been done to the battalion back line by manpower boards and leave drafts before inter-unit rugby started again in New Caledonia, but in its first game, against the 36th, the battalion maintained its record, although only by three points to nil. The drain on men continued and in the next game the 29th toppled, by seven to five, to the 34th Battalion.

Athletics

Possibly because of the battalion's success in rugby and perhaps due to the shortage of the necessary facilities and grounds, athletics did not reach as high a standard as possible in the 29th. However, representatives did much in both battalion and brigade sports to increase the honours of this most sporting of units.

The first athletic meeting was held in August, 1941, at Namaka, Fiji, and good times were recorded in spite of the blazing sun. The highlight of the afternoon was the mile, won by D. Chambers. Before, during and after the race Dudley possessed all the appearances of being 'under the influence.' On the other hand, the excessive heat plus the thought of winning a five shilling bet may have made Dudley a little shaky on his feet.

Albert Park, Suva, was the scene of the first brigade meeting, and under Max Conder's tuition the athletes were made reasonably fit. The day was very wet, and on a heavy track the Fijians scooped the pool, winning all events except two. Brian Johnson won the high jump and scored the battalion's only points. Running strongly in the 440, H. G. Cutler went very well for 200 yards, meeting with disaster on a turn and finishing face downwards in the mud. Some say it was the easy way out, but Bert maintained that he fell accidentally.

Time passed and the next athletic meeting was held in N'epoui Valley, New Caledonia. This was followed after an interval by a brigade meeting at Ouenghi, which was won by the battalion team, The following registered good performances that day:—'Snow' Skinner, who won the mile; Allan Campbell, first in the 880; V. G. Nix, winner of the high jump; 'Rusty' Russ, a good second in the mile; and 'Dusty' Miller, who was narrowly beaten in the 22.0 by Graham Quinn, the Empire Games representative. Another competitor worthy of mention was 'Haggis' McLeod, who ran well in two 440's, scoring valuable points for the battalion.

At the next brigade meeting held on the same ground the battalion was narrowly defeated by the 36th Battalion. As a result of this fixture the following 29th men gained the distinction of competing at the divisional sports;— R. B. Burke, P. J. Eastwood, A. J. Campbell, P. J. Reidy, Nix and McLeod. Jim Eastwood proved himself the battalion's star performer at these Olympic Games of Necal by winning both the 220 and 440 yards events, while Pete Reidy carried off the hop, step and jump.

Hockey

Although played by fewer men, hockey in the battalion maintained a more consistent record than any other sport. The battalion team was never defeated in competition by any of its brother units. The first battalion game was played at Namaka against the divisional band, page break

Above: Swimming sports at Ouenghi. Right: Lieutenants O. S. James and P. B. McKenzie stage a mat show. Below The athletic team, Suva, in 1942: S. G. Dinniss, H. T. Metcalfe, B. Johnstone, W. Sargison, V. G. Nix, A. J. Skinner, R. F. Nurse, T. P. McMullan, D. R. Christopher, A. E. Derecourt, W. M. Gilfillan, V. H. Johnstone, L. R. Jordan, H. G. Gillespie, S. Kemp, S. G. Wolfe, H. G. Cutler, B. K. Hawkins, and A. R. Wall

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Training' in New Caledonia was hard. Here are the mortars climbing Mount Tonta duringan exhausting exercise. Far below can be seen the Tontouta River, winding: among the niaoulis

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Halavo Bay, with Catalinas waiting to take off. A 29th Battalion patrol went on an expedition from this bay to the island of Choiseul

Playing a convoy into the Base Training Depot, Te'ne' Valley, near Bourail

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Battalion Commanders
Lieutenant-Colonel H. J. Thompson, MO, ED, the battalion's first commander in Fiji
Lieutenant-Colonel A. J. Moore, who took the battalion from Fiji to New Caledonia
Right Lieutenant-Colonel F. L. H. Davis, who took command of the battalion during: action in the Solomons, and until it was disbanded

page 83and resulted in a win for the 29th by nine goals to one. Before any-other matches were played the unit moved to the Suva side of the island and then took on all comers at Albert Park—only the two Fiji Defence Force teams being too strong.

During this period three games were played against local sides by a New Zealand army team, in which the following 29th players were included at some time:— C. L. Burton, D. A. Noble, F. W. P. C. Cox, R. H. Simon, R. Roydhouse, W. D. Curtis, F. A. Richardson, H. C. McCann, J. V. Richards. It was practically a battalion side. The first game was against Suva, and the Kiwis were defeated 9-3, largely owing to the superior stickwork and combination of the local side. The New Zealanders improved with practice, however, and beat a team from Levuka at Albert Park by three goals to two, losing 3-2 in a return game played at Levuka.

When the battlion returned to New Zealand in the winter of 1942 a team was entered in the Auckland competition and, in spite of the absence of a number of players at various times, reached the semi-final of the Devonport Shield. The 29th was there beaten by a strong University side.

