The following reports serve to illustrate the standpoint and reactions of the sapper and of the engineer officer, to the jungle war as the engineers met with it

I Lieutenant R. W. Syme's story Of the Vella action
Detachment: 1 officer, 1 sergeant, 10 men.

On 22 September, 1943, we landed at Boro with the 37th Battalion combat team without opposition. After a lunch of K rations we went on recce for water and found two clear springs of drinking water at each extremity of the perimeter. These required a minimum dosage for purification. We recced the bridge-head perimeter and Boro village. There were no signs of Jap occupation and it was a clean and altogether delight-ful spot We dug in and manned portion of the perimeter defences. Apart from a heavy shower, numerous foraging land crabs and falling coconuts, the night was uneventful. We dis-covered two US type life rafts and a 30 foot native canoe well concealed in the mangroves next morning. An engineer recce party in the native canoe went to Paraso, a narrow peninsula on the opposite side of the cove. We found the village deserted but there was evidence of Jap occupation by tracks and discarded ration tins, clothing and bandages. Further out on the peninsula we discovered in the mangrove swamp further tracks and bare feet marks, and hidden away, camouflaged with palm leaves, a 14 foot dinghy without oars or rowlocks. We assumed that these would be hidden away for safety but could not locate them. Palm leaves were well dried off and appeared to have been there some page 91time A conference at Ghq stressed importance of the men becoming air minded. Bans were placed on the use of fires and lights at all times and also on pleasure canoeing, swimming and fishing. Work was held up on account of the numerous air alerts. We cleared a field of fire for the 207th Lt AA battery near the jetty by sawing and felling trees and we later assisted by hauling logs into position. We cleared the source of the spring water supply and improved the flow. We recced for bamboo piping but were unsuccessful in finding any. As we were not engaged on other work we assisted to unload ammunition.

We felled and cut up the palms, improving the AA field of fire above, and further assisted in construction of this position. Further recce was made for suitable gun positions, but mangroves and other trees offered difficulty of access and obscured the field of fire. The engineers found a possible route circumventing swamps and more suitable for bringing anti-tank guns into posi-tion, but this was too soft for the heavier AA. A recce party sent in another direction for bamboo was successful, bringing back three 30-foot lengths of four inches diameter. We prepared these for piping and brought three leads of water out from the spring at the north end of the perimeter. The spring was well back under a large hibiscus tree and we were fortunate enough to get one lead high enough to provide an improvised shower. As it was essential to clear barges as speedily as possible and avoid enemy observation by plane we further assisted in unloading ammunition and stores. An enemy plane dropped four bombs (250 kgs) in a direct line with our bivvy but some 200 yards beyond in the bush. We straightened up the end of the existing stone jetty to give the barges better access.

We assisted in bringing captured gear ashore from the Jap barge. Felt concussion of five bombs dropped this side of Paraso Bay, and thus brought to an end our stay at Poveli Cove. We were reasonably comfortable but caused some little inconvenience by heavy showers both day and night. Some had to vacate fox-holes on account of flooding. In observance of precautions on air alerts, cleanliness of unit area and willingness with which they worked the engineers gained special mention.

The recce party left on 30 September for Timbala Bay, arriving in heavy rain but unopposed. In ground of hard coral and mud we commenced to dig in taking up positions on the page 92infantry defensive scheme. We erected a lean-to shelter roofed with palm leaves and took cover. A small well which had been discovered by an infantry recce party was inspected. The walls were boxed and the water clear. It had obviously been used by the enemy but was found pure on testing. A minimum dose of purification was added as a precaution. We dug water holes for washing and drinking, these being about four feet square and requiring again a minimum dose of chlorination.

