Diaries of Thomas Currie Derrick, 1942-1945 - Part 6

ABOUT 8 SHOTS TAKEN IN VARIOUS
POSES — JUST LIKE BEING KING
FOR A DAY & ALL THROUGH DISOBEYING 

AN ORDER.
REMAINDER OF THE DAY SPENT
IN CARTING OF STORES & REORGANISING.

FRID NOV 26TH
UP EARLY AFTER A
GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP, HAD A
REALLY DECENT BREKKA THEN
A STRAIGHTENING OUT OF THINGS
IN GENERAL.  — AT 1400 WAS CALLED
TO B H.Q TO SIGN PAPERS REF -
MY RECIEVING A COMMISSION IN
THE FIELD.  — A CLEAN SHIRT &
TROUSERS, A PAIR OF JAP PATROL
BOOTS WHICH FIT NICELY AND
ARE VERY COMFORTABLE. A GOOD
WASH IN THE TORRENTIAL DOWN
POUR THEN CAME [[?]], I WAS LIKE
A NEW PIN.
SAT NOV 27^th
HAD ANOTHER GOOD COMFY
NIGHT [[?]] [[?]]TER TANK
[[?POWER]] [[?WHICH]]IS JUST THE BUSINESS.
A DAY OF CLEANING AROUND
[[?]] [[?]] [[?]] [[?]] ONE OF
[[?]] [[?]] [[?]] [[?]] FOR A
MESS ROOM. [[?]] [[?]] CARRYING OF
STORES TO BE DONE. THE ROAD IS
NOT PROPERLY CLEARED YET.
SUN NOV 28^th
A BN PARADE THIS MORNING
A SHORT SINCERE BUT UNIMPRESSIVE
SPEECH BY [[?]] [[?]] REMAINDER
OF DAY QUIET.
MON NOV 29^TH
NOW HAVING PL PARADES
AND A REAL GOOD SHOW IT WAS
 

GAVE A SHORT TALK ON WHAT I
REQUIRED FROM THE PL, I THINK
THE TEAM WIL BE A FAIRLY HAPPY
ONE.
READ SOME EXTRACTIONS FROM A
JAP DIARY CAPTURED IN THE RECENT
OPERATIONS, VERY INTERESTING & HELPFUL
AT PRESENT THE ACTION IS A
LITTLE PUZZLING WE ARE AT A
STANDSTILL, MAY KNOW SOMETHING IN
A DAY OR SO. — IT IS MY BELIEF
THAT THE DIVISIONS OBJECTIVE IS
S10 60 MILES NORTHWARDS.
TUES NOV 30^TH
NO SIGN OF MOVING
YET AND THE LIFE IS A GOOD ONE,
WED NOV DEC 1^ST
ANOTHER MONTH
STARTS, LOOKS LIKE THE FIRST
XMAS IN ACTION.
JAPS MAKING A STAND SLIGHTLY

[Right side page is very hard to read.]

HAVE A PATROL

TO [[DO]], TOOK [[?]] PL, A RECONAISSANCE

ONLY, TO [[?FIOR]] & BACK

[[?]] [[?]] A DISTANCE [[?]]

[[?]]
RAIN FELL DURING
NIGHT BUT HAD CLEARED BY
 

MORNING — NOTHING TO DO DURING
DAY  — A BIG MAIL IN I
RECEIVED 8 LETERS.
2/15 & 2/43 BNs ARE MOVING TOWARDS
WAREO FROM BONGA  — 
2/25 STILL HAVING A HARD PICK.
SUN DEC 5^TH TO SUN DEC 12^TH
A WEEK OF EASE & REST WITH
NO SIGN OF MOVING 2/23 & 2/24
CAPTURED WAREO ON WEDNESDAY.
ENEMY STILL HOLDING OUT 2000'
FROM WAREO SHOULD NOT TAKE
LONG TO CLEAN OUT.
HAD A FEW JOBS OF CARRYING
STORES TO PALANKO A NICE LITTLE
JAUNT TO HELP KEEP FIT.
RECEIVED 6 TLEGRAMS & NUMEROUS
LETTERS OF CONGRATULATIONS DURING
WEEK.
MON, DEC 13^TH TO MON DEC 20^TH
POSITION UNCHANGED, ALL TROOPS IN
FINE FETTLE & STILL LIVING IN COMPARITIVE
EASE.
TUES DEC 21^ST
RECEIVED ORDER TO MOVE
TOMORROW 2/20^TH BDE HAVE PUSHED
ON THROUGH FORTIFICATION POINT &
ENCOUNTERED NO ENEMY.
ROUTE  — [[SRYELBERG?]] KATIKA TRACK TO
SCARLET BEACH.
WED DEC 22^ND
CONSIDERABLE TIME & ATTENTION
SPENT ON CLEANING OF AREA
MOVED AT 1115 HRS, WEATHER OKAY BUT
GOING DIFFICULT FROM 3200' TO SEA
LEVEL IN 5½ MILES. — ARRIVED POSN
½ MILE FROM BEACH AT 1600 HRS, — PL
WENT EXCEPTIONALLY WELL ALTHOUGH EVERYONE
WAS TIRED, HOWEVER A FRESH
WATER SWIM SOON COUNTERED THE FATIGUE
 

