The Tanks: An Unofficial History of the Activities of the Third New Zealand Division Tank Squadron in the Pacific
II. Noumea To Guadalcanal
II. Noumea To Guadalcanal
Most of the members of the company were allotted quarters well below, and even during the day in Noumea the temperature was rather high. No sooner had the platoons embarked than Nos. 1 and 2 were awarded the honour of standing guard on the 20 mm Oerliken anti-aircraft guns for the duration of the voyage and 12 hours after. With four hours on and 12 hours off, as a general rule, this was not the easiest of jobs. No. 3 platoon, which was manning 30 calibre Brownings, had an easier task as members of the platoon did two hours on and four off during daylight hours only. Apart from the extreme heat, which had to be endured, this voyage was one of the most pleasant we had undertaken. The beautiful weather, with attendant calm seas, the high standard of the food and the popular rule which allowed smoking below decks, all combined to assist in an enjoyment which would have been greater if only the company had not followed its usual custom of being last for mess. The first afternoon for those who were to do guard duty on the Oerlikons was passed in receiving instruction from the gunnery officer in their use and manipulation. This was followed by the efforts of a flight of amphibious scout planes to crashland on the boat-deck in order to test the ability of the greenhorns to 'Lead 'em,' as the cryptic notice on each gun-turret implored.
In under two days the convoy steamed into the New Hebrides and anchored tantalisingly close to the township of Vila, on Efate Island, which was to be the scene of the brigade's amphibious training. Each morning the infantry clambered down the nets, to be whisked away to Mélé Beach where manoeuvres filled in the day until the time came for them to climb up the ropes to their temporary home. Meanwhile the embryo anti-aircraft gunners stood to while condition la lasted. For a finale an overnight exercise was organised. After guarding the ships against the probable danger of air attack while the infantry assaulted the beach, the various platoons landed in the last wave. Luckily the task assigned was purely defensive. Escaping any 'long-carries,' the gun teams remained in static positions until the exercise ended at 0600 hours the following morning. Some of these defenders were lucky enough to be doing their soldiering on the beaches and accordingly, when no eagle-eyed officers were about a little swim-page 83ming was enjoyed on a beach which warranted lavish posters if only it had been in a really civilised country.
During this manoeuvre the company made the acquaintance of the much publicised anophelene mosquito which seemed to be quite plentiful in the area where the exercise took place. In contrast to the first experience of this pest, Vila Harbour provided us with the final view (for ten months at least) of members of the feminine sex, of our own colour, when a ship flying the French flag passed us in the stream on the last day before we left on the second leg of our journey to Guadalcanal. The journey from Vila to Guadalcanal passed quite uneventfully, except that on the second afternoon out those who had been doing the anti-aircraft guards during the trip were given a chance to show their acquired skill. The 3-inch gun on the bow fired a burst about 1500 feet up and on the order from the gunnery officer (or before, if my memory is not failing) all the guns on the side concerned opened up and streams of tracers pierced the white smoke which the shell-burst had left. That was the idea, at any rate. Actually, it seemed that the high standard of the shooting was a surprise to the officers on each ship.
It was 1030 hours on Tuesday, 14 September, when the convoy dropped anchor off the Lunga Beach, Guadalcanal. Most of the company were lucky in that they were among the first troops to disembark, but No. 1 platoon had to maintain watch until 4 pm in case of an air raid. This was rather an unpleasant task as the sweltering heat, lack of shade and a pair of tight-fitting headphones quickly proved, and even when the watchers endeavoured to alleviate the monotony by casual conversation over the 'phone, an irascible gunner's mate provided a smart ending to any such relief. The only incidents which brightened the vigil were the appearance of wounded Japanese on their way to internment and the sight of a New Zealand officer on his way home with sunstroke, a definite insult to the climate of his home town. To those who had marvelled at the size of Tontouta, the planes which seemed to flow in a never-ending stream from Henderson Field and the larger, but until then unmentioned, Carney Field simply defied description. A short ride brought us to our new camp site, which was surrounded on three sides by jungle with its attendant slushy tracks. After an abortive attempt by one of the sergeants to start a bush fire, tents were erected and the company settled page 84down for what it fondly hoped was to be a good sleep. Alas, Sewing Machine Charlie had heard of our arrival and the peacefulness of the night was soon broken by the wail of the air-raid sirens. Due partly to the lack of slit-trenches and partly to over-confidence the majority lay and listened, but next morning the most prized possessions were the usually despised implements of digging and after a few days and a few more air-raids every tent had its auxiliary boudoirs deeply dug and well covered.
The first menial task which was alloted the company was to assist the ASC to stack rations and, as usual, a soldier working on rations was a well-fed soldier. The only unpopular aspect of this work was that it was done in two shifts from 0600 hours to 1800 hours, but while there is work to be done manoeuvres and route marches are just a bad dream. No. 2 platoon was sent on guard duty to an ammunition dump on the way to Henderson Field and after two weeks it was relieved by No. 1 platoon but, as usual, all good things come to an end and this end occurred a week later. Then the dreaded marches and exercises began. Even company headquarters was conscripted into these jaunts which the unit undertook in platoons up to Death Valley, Mt. Austin and down to the Lunga River. The climax came in the form of an overnight exercise which included the unforgettable climb up to Mt. Austin and the equally arduous trip down to the Lunga which provided the coldest but most enjoyable bathing facilities anyone could request. These short exercises gave us an insight into the perspiration and energy which have to be expended when we advanced even closer to the equator. It was only the presence of New Zealand Kittyhawks at the nearby fighter-strip that proved to us that Kiwis could live and fight in such tropical climates.
By this time the 14th Brigade had landed on Vella Lavella and it became evident that we were not to fret away our time with any boring guard duty, nor was our stay on the 'Canal to be of long duration. As soon as wounded began to come back to Guadalcanal from Vella, those who happened to have friends among them were eagerly enjoined to get the true picture of what had occurred there and of the conditions which they had encountered. The closing weeks of October saw each camp in the brigade humming with activity, with everyone preparing to spend at least a week of barbaric simplicity. Lectures on Japanese tactics were page 85given and a final polish added to what jungle craft we possessed. Once more the company was to split up into small groups. One section of No. 2 platoon formed part of Loganforce; No. 1 platoon was in the second wave, No. 3 in the third wave while the remainder of No. 2 followed in the fourth wave with a few stragglers in the rear party. Major Logan was to have the special assignment at Soanotalu and his command, Loganforce, was to consist of D Company of the 34th Battalion, a company of Sea-bees and No. 2 section of No. 2 platoon under Sergeant Phipps. Because of the final visit most members of the company paid to their old battalion friends, everybody knew the plan of campaign from A to Z. This practice of telling the private everything in the 8th Army fashion was such a unique occurrence for us that it did much to instil the confidence that made the operation the success it was. The last few days before the first troops sailed were spent in 24-hour loading of the various LCIs and LSTs which were to form the major part of the convoy. These left on the evening of 25 October, the faster APDs leaving early the following day.