Lieutenant Syme, Sergeant Burnie, Sappers Philip and Find-lay, the last named the diviner, went on a water recce to Susulatolo Bay Two infantry officers and six guerillas accompanied us and left us shortly after arrival to recce for a stream which was thought to be not far away. We had four guerillas to picket us while we worked, since freshly opened coconuts and some Jap clothing hung up to dry gave evidence of enemy troops in the vicinity. We dug a trial hole first about 50 yards from the shore and had to place a small charge to breach the coral. The water cleared rapidly but was slightly brackish and suitable only for washing. We then decided to move into the jungle, strong indica-tions of water being found about 250 yards in. We had just begun to dig when the picket corporal warned us that Japs were coming. We immediately took up our weapons which were handy and made a dive towards where the corporal was. Before we reached him we heard him call, 'Hands up' and then a shot. This was followed immediately by another shot from Sergeant Burnie who had moved up to assist the now spread out covering party. The corporal had seen two Japanese and thought that he had winged one. The other escaped in the denseness of the under-growth. Sergeant Burnie said that the Jap fell to the corporal's shot just as he himself had fired. Upon going forward we found that the Jap was indeed killed. He had a rusty knife in one hand and a grenade firmly clasped in the other. He wore trousers and a green cap with an anchor worked on it and had a purse with several coins and two 10-yen notes. We continued with our water hole. Water was struck at two feet six inches below the first layer of coral and proved to be almost pure. The recce party returned having failed to find the stream as the going was very arduous and mostly through mangroves with very little visibility. After we had told our story the whole party moved into the jungle in search of the escapee and any others who might be about. We page 93found only a few ill-defined tracks and as it was getting late, 1730 hours, we returned to the barge. There was continual air activity during the night with some bombing about a mile away. Ack-ack and heavy naval gunfire did not make a restful night, explosions being heard on this and other nights and the flashes of gunfire seen.

An infantry patrol reported on 3 October having found a parachute hanging from a tree 200 yards outside our perimeter. Upon investigation it was found to be attached to a large canvas bag containing medical supplies, food and cigarettes. It had prob-ably been dropped by aircraft the previous night as it was thought the bombs dropped in the sea nearby were a signal to the Taps in the vicinity.

We moved to Susu Bay, prospected for water and found indications but were unable to dig wells before stand-to, on account of the difficulties in digging in. At 0100 hours there was heavy gunfire from the west, fighters drove off the enemy recce planes and about 0300 the gunfire ceased. In the morning we commenced digging wells. Indications of water divined by Sapper Findlay proved correct and we obtained good flows of clear water in two places about 200 yards apart, one 70 yards from the sea and the other 200 yards further inland. Both required the minimum dose for purification. We had to place a charge in one well as the coral was very hard and the going slow. We took both down five feet six inches, placed clean coral on the bottoms and then boxed them around to the full depth, finishing the tops with log sur-rounds and coral aprons. The RMO expressed his satisfaction with the water and the way in which the wells were finished. At each well a picket supervised and chlorinated the water on the spot. We then set up a grating over a sump and a drain for the men's ablutions clear of the well. We felled trees and built a landing jetty. The logs were anchored and wired up, then fine coral and sand used as covering, the whole working very well. Heavy rain at night but the improvised shelters of leaves gener-ally shed the water well. If we had not had any other special work on hand we assisted to unload rations.

We cleaned our weapons and moved to Warambari. A bridge-head had been established despite opposition and early flights had suffered casualties. We were prevented from digging in until 1730 hours by enemy LMG, grenade, rifle and sniper activity.

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The front line was only about five yards from our allotted posi-tion. Eventually the trees were cleared of snipers, one being actually inside our perimeter. The ground was soft and muddy owing to the denseness of the jungle which extended right down to the sea and thus excluded all sunlight. Water quickly filled any attempted fox-holes so we had to lie on the ground with little cover except in some cases half rotted logs which were lying about. Visibility in our area was limited to 15 to 20 yards. There were a few exchanges of rifle fire and I.MG fire during the night accompanied by fairly heavy 25-pounder series from both the NZ combat teams now converging. Two enemy planes came over but were driven off by fighters and forced to jettison their bombs in the sea. The next day we spent digging wells after a successful recce. As the infantry were suffering from dysentery and were all required for patrols and manning the perimeter defences, we assisted by digging graves and burying the dead. We boxed in and finished around the wells, water being clear after several balings out but of a slightly sulphurous odour. Hence it was not suitable for drinking unless boiled, so we had to continue bringing water from Susu Bay wells by barge. These new wells, however, provided plenty of much needed water for ablutions. Some of the detachment spent the rest of this day also digging further graves and burying the dead. We later shingled over the graves.

The C and K rations seemed to become more distasteful by their monotony and most men found that all they could eat was a few biscuits followed by water and cold coffee. We suffered, as did the infantry, from dysentery, but after several days fasting and a course of sulphathiazole tablets, recovery was complete. We finished covering the graves and surroundings with coral and fine sand and then constructed a railing enclosure to the graveyard.

On 8 October we made further recce in search of fresh drinking water but all discovered had the same sulphurous odour. One suitable spring discovered was not available as the wide expanse of shallow approaches would have made it detrimental to include it in the perimeter defence. We went beyond the peri-meter and buried three Japs for hygienic reasons. We dug another well outside the perimeter and struck a good flow which promised to be pure but later developed again the slightly sulphurous smell, At 1130 hours on 10 October we left Warambari to return to Doveli. Arrived back we unloaded barges and then carried on with page 96further water recces. Two additional springs were discovered and we proceeded to dig the wells, each one to take a 44-gallon drum, to act as a reservoir for projected showers.We also did some work on a new jeep track and assisted the 22nd Field Ambulance and 35th Battery in blasting rock for latrine excavation.

