Diaries of Thomas Currie Derrick, 1942-1945 - Part 4

Moved to beach awaiting conveyance.

Met our old C.O.

now Brig Hammer had a few

minutes chat then embarked

on an LCM after unloading 18th

and went to posn near Burep

River. An nice spot right on

the coast. Rations improved

a heap and now getting some

good meals.

Mon Sept 20th

Moved from Green

beach per L.C.T. to our landing

beach of 4th Sept, a short

delay there then on to a 

L.S.T. to act as loading party

to assaulting troops at Finchafen

going to Morobe first.

Nearing dusk 9 enemy bombers

came over at 20000Ft out

of range of our Bufor Guns

They jettisoned their bombs

in the sea & made off.

Tues Sept 21st

Idled about near

Morobe and at 1300 sailed

with stores for Finschafen,

was due there at 2300 Hrs,

when within a mile of the

shore our escorting destroyers

discovered 14 enemy barges,

they quickly engaged and destroyed

them, we eventually

made beach at 0030 hrs, have until

0200 to unload.

Wed Sept 22nd

Ship pulled out

right on 0200 with still

30 ton of stores on mostly

petrol & water tanks.

A good trip to Buna & anchored

out some 2 miles

THURS SEPT 23rd

Had breakfast

on ship then made beach at

Buna. After unloading remaining

stores we went via M.T.

to a staging camp on the

beach S.W. of Buna. Erected

tents and settled in.

FRID SEPT 24th

Coy went to

beach as loading party, returned

at 1300 and remainder

of day free. Buna has

been developed beyond imagination

and is now a main

supply base.

SAT. SEPT 25th

Nought to do but

a little spino which is

nicely received.

SUNDAY SEPT 26th.

Same as yesterday

received a big mail, tucker

just about perfect. Some of

the Bn still off Green beach.

Lieut Morphett acting C.O. is

running things nicely.

MON SEPT 27th

Not, Much doing,

received our shortages in

clothing & equipment and now

having an easy time.

Went to Pictures in the evening

seen Judy Garland in "For

My Gal Sal".

TUES  SEPT 28th.

Coy went for

route march I stayed in

camp, am acting C.S.M., S.M. 

Loveday evacuated sick.

WED SEPT 29th

Another loading

party. 20th Brigade still

fighting at Finschafen.

Russians still advancing on

whole front. 5th & 8th Armies

in Italy going strongly. Fall

of Foggia & Naples imminent.

THURS  SEPT 30th.

To FRID  OCT  8th

A life of ease comfort

and pleasure with any

amount of good food including

an unlimited supply

of canned fruit. Some days

we were loading L.S.Ts for

LAE & Finschafen.

SAT  OCT 9th.

Embarked at Buna

on LST at 1600 HRS, pulled

out into bay and anchored

Jap bombers over at 2000'

and again at 2130, only a

few planes, probably a nuisance

raid, a fire was started on

shore.

SUNDAY OCT 10th.

Anchored in bay

all day, played bridle and

wrote letters which could

not be handed in.

Monday  Oct 11th.

Pulled out at

0800 hrs for LAE, good steaming

all day under a fierce

sun, getting a nice sun

tan these days.

Arrived LAE 2130 hrs could

not beach owing to air raid

alerts, finally did so at 2340.

Tues  Oct 12th.

Worked unloading

ships until 0330 then bedded

down 1000' inland. Up again 

at 0700 and moved to beach

in readiness to embark on

L.C.V.Ps. Enjoyed a swim 

an air raid alert whilst

waiting.

A tremendous amount of work

has been done at LAE. The

air strip holding in the vicinity 

of 100 craft. Road

making is in progress 24 

hours a day. Only 2 air

raids on LAE since its capture

Eventually sailed per LCVP

at 1500 hrs to mouth of

Burep river, then upstream

3 miles and joined remainder

of Battalion.

 

Wed Oct 13th.

Our new rendezvous

is quite a hill side. On

the western bank of the

river. Some very decent

rain proof [Houses?] have

been built.

Our stay here is to comprise

general training & we are

attached to 5th Militia Division

[[??]]

Thurs Oct 14th to Sun Oct 17th

Very little to do, quite

an easy existence. We are

now under command 9th Div.

Mon  Oct  18th.

Still idling about

and having an easy time,

wonder how long it will last.

Tues Oct  19th.

Our holiday is over

moving at 0830, to mouth of

river, will embark from there.

Craft arrived 1700 hrs L.C.T

and we moved without incidents

to Finschafen, arriving there

at 0300. Bedded down in the

rain. Jap bombers over several

times through the night.

No casualties.

Wed Oct 20th.

Off again by L.C.T

to another beach north of Finschafen,

again uneventful,

formed defensive perimeter

and now awaiting next move.

Major Tucker promoted to

Lt Col and taking over 2/25 on

 

Thurs  Oct  21st.

Moving at 0930 hrs

Bn going into the picture at

or near Scarlet beach where

the initial landing was made.

Occupied posn as reserved

Coy 600 yds from enemy, the

other 3 coys are facing him

further fwd with the 2/28 Bn on

the other side, making his

escape practically impossible.

Our air support is tremendous

fortresses - liberators - Mitchells 

over in force all day accompanied

by an adequate fighter

screen of lightning, thunderbolts

air [[?]] Kitty Hawks.

The only appearance of Jap planes

is at daybreak and dusk, 2 to 3

bombers dropping their load

any place.

FRID OCT 22nd

     All perfect after

a night of no sleep and alertness,

some of the boys were

a bit trigger happy.

