Diaries of Thomas Currie Derrick, 1942-1945 - Part 3

RAIN FELL WITHOUT A LET

UP ALL DAY, NOBODY SEEMED

TO MIND THIS, AND SINGING

WAS MUCH IN EVIDENCE THROUGH

OUT THE TRIP.

EXERCISE FINISHED AT 1600

RETURNED TO SHIP AT 1700.

AN EXCELLENT NIGHTS SLEEP

AND PULLED OUT NEXT MORNING

SUNDAY AUG 22^nd

AT 0730,

GOING A LITTLE TOSSY DURING

the initial stages and quite

a number went for the last

I kept my reputation of

being a good sailor.

Arrived Milne Bay 1430

in camp, by 1545, and pretty 

wet.

MONDAY AUG 23^RD

Day of Coy

Administration, all khaki clothes

to be dyed green.

Mounted duty as B.O.S. at 

1800 hrs.

TUESDAY AUG 24^TH

Duty a very

easy one, but a shade boring

-was interviewed by the'

COLONEL RECORDS OFFICERS

School, and believe I am

first on the list, with

exceptionally bright prospects

- Sergeant Max Thomas received

his commission today.

WEDNESDAY AUG 25^th

Still awaiting

our move to a place unknown

Killing time with easy training

THURS AUG 26^th

No moving orders

yet- Weather splendid no rain

for two days now. Mail

arriving daily and everyone is happy

Lieut Max Thomas has taken over

our platoon - Sar Major Loveday

returned from a school.

FRID AUG 27^th

No change in

proceedings.

SAT. AUG 28^th

Nothing further has

happened. Am becoming more

convinced that Lae  is our 

objective -A lack of news is

missed by all

SUNDAY Aug 29th

Church parade at

0830; remainder of day spine

drill

MONDAY Aug 30^th

Making further

preparations for our departure

Mail to be stopped at 1500

[[?}}  [[?]] Wednesday

morning as closing time.

TUESDAY AUG 31^st

Final preparations

move and ready to move

WEDNESDAY SEPT 1^st

Left camp 1230

and marched to beach at 

Stringers Bay. Embarked on L.S.T at

1515 hrs. We are the 12th wave

20th Brig are assigned TRPs &

our landing place is 17 miles

west of Lae

SEPT 2^nd

Pulled out at 1000 hrs

after spending all night

[[?]] about in Milne Bay.

Good steaming all day, Troops

are in exceptionally high

spirits & very confident.

This should be a grand show.

FRID SEPT 3

And so the war

enters its fifth year with

the Allies taking all the 

tricks.

Although the end is a long way

off the posn has never been

for us.  I would give Jerry

until March 1944, the Jap

end of 44.

The going still extra good,

ship held a prayer service

this morning on the top deck,

and it was a very impressive one

Received information about

times of landing [[?]] wave

to land 0332 in the morning

SAT SEPT 4^th

Assault troops landed

without opposition at 0637

after a 7 minute naval

bombardment.

One wave arriVing 2/23 Bn was

attacked by 3 Jap bombers

from a force o2 24 which

came over, two GYs were

hot resulting in approx 50

casualties, 7 of which were

fatal including the C.O.

Our wave landed okay -could 

get little reliable signs of 

progress to date.

After a few hours delay 

another visit by Jap bombers

no casualties this time

We moved to the near bank

of the Buso River and bivvied

for the night - The engineers

both Australian & American have 

done a splendid job making

roads bridges etc.

SUN SEPT 5^th

Moved from Buso

at 1200 hrs to Aluxi approx

5000 yds west, the going iw 

extremely hard & steamy

MON SEPT 6^th

Moving again at

0700, still in a westerly direction, 

this time to Appoe.

The Fwd troops continue to

make good progress, they 

are 2/23 & 2/24 Bns who moved

through the beach head formed

by 2/20^th Brigade.

The 23rd went into action against

a force of 100 days, only 15 escaped. 

Own cas, I killed 18 [[?]]

22nd Bn. Patrol [[?]] pumped 

enemy patrol 4 of their own killed

our of 5.

Very few enemy planes about 8

The whole show is going extra

good. [[?]] of us were

caught good & proper.

So far rations are a problem

and very small 4 men to 3

tins of bully per day & one

pkt biscuits per man.

TUES SEPT 7^th

Coy to go out cutting

a jeep track through

jungle. The Appoe village 

consists of 30 native huts & one

large mission hall, the natives

have fled.

WED SEPT 8^th

Not moving until

12oo hrs - A nice quiet morning,

cooked some native vegetable

(taros) and found it

enjoyable greatly assisting our

own meagre rations.

Left Appoe on time still [[?]]

west and towards Lae

Crossed Buheim River and

going is now through [[swa?]]

marshland & Kunai grass

Passed scene of 2/24 Bns

clash, Japs not yet buried

Continued journey to Bonga

River then along coast to

Burep River. Moved up the

Burep for 3000 yds and bivvied

for night providing protection

for recently arrived artillery.

THURS SEPT 9^th

Off again at 0700

going up Burep to an inland

track some 3000'up - On arrival

Coy set to clearing jeep

track again - The two fwd

Bns are held up at Busic River

through supplies.

Cleared about 1700 yds which

was an exceptionally good effort.

Remainder of [[?]] bn joined

us at 1630 hrs.

