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Stepping Stones to the Solomons: the unofficial history of the 29th Battalion with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Pacific.

Personality Parade

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Personality Parade

In this section dealing with personalities of the 29th New Zealand Battalion it has been the aim to record a few facts about the main commanding officers, to mention the doctors and padres who have shared the battalion's lot, and to set on record some of the occurences by which other officers and men will be remembered. Perhaps to some the notes will mean little, but most of the 29th were there. They will be delighted to tell you about it.

It is inevitable that such a summary, undertaken at a late stage in the battalion's history, should be noteworthy for its countless omissions. And then again, with the unit long maintaining a static role, it has come about that many who were once part of the 29th heritage have made their names elsewhere, in the Middle East or with the Fijians in some of the toughest campaigning of the Solomons.

Commanding Officers

'February' Thompson, as he came to be called by the men, was the first commanding officer of the battalion. He earned his name by almost invariably giving a sentence of 28 days to men brought before him in his orderly room. Although he was strict he was always fair, and was liked and respected by the men. Junior officers of his day speak highly of his efficiency in infantry training. Colonel Thompson fostered a battalion spirit which has remained all through, though it has never been higher than in his time. After serving with the unit in Fiji from October, 1940, until March, 1942, Colonel Thompson developed appendicitis, was operated on and returned to New Zealand. He now holds a position at Army Headquarters as DAG (1), with the rank of Colonel. In civilian life he is a barrister and solicitor and the secretary of the New Zealand Law Society. He possesses high academic qualifications, holding the degrees of MA, LLM, and M Com, and being a Fellow of the Royal Economic Society and an Associate of the New Zealand Society of Accountants.

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Lieutenant-Colonel A. J. Moore

Colonel Moore took command of the battalion in about April of 1942. Human, likeable and efficient, his kindly courtesy earned him the respect of officers and men both in the unit and outside. His dignified soldierly bearing marked him at any military function. Colonel Moore was in command of the 29th at the time of the Kaimai exercise. He took the battalion to New Caledonia but entered hospital shortly afterwards and subsequently returned to New Zealand.

Lieutenant-Colonel F. L. H. Davis.

Colonel Davis was the last commander of the battalion. He took command while the unit was stationed at Ouameni in New Caledonia, Prior to that he had served with the Second Division in the Middle East. Colonel Davis had the distinction of leading the 29th in its only action when, as a unit of the 'Good Time' force, it took part in the recapture of Mono Island from the Japanese. He was a fine tactician and leader and the battalion carried out the task assigned to it efficiently and with few casualties. In the long period of occupation after hostilities had ceased, Colonel Davis wisely encouraged hobbies and other recreational facilities for the men. He also originated the idea of rebuilding the native church at Falamai in remembrance of those who gave their lives in the Treasury Islands campaign.

Medical Officers

A well-known officer in any unit is the RMO. The 29th has seen several medical officers come and go during its existence. Lieutenant John Dickie was the battalion's first RMO, and one long remembered by the 'old hands'. His tour of duty with the unit was not very long, however, and early in the Fijian campaign he was relieved by Captain Ken Archer. Captain Archer did not escape the usual good-humoured jibe levelled at any RMO of the battalion in an inactive role—namely that he is a champion at 'spine drill'. He is said to have shared this honour with one 'Horizontal' Mac. His subsequent career shows that he was awake, however. In 1943 he was appointed DADMS of the division and the following year became second-in-command of the 24th Field Ambulance.

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He was succeeded by Captain 'Wally' Williams, who is said to have shown a morbid interest in flies, and who kept members of the battalion constantly on the lookout for 'all manner of flies and lice in all their quarters'. He returned beaten by the flies, at Nasese, and Lieutenant Don Gash joined the battalion. There may have been some truth in his contention that all sickness was 'mainly psychological'—at any rate just before route marches and manoeuvres in New Caledonia.

Dr. Gash, now Captain, departed during the Ouameni period, and Captain Alan Alexander took his place. The new MO went forward with the battalion into action in the Treasury Islands, where he did good work. From there, promoted to Major, he was transferred to the surgical staff of the 4 NZ General Hospital. Captain Denis Allen then came to the battalion after a long stay in Waiouru which no one envied him. He was a chess player and took a keen interest in any contest in the mess, pouring withering scorn on bad play. In medicine, if asked the possible beneficial action of a drug, he almost invariably concluded his opinion with the words—'Anyhow, try it; I don't suppose it will do any harm'.

Chaplains

The first chaplain to be appointed to the 29th was Padre H. A. M. Mitchell, who went over with the original battalion to Fiji. He is remembered mainly for his straight speaking at church parades. His stay with the unit was short, and in 1941 he was transferred to the Middle East forces, where he was later taken prisoner of war. His successor was Padre H. W. West, who remained until September, 1941. He quickly became a popular figure in the battalion before' he also was transferred to the Middle East, where at the time of writing he was still doing good work.