THURS DEC 23^RD
REVIELLE 0600 HRS BUT
DID NOT MOVE UNTIL 0930 TO
SCARLET BEACH, FROM THERE BY
L C.V.P. TO SOUTH BANK OF MASEWANG
RIVER, A STRENOUS UP HILL CLIMB
TO OUR BIVVY AREA. — WEATHER
STILL PERFECT COULD BE DESCRIBED
AS HOT ESPECIALLY WHEN IN THE KUNA
GRASS
FRIDAY DEC 24^TH
TURNED OUT AT 0800
AFTER A GLORIOUS NIGHTS SLEEP.
OUR POSN OVERLOOKS THE BEACH
& LAKONE VILLAGE WITH FORTIFICATION
HILL & POINT APPROX 1700' NORTH.
20^TH BDE NOW FWD WITH 2/15 BN
IN ADVANCE THEY ARE ADVANCING
AT A VERY SWIFT RATE, & ENCOUTERING
LITTLE OPPOSITION.
A DECENT AMOUNT OF PARCELS
ARRIVED, ALSO MAIL AND F.F.C.F.
HAMPERS. INCLUDED IN RATIONS WAS
HAM & TURKEY, ONE TURKEY TO 22 MEN
TINNED FRUITS & CAKE WAS PLENTIFUL
& THE JAP 12000 YDS AWAY, NOT A
WORRY IN THE WORLD.
MY 4TH XMAS OVERSEAS, 40 AT DIMRA
41 JULIUS 42 BIEP JORJA 43 LAKONA
IN N.G. & DONT CARE WHERE I SPEND
THE NEXT ONE. I ONLY HOPE IM STILL
ON DECK.
NEARING DUSK WE RECEIVED A WONDERFUL
XMAS GIFT, COULD SEE THE CAPE
GLOUCESTER INVASION FORCE PASSING BY
AND WHAT A SIGHT. [[82?]] VESSELS AND 
THEY LOOKED THE GOODS.
SAT.
SAT XMAS DAY 1943
A CORRECTION IN
YESTERDAYS NOTE I AM A DAY AHEAD
 

XMAS DAY WAS ONE OF IDLENESS &
GOOD EATING, I WENT OVER TO A COY
IN THE AFTERNOON HAD A SPLENDED TIME
BACK TO PL AFTER DARK TO FIND
THEM ENJOYING THEM SELVES WITH
A LITTLE PL SINGING.
SUN 26 DEC
SAME PLACE AND NOTHING
TO DO. — LARGE NUMBERS OF
OUR PLANES GOING UP ALL DAY,
FORMATIONS OF FORTRESSES, LIBERATORS,
MITCHELLS, MARAUDERS, THUNDERBOLTS,
LIGHTNINGS & COBRAS IN NUMBERS
VARYING UP TO 30.
MON DEC 27^TH
NO CHANGE YET AND
EVERYTHING OKAY 2/13^th BN STILL GOING
GREAT GUNS HAVING REACHED BLUCHER
POINT.
TUES DEC 28^TH - UP EARLY & READY
TO MOVE AT 0730 HRS, PER BOOT
2000^x UP BEACH, MOVE TO BE BY
SEA CRAFT, WEATHER & ROUGHNESS OF
SEA WOULD NOT PERMIT A LANDING, SO
THE JOURNEY WAS MADE PER BOOT.
FULL PACK & EQUIPMENT AND ROUTE
THROUGH KUNAI GRASS. LEFT 1230 HRS
ARRIVED WONDAKAI 1650 A DISTANCE
OF 12000 YDS. CAMPED ON RIVER
BANK FOR NIGHT. NO SENTRIES.
WED DEC 29^TH
 ON THE MOVE AGAIN AT
0850 & START TRIP OF 6000 YDS TO
NORTH SIDE OF ACO. ALL ARRIVED
OKAY & LOOKS LIKE A FEW DAYS
HERE. [[?]] TROOPS HAVE NOT
MOVED BEYOND [[?]] POINT BUT ARE
SOMEWHERE UP THE [[?]] BASE.
THURSDAY DEC 30^TH
THIS IS JUST THE GOODS
RIGHT ON THE BEACH & AT THE
MOUTH OF A FASTLY FLOWING FRESH
 

WATER STREAM, NEAR BY IS AN
[[?]] ENEMY GUN POSN WITH WITH A
GOOD NUMBE OF SHELLS LEFT. 75MM
& 35MM
FRID DEC 31^ST
MOVED AT 0800 HRS A

LITTLE FURTHER NORTH TO WALINGOPE

2000 YDS AWAY. - AGAIN ON BEACH

AND EVERYTHING SPLENDID.

SAT JAN 1^ST 1944.

AND SO STARTS

ANOTHER WHICH SHOULD BRING VERY

FAVORABLE RESULTS TO OUR FORCES

THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. ALL FRONTS

ARE PLAYING AN ALLIED TUNE &

THE END OF THIS YEAR SHOULD SEE

THE END IN SIGHT. - GERMANY WILL

BE FINISHED BY SEPTEMBER?

DAY SPENT IDLING ON THE BEACH,

SWIMMING & SUN BATHING.

1944

SUN JAN 2^ND

UP AT 0800 AND [[/]]

IN FOR A SWIM. - ANOTHER FAIR

SIZED LANDING FORCE WENT BY WELL