News from Europe, the unconditional

surrender of Italy

FRID SEPT 10^th

Coy moving up to

continue with track. By 1100

had reached working party from

opposite end, track to Buso

now completed.

Position now - 2/24 Bn on near

bank of Buso 2/23 astride

track 250 yds back Brig H.Q

behind them, 2/48 another 1500

yds back.

The 24th Brigade occupy a

similar position on the coast

Both sides using arty at 

intervals, the Jap having one

large gun, his others appear to

be 75mm. Have noticed a large

number of duds with Jap shells

Crossing of Buso is causing

some difficulty, it is 5ft

deep 300 yds wide & flowing at

12 M.P.H with enemy on the

far bank.

Another downpour in the 

arvo, most uncomfortable, every

one looking like shags, but not

caring a hang and making plenty

of fun & wise cracks.

Latest reports 2/28 Bn have

one Coy. across river at the 

mouth.

SAT SEPT 11^th.

A week since landing 

and have traversed 21000 yds

through swamps & jungle and

still roaring to go.

Engineers working hard to [[?]]

the river and receiving

casualties from enemy snipers

2 Jap prisoners declare they

still hold Buso & [[?]], so

have been told they are

Australia - Rations still hard

& light - Italian fleet sail for

Gibralter.

SUN SEPT 12^th

Still being held

up. 20th Brig. going great

guns along coast, only our

brigade holding show up

MON SEPT 13^th

River bridged then

received a direct hit and push

now the same as before.

Enemy getting a stronger

force on far bank during

the delay. Our B Coy have

moved to coast to cross- 

are them to move up stream

on far bank to secure a

bridge ahead. One prisoner

sent on by 2/4^th Independant 

Coy after a clash with a

small patrol. He is 4' 6" high. 

We have suffered another

score of casualties including

the Arty F.O.O.

TUES SEPT 14^th

Moving at last

the river has been bridged

and crossed. Left Bussy and

at 0700 and moved to within

500 yds there to await the

securing of the far bank.

Can hear a nice little scrap 

going on. 2/22 have 2 Coys

across and are meeting some

opposition, the bridge being

under M.G. fire. Remained

waiting all day.

Arty F.O.O. again a casualty from

shell fire. No news from

our B Coy. Orders came 

to move at 2030 hrs.

Moved to river and completed

crossing by midnight. Crossing 

was quiet and without incident

WED SEPT 15

On reaching far

bank we formed defensive

perimeter and awaited coming

of day. After a hurried

and lousy breakfast we were

off again at 0700 hrs, now 

moving N.W. to Sawmill area.

Reached Northern side of mill

by midday, found 6 Jap heavy

M.Gs covering a large Kunia

patch abonded with plenty

of ammo.

From here we moved through

2/23 Bn to be advance guard

for the first time. Our Pl 

is vanguard pl, now moving

along motor track to Malahang

Air Strip. This we occupied

unopposed at 1810 hrs. The move

on the strip was shocking

and not like the 48^th [[?]] This

I consider is the weakness of

our Bn & Coy Commander.

Contacted [[2/?]] Bn of 20^th Bde

who moved in on the south

end of strip. Took up posn

on fringe of strip for the 

night.

THURS SEPT 16^th

Pushing on again

at 0700 to village Butibum.

Should have our first scrap

here. C Coy advance guard

and captured one prisoner

in first quarter hour. He 

was in a sorry condition, dysentry

and fly blown.

Pushed on and occupied village

which has been hastily

deserted a short time back.

Our Mitchell bombers had

given the place a severe

pasting. Some of the strafing 

too close to our own

forces. Another lousy meal

and on the move again.

Crossed Butibum River and

am moving around to enter

from the north. The

[[?]] was the hardest to

[[?]] craters everywhere

[[?]] blasted giant trees all

over the place,. Struck the

Marxham Valley Rd 600yds

at 1710 hrs, the 2/32 & 2/2

having been in their 2 h

The place was deserted except

for a few dead, in a filthy 

condition and bomb craters

filled with water after the 

heavy rains where everywhere.

Not a building was left standing.

The Jap is far dirtier

than the Palestine wog. Their

weapons are definitely inferior

to ours, being old & crude yet

effective. I cannot see how

they can possibly have a chance

at all. Many of the boys

obtained souvenirs flags pistols

swords etc. The enemy strength

I think has been greatly over

estimated and most of them

has escaped. Took a swim

in the harbor before retiring

for the night.

FRID SEPT 17^th

The quiet after

the storm, a breakfast slightly

better than the past fortnight

and took stock of our surroundings, 

We are on the high

ground overlooking Lae. The 

air drome can be seen plainly

with some 130 destroyed air

craft littered over it.

A few AK AK guns more modern

than his other weapons

and some field pieces of

ancient origin.

Just under a fortnight to

take the place from a never

surrender fanatical enemy -

Hooey - Our greatest problem 

was trying to catch up with

him. Moved to drome

with a task of picqueting

some of the lesser damaged

air craft.

SAT SEPT 18^th

Air craft picquet

a splendid job. Are about

2000th from [[?]] so naturally

all is lovely. Our Coy Com

is a poor weak leader as are 

the rest of the Coy OCs &

the Bn C.O. The majority

of Lieuts are the best one

could want - Sgt Harry Laky

left for OCT this morning

was a little disappointed being 

certain I was to go next -

what a break.

SUN SEPT 19^th

Still on aircraft

picquet and quite contented,

first planes landed today.

but our holiday ends today