On 13 October we had our first hot meal for 21 days, the benefit of proper meals being immediately evident. A large flight of 102 bombers and fighters was seen proceeding towards the newly opened front on Princess Augusta Bay. Bougainville. The tremendous uplift to the morale of all the troops by these con-centrations of aircraft has been most heartening. Later the men had their first shave for a month, kits having arrived with the mail by the barge Confident.

Despite the trying conditions and the gruelling patrols the health was generally good. After we left Doveli all water had to be obtained from holes dug in the ground, there being no running water of any sort. As expected in this type of warfare we were called upon to perform very few of our normal functions, but since we were not actually fighting we felt it our duty and were pleased to assist in other ways. Thus we were kept fully occupied.

II. Major A. H. Johnston's account of the Mono landing
27 October, 1943: Reveille 0400. Breakfast 0500.

A fine, very hot, sunny day. Most boats landed without opposition except for the Higgins boats which were machine gunned on landing. LCIs beached at 0640, LSTs at 0715, LCTs at 0830. Shortly after the LST's started unloading Jap mortars and mountain guns opened up on the LSTs and beaches. Our Hq and stores area came in for a pasting but the value of digging fox-holes immediately was proven, as we had only one casualty. Hq then moved 100 yards inland to the village and the OC and 2/ic recced for a more permanent site 200 yards into the jungle. We started immediately to move the Hq and stores and had just got the first load of stores up when the village was shelled and subjected to mortar fire. No casualties ensued but a fair amount of equipment, including a No. 4 pump set, two S tanks and four assault boats were destroyed. Most of the company records and stationery also went up in flames when the village caught fire page 97and the ammunition dump went up. Our new Hq was then bombed and shelled. Sergeant-Major Beehag was killed and three other men wounded. The rest of the day was spent digging fox-holes and salvaging stores. The Japs infiltrated at night and air raids were continuous. It was a very anxious time. The OC transferred to Stirling Island and a combined engineers Hq was set up with No. 3 platoon, which had landed unopposed on Stirling. No. 1 platoon which had landed under command 36th Battalion started immediately putting dump roads in their area and cutting tracks towards Saveke River for the infantry and towards Keogh's Creek for a water point. Bulldozer operators, Sappers Duncan and O'Rourke, did a very fine job keeping going through shell and mortar fire, as also did Sapper Hammond in acting as bull-dozer covering party. Booby traps were prepared for the infantry and an anxious night was also spent here. No. 2 platoon, using the D-4 for making tracks, laid down beach matting and recced for water points and further roads. The D-4 broke down at 1030 hours, having been hit by shrapnel. Lieutenant Symon, who had been early wounded by mortar fire, and all other wounded were evacuated on LSTs in the evening to Guadalcanal.

28 October: All platoons, continued roading on Mono.

Roads to water points on Keogh's and Bryant's Creeks were finished and purification sets taken up and set in operation by 1600 hours. Construction of stands and turnarounds for the water carts was begun. Corporal Mackersey and four sappers demolished two Jap mountain guns on the heights above Saveke River. Hq bulldozer was again in action but broke down finally with its crown wheel and bevel pinion gone. On Stirling the D-8 completed 500 yards of track towards Soala Lake. Wells were dug and water obtained from hand-operated German filter sets, each capable of producing 40 gallons an hour A demolition party blasted the coral reef at the PT boat dock. Hq and parties from Numbers 1 and 2 platoons searched for stores buried by bombing yesterday. Fox-holes were dug or improved for another sleepless night.

29 October: D-4s prepared sites for bofors guns and for the radar. Dump roads were continued and improvements to water points and stand erection continued. It is very muddy for " miles. The men are continually wet and sleep in wet clothing. About 20 have only what they stand up in, since valises were burnt in the village. Supplies were being unloaded at the dumps.

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On Stirling the water point at Soala Lake is in operation and the D-8 working with the CB machine has made 1,900 yards of road. Defective artillery ammunition and grenades were demolished.