Padre W. E. Ryan, a Roman Catholic, then became attached to the unit and was liked and respected by all ranks. Another Roman Catholic padre who was not actually attached but became a frequent visitor was Father J. C. Pierce.

In January, 1942, Padre Ryan was succeeded by Padre O. T. Baragwanath, popularly known as 'Bags', who-became quite an in-page 98stitution and remained with the battalion for more than two years.He carried with his great size a genial disposition and was highly popular both in the battalion and elsewhere. In June, 1943, he was promoted to senior Presbyterian Chaplain. 'Bags' entered into all sports and other activities. He was a special adept at water polo and at brigade swimming sports, in their competitive excitement, supporters of other units would accuse him of having one foot on the bottom. This he stoutly denied and, of course, as he was a padre, his word was meekly accepted.

Padre Baragwanath (18st.) was succeeded in February, 1944, by Padre E. O. Shield (gst.) who came to the unit from the 7th Field Ambulance. He was the first Church of England padre to be attached to the unit but was not a stranger as, while he was with the ambulance, he paid frequent visits to the battalion for Church of England services. In those days he and 'Bags' were often to be seen in each other's company and presented a comic contrast in size. On one occasion they were billed to give an exhibition of blindfold boxing, but one of them 'piked' at the last moment!

Ian Jacobsen

The history of the 29th would not be complete without some tribute to the work of Ian (or 'Jake') who came to the unit as the representative of the YMCA: It is no easy job for a YMCA secretary to establish himself in such a way as to become identified with the unit to which he is attached, but his good work and charm of personality soon won for Ian a lasting popularity and esteem. He joined the battalion in New Zealand after the return from Fiji and remained with it until after the return from the Solomons campaign. He worked untiringly to relieve the rather dreary monotony of life in New Caledonia; turned on gallons of tea in the hot thirsty evenings at Guadalcanal when the air raids kept interrupting his fires; and was on the beach at Falamai on the first day of the attack, turning on an aromatic brew. His YMCA hut, whether it was the lofty hall at Ouameni, the tent amid the mud at Kukum or the native bure at Falamai, was always a popular rendezvous.

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Officers of the battalion photographed with Lieutenant-Colonel Davis when he took over in New Caledonia before going north to the Solomons

Officers of the battalion photographed with Lieutenant-Colonel Davis when he took over in New Caledonia before going north to the Solomons

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Amphibious training in Noumea Harbour

Amphibious training in Noumea Harbour

Yachts off Falamai, Blanche Harbour

Yachts off Falamai, Blanche Harbour

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Major

Probably the most memorable character in the battalion's history was a large brindle dog—Major. A grand warrior when need be, a tireless campaigner, beloved by children, he was a great mascot. He originally belonged to two elderly ladies who were relations of Mr. Probert, District Commissioner at Nandi, but when the battalion arrived in Fiji he left home and marched out with them to their camp the first day. From then on he was 'on the strength'.

Major accompanied the battalion on all route marches and manoeuvres from that time on, and in the early stages caused much consternation by trying to slay every Indian goat along the roadsides. At first he used to walk half a yard in front of the colonel, who continually found himself shortening his step to avoid treading on the dog. Finally he threatened to 'shoot the brute', and from then on Major took up his position about three yards in front of the CO.

When the first change of areas took place in March, 1941, he was nearly lost to the training battalion, who held him in the guard house and refused to give him up. However, at 4.30 in the morning of departure A company paraded under its NCO"s and marched upon the guard house. Major was returned to the 29th.

He often visited other units but always returned. Major came back on one occasion to find the battalion packing up for return to New Zealand. Many attempts were made to get him aboard the President Coolidgc, but each time the ship's officers chased him off. When the ship sailed he was on the wharf with the band to say farewell.

On the following trip, however, another battalion had better luck. Major was crated with the rest of the warlike equipment and stacked away in a hold. Every day someone would sneak in and feed him, and he came off the ship the same way as he went on. One of the battalion drivers found him in a camp at Manurewa and smartly reclaimed him.

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Major still never missed a route march, but his place now was from 50 to 100 yards in front of the column. Used to tropical climates, however, he felt the cold. At Hunua he fought a losing battle with the YMCA secretary for the right to sleep in front of the open fire in the recreation hut. But he marched to Karapiro with the battalion, to become an instant favourite with the children at the PWD camp; he went through the Battle of the Kaimais—the wettest and coldest stunt of all—and was present at the 'capture' of numerous hills south of Cambridge. In a battalion route march on 10 November, 1942. however, he started to drop back after the first couple of hours and did not finish the distance. He turned up at a dance on the Saturday night, but the next day was so weak that he had to be taken to a nearby vet., who administered a painless death.

Major was buried with full military honours on the hill overlooking the parade ground. There the children would often carry flowers and lay them on his grave. When the battalion went overseas again his collar, on which the men had lavished so many hours of polishing, went with them still.