Don Coy 2 Japs A Coy 1 man wounded

Enemy made attack on 2/28 Dn

was unsuccessful and had heavy

losses - 7Pl going on patrol

to contact 2/28 Bn and lay line

to their H.Q.

Returned at 1600, no casualties

Saw many [[?]] Japs, 6 brought

back some very queer tales

about the Jap.- When attacking

he does so by sounding of a 

bugle, the advances aimlessly in

a bunch, the Officers carrying

a word.

Just like shooting clay pigeons

 

Sat Oct 23rd

      Last night a little

quiter although 2/32 Bn had an

encounter killing over 100 Japs

for 1 killed [[?]] of their own

     They have reported over 500

dead Japs counted and estimate

a 1000 in the Seki River area.

    A strong force are at Satalberg,

but so far news is limited

and very uncertain. 3 Jap

bombers over at 0400 dropping

bombs along coast.

Caulfield Cup today, have backed

Hearts Desire, 1^st Dn portfolio [[?]]

Sun Oct 24^th

     Still in a serve posn

and getting a few patrols,

but cannot contact enemy.-

My best in the Cup was second

MON OCT 25^th

       Posn very quiet so

cannot get much info on the

situation. Cannot understand

this marking time, he should be

easy to push out.

Enemy now all out of Katika

area, hundreds of Jap bodies

lying about.

TUES OCT 26^th

      Moving to chance

with Don Coy who are right

fwd Coy. - Shortly after the

change Don Coy were moved up

near village.

WED OCT 27^th.

            Posn still complicated

and marking time.

9 Jap planes dropped 50 paracake

at 1800 hrs, presumably rations

16 of our fighters were right

on their tails.

Don Coy patrol killed 4 wounded 2

Japs, B Coy killed 5 wounded 2

David West a casualty.

THURS OCT 28^th

     7th on a patrol,

support to Don Voy Pl and are

lay and ambush, track Katika

Satelberg.

FRID OCT 29

        Changing posn with

C Coy who are on the high

ground in Kunai Grass. A

marvellous sight from here

can see well out to sea, and

obtain a nice breeze from

there.

SAT OCT 30^th

      Dame posn, weather

Ideal and no complaints.

Lieut Buckley and patrol got

14 Japs with out loss. - A patrol

scores now 42 for 2 wounded.

     Moonee Valley Cup today. My 

selection Hearts Desire ran unplaced.

My investment was 25/-

SUN OCT 31

      Raining since last

night and dosnt look like

stopping for some time, however.

My doover is a fairly

good one.

MON OCT ^NOV 1^st

       My first patrol,

taking out 9Pl - task - to

locate track being used by

enemy for supplies - Raining

when we left and made the

going exceedingly tough.

Patrolled 3400 yards in enemy 

territory without finding trace or

track of enemy. Time out 0700

time in 1715 hrs and we are 

all dog tired.

TUES NOV 2^nd

       Same posn and

still marking time.

WED NOV 3^rd. 

     Received order of

move tomorrow. Coy to relieve

C Coy who are training

with tanks at Finelhafen.

Our O.C. Lieut McLellan, clerk

Pte Corrigan of Intelligence

Man evacuated to hospital suspects

of malaria. Mr Dodd takes

over Coy. -Lieut McKinnon,

S/Maj Loveday & Cpl Mackay 

returned this arvo and very

pleasing our strength now 370

THURS NOV 4^th

      Myself plus one

N.C.O. from each Pl and Q.M.S.

left by jeep for tank area

at 0900 - Coy to follow per

foot - Held up at Quojo

River for 3 hours owing to

its flooded condition from

last nights heavy rains.

Road in a terrible condition

and just jeepable - another

hold up at Bumi River, the

bridge is washed completely

away. A ferry service used

crude but effective.

 Reached destination 1415PM, C

Coy not moving until tomorrow

FRID NOV 5^th

       A Coy moved in

at 1000 hrs having travelled

by L.C.V.P. from the air strip

-Afternoon a lecture by

Maj Holden of C Coy 1^st Aust

Tank Bn, then a look at

the tanks of which are

Matildas (25 ton).

SAT NOV 6^th

    Our first manouevre

with the tanks and leaves a

good impression, they should

be the ideal answer to the

Jap bunker posns.

P.M. very wet, no training.

Lieut Thomas ret from hos.

SUN NOV 7

     Another exercise with

tanks and again impressive

lecture in the P.M., on mornings

exercise.

MON NOV 8^th

      Another formation of

tank & troop manoeuvre, this

time in coconut plantation.

This movement was photographed

by camermen for future use

in London War Office - The

show was a good one.

TUES NOV 9th

     Moving today back to

Bn, Carried out another show

with tanks in morning.

Embarked on 2 C.Ms at Kedam

Point, landed at jetty wharf &

per foot up Satalberg Track

for approx 3 mile - We are

now reserve Coy of Bn Occupying

a former posn of 2/24 BN.

WED NOV 10^th

      A quiet day spent

mostly in finding in posns up

ahead.

THURS NOV 11^th

    8PL moving out on

a pretty risky path well into

enemy territory. Lieut McKinnon

in charge, our strength 25.

Going very sufficient, reached

Sisi Village at noon and very

fortunately contacted Sgt Ashbys

patrol in southern end of

Sisi - Whilst exchanging notes

5 Japs appeared and were

promptly dealt with. A further

making of plans found me

moving around west of village

with Cpl Fennels. Section to

encircle two huts containing

approx 20 Japs - From dugouts

12 yds down slope 5 enemy