30 October: Corduroy turnarounds for the water points being completed. Great difficulty has been experienced in installing the NZ water purification set. Roads are in a terrible condition, but clearing and making of new tracks continues. Hq is still sorting and collecting equipment. There are still a few Japs around at night, especially in the Saveke area. No. 1 and 2 platoons booby trapped this area and about six traps were sprung. Bloodstains were found but the dead, if any, were carried away. We were ordered at one hour's notice to prepare the road from Falamai to Malsi. A recce party was sent out.

III Headquarters Div. Engineers and the 'Squarepeg '
Operation

The name given to this operation, that is, the capture and development of Nissan Island in the Green Islands Group, was no doubt inspired by the shape of the island. This is a perfect atoll, a fringe of coral surrounding a lagoon. Was 3rd Div. to be the unfortunate 'square' peg in the round hole ? In January, 1944, advice was received at Div. Hq that this, or another island situated nearby, was to be captured by the New Zealanders. Preliminary investigation might disclose insurmountable difficulties in the construction of the essential airstrip on Nissan and no knowledge of the ground conditions other than from air photos was available to intelligence. Orders were therefore issued for a preliminary reconnaissance to be carried out some ten days before the day for the actual assault.

After some discussion it was decided to carry out this reconnaissance in force by sending ashore a full infantry battalion to cover the activities of the specialists who were to investigate the island's suitability as the locale of an airstrip. Tentative plans for the actual final operation were made at Div. Hq. Information, however, was so scanty that Hq Div. Engs. persuaded the GOC to send in, with the commando raiders, engineer representatives who would collect all data necessary to enable the formulating of the final plan. The particulars urgently required were first, the possibility of taking assault craft into the lagoon—landings page 99on the seaward side were impossible owing to lack of beaches and the presence in some places of 70 feet high cliffs; and second, to determine whether or not the assault craft could be beached at places most suitable from a tactical viewpoint.

While preparations for this raid were under way, a scale model of the island, developed from aerial photographs, was constructed by sapper personnel in the lines of the 37th Field Park Company. These men were drawn from all engineer units and had been trained in the work in New Zealand per medium of one of the much sought after special courses of instruction. The model proved invaluable in the planning for the operation. It was so well constructed that US senior officers arranged for our men'to instruct opposite numbers in the American services how to build up such models for use in other operations. The benefits of this method of making all concerned familiar with the scene of pending operations is incalculable and is steadily finding special favour with our allies. We of 3rd Div. can rightly claim the title of pioneers in this field of the Pacific theatre.

On 31 January the commando raid took place as arranged. With the 30th Battalion went two sapper officers and two senior NCOs. They had explicit instructions as to the information required. In spite of a diversion, in which one of these officers was led astray from his real task to fight Japs, the data collected and brought back to Hq was accurate and clearly set out. Cross section profiles of each landing place were plotted, on to which scale models of LSTs were placed. These indicated just how close to the shore and in what depth of water the landing ramps would be dropped. From this we were able to advise the American naval authorities that no trestle bridging would be required and to tell our GOC just where the vessels could be placed for the unloading of essential equipment. Also from the surveys of the sapper personnel it was possible for our Hq to estimate the amount of work required at each landing place. Units participating were thus detailed to provide the personnel, tools, materials, and equipment required in the first assault waves of landing troops. Preliminary works to be done ashore and to facilitate the beaching and unloading of the all important LSTs were also made plain. The experiences of one of these shore parties are described in detail elsewhere although, fortunately, the difficulties experienced at this particular spot were not repeated page 100elsewhere. On one of the blue beaches, however, sapper advice was ignored by the naval authorities. The beach chosen by the navy entailed last moment changes in equipment required. This contingency was ably met by the unit concerned, the 26th Field, and its working party had the job well in hand when the larger vessels hove in sight. A little excitement caused the commander of one of these ships to ignore his orders, to leave our working party literally standing, and to beach his ship high and dry on an adjacent sandy beach. Strangely enough this proved to be the very spot originally recommended by Hq Div. Engineers a complete and uncompromising vindication of the accuracy of the information collected by our corps.

The careful planning of ship loading, whether for engineer personnel or equipment, which was generally acclaimed as the highlight of the whole operation, was carried out by engineer corps Hq rather than by the individual engineer companies. These latter had their own problems but it was the task of HO sjtaff to organise and co-ordinate the work of all three units concerned— the 20th, 26th and 37th—as well as moving and working as a subdivided headquarters—part on Vella and part on Guadalcanal. In addition to this work careful estimates had to be made of the possible demands for engineer stores, both during the operation and for a period of one month after D-day. This was complicated by the fact that no definite appreciation of the enemy's reaction to the attack could be made The operation could be truthfully described as one in which we were 'sticking our necks out.' Our objective was closer to very powerful Jap strongholds than to our nearest allied base and anything might be likely to happen if the enemy had decided to blast us off the earth from his nearby bases. If this latter eventuality arose the proportion of the various classes of engineer stores required would be radically altered. A decision had to be made and fortunately it proved to be the correct one. The proper proportions of explosives, sandbags, camouflage netting, digging tools, wire, nails, timber and dozens of other items too' numerous to mention were indented for. The obtaining of these essentials was another headache. By co-operation between ordnance. 37th Field Park and Hq Div Engineers the troops went forward with the bulk of the stores required, taking into account the limitations of shipping space and the availability of the stores themselves.