New Caledonia was the scene of many triumphs. Minus a few of the old players, but with E. J. Faire and P. E. Rough helping in the halves, the side was very strong and romped home against all opposition. After the time lost in the Treasuries the story was the same and in competitions played before the unit returned to New Zealand on leave the 29th won both the Brigade championship and a knock' out series. The team in New Caledonia at the height of its strength was:— H. C. McCann, L. Jeffs, W. D. Curtis, C. L. Burton, P. E. Rough, E. J. Faire, A. H. Lawton, W. G. Wham, R. H. Simon, F. W. P. C. Cox, R. B. Brooks.

Association Football

Much to the delight of kinsmen of Harry Lauder, soccer soon got under way in Fiji with platoon and company games. At Namaka a battalion side was formed and played games against Fijians, Chinese and Indians. The game against the Indians was very exciting, ending in draw—two all. The battalion team played very well but found their opponents especially clever with head and foot work. After the move to Samambula weekly fixtures were arranged in Suva, and the battalion sides met with considerable success in the competition. page 84The end of the season found the 'A' team undefeated winners of the championship. Improving with every game the 'B' team finished fourth in their grade.

On arrival back in New Zealand the soccer fans were soon hard at it again, and many interesting tussles were played at Papakura Camp, When the next move overseas came some of the Caledonians in the ranks had great expectations of a land of whisky, haggis and bagpipes; and when these dreams proved vain they covered up then-disappointment by getting out the round leather ball once more. Grounds were carved out of the lantana and niaouli and goalposts erected. The battalion side won the first six games in a row and were then defeated by the 38th Field Regiment by five goals to two. The ASC were next beaten four to one and the battalion felt fit enough to challenge the artillery once again. However, this match did not eventuate. The team was in even more of a winning mood when the battalion came back to New Caledonia from the Treasuries and, although it lost narrowly to the 34th Battalion on one occasion, managed to win the brigade championship.

Credit for much of the success and pleasure the unit got from soccer goes to Captain J. C. Thompson. His capable organisation and cheerful manner were an inspiration at all times. Those who gave the battalion yoeman service in the field were Percy Holman, J. M. Woods, R. W. Loader, E. W. Douglas, R. Penswick, M. Simpson, A. O. Williamson, W. Forrester, H. E. Clark and D. C. Hislop. The goal-keeper, Harry Clark, played some brilliant games. Bill Forrester proved a consistent scorer of goals and, although only a small chap, he knew all the finer points of the game. He and Davie Hislop would sit for hours on end working out how they would score 'gales on Sat-ur-dae'.

Swimming

Dreams of dusky maidens were never fulfilled on the battalion's island hike, but some of the beaches that 'nymphs' are supposed to frequent were found ideal for swimming. New Caledonian rivers, too, provided a number of deep, calm pools ideal both for recreation and competition. The sport was set on its feet in the early days of the unit by C. E. Claridge and L. L. Kronfeld, two fine swimmers who also built up a strong water-polo team. Every encouragement was given to members of the battalion to learn to swim and in ad- page 85dition several battalion swimming carnivals were held with great success. Two brigade carnivals held during the Fiji period were both won by the 29th, W. A. Bell swimming well in the short distances. The water polo tradition had been kept up following the change over of personnel and early in 1942 the 29th defeated a 36th Battalion team 6-nil. The 29th side then consisted of:—J. L. McGregor, W. A. Bell, D. J. N. Smith, J. G. Seton, A. Walmsley, Padre O. T. Baragwanath and G. M. H. Blakiston.

Early in the unit's stay in New Caledonia another brigade carnival was held on the Nepoui River, and once again the battalion team, with Bell, G. F. Harvey and L. R. Jordan as the stars, took the honours. That was the last time, however, for at a subsequent brigade meeting held in the Ouenghi River some months later the 29th was well down the list. Two more carnivals were held in the Treasuries, on Falamai beach, and once again the opposition, this time increased by American competitors, was too strong. The battalion's only points at the second meeting were gained by W. C. T. Foley, winner of the diving. An 8th Brigade water polo competition in the Treasuries was not completed. The 29th beat the 38th Field Regiment twice and lost to the 34th Battalion. The Kiwi Club down at Bourail Beach was in operation when the 29th returned to New Caledonia and the battalion supplied two life-saving teams for periods of duty at various times.

And Other Diversions

Boxing and wrestling under the sponsorship of Major G. H. Tom-line, MC, and Lieutenant O. S. James, were early under way at Namaka, where a ring had been erected. Later, however, both of these sports fell from favour and only one boxing tournament was held in the brigade in the last two years of the unit's existence.

Softball was played from time to time in Fiji and more especially in New Caledonia where American influence was no doubt felt. More popular among the officers was basketball, which, however, came into vogue only in the latter days of the stay in the Treasuries and again in New Caledonia—homeward bound. Tenniquoits and volleyball— both strenuous in the tropics—were used as 'keep fit"' measures, as definitely preferable to long walks through the jungle. Off the shores of Treasury dozens of yachts, built from packing cases or dunnage from supply ships, set out on a sunny afternoon. No one could say page 86the New Zealander was backward in making his own pleasure.

Bridge and five hundred evenings, watchful games of 'housie', races where wooden horses moved to the throw of dice and the 'tote' did enormous business—all these combined with discussion groups, choir practices, study periods and the solid pursuit of hobbies to make the army parades and fatigues something less than the whole of life.