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Arrangements had also to be completed for the constant replenishment of these stores with succeeding echelons of supply vessels; and when this was arranged the 'buck 'was passed to the hack of the engineer companies—the 37th Field Park—for execution. That this unit, the only New Zealand engineer unit on Guadalcanal, and already 'flat out' on many maintenance jobs, should have done so well in its onerous task of supply is worthy of high commendation. After the landing, Hq Div Engineers had the task of co-ordinating all engineer services within the division and of carrying out the policy and priority of work as ordered by the general staff. This proved to be no easy task with demands for assistance far outnumbering the men and equipment available.

Unit personnel, including officers, saw little of this activity on the part of a headquarters which, to the lay mind, was in existence only for sending reminders for returns of all kinds, for shooting along blasts for work not done to schedule, for demanding regular shaving and camp cleanliness, for annoying officers and men alike with apparently contradictory orders and generally disturbing the even tenor of the sappers' way. Its mere existence, however, was a blessing, albeit very much in disguise. Through its efforts the sapper was diverted from many of the menial tasks of digging ack-ack pits, of filling sandbags, of clearing fields of fire except in very thick jungle, of unloading ships after the assault phases were over and, in one memorable instance, of clearing out a septic tank. This enabled the specialist troops to be concentrated more effectively on the more interesting work which could not be so readily undertaken by the other arms of the service.

The 'Squarepeg' operation is used as an illustration of what went on behind the scenes, to give the ordinary reader of this unofficial history some reasons for the existence of a divisional headquarters, engineers, and to justify the theme song of their little unit paper The People's Vice—' Last with the latest always!'

IV. Sergeant J. W. Burnie's account of the Nissan landing

The immediate task of the engineer section attached to the 37th Battalion combat team for the Nissan Island attack was to blow down a face of coral cliff opposite Tangalan Plantation and thus provide the necessary beaching area for the LSTs with page 102their bulldozers and others vehicles. Specialists who took part in the commando raid two weeks before D-day (15 February 1944) had charted and sounded the area so that everything was cut and dried. Between the time that the LCIs with us aboard landed at 0703 hours and the time that the LSTs were due to drop their ramps at 0730 hours, it was estimated that we could do sufficient damage to the overhanging cliff of coral. We had to provide a good easy grade for the bulldozers to land from the existing small, stone, native jetty and roll directly into the plantation to get on with the job of airstrip clearance.

Laden with cases of TNT and other accessories we duly landed from the LCIs on to the jetty and prepared our charges. Fortunately for us no one else was about with explosives and we had a clear run. Considerable delay was caused by the officer in charge of a nearby LCM who misunderstood our signals to move out of the line of fire along with his craft. The LSTs were gliding all too rapidly across the lagoon from the entrance and the precious minutes were getting fewer and fewer. The official photographer was standing by to record the doings, the sergeant in charge of the demolition becoming more and more agitated. At 0730 hours the charge went off—a failure! The resultant damage to the cliff face was inadequate to give the bulldozer the desired ramp.

Hurriedly alternative action had to be taken. Coconut palms on the plantation edge above were felled and pushed over the cliff face to make a very rough slope up which the bulldozer from the LST was trying to climb within ten minutes of the first charge's failure. We had some doubts whether the dozer would make the grade but after some tense moments of teetering on the top of the pile, the big blade tilted forward and sufficient grip was obtained on the edge of the coral shelf to pull the machine up into the plantation. This preliminary action over, we proceeded to cut down coconut palms for the bofors boys to provide them with something like an arc of fire. Two sappers lending a hand with the guns when the first planes came over claimed to have had a share in shooting one down and considering the number of times that we moved the AA posts before satisfaction was given, we reckon that the prize was earned. AA pits were made of coconut logs nicked with the power saw on the page 103mortice and tenon principle. When the logs were finally laid in position earth was bulldozed around them and the pit so completed provided a safe area from the night sniping of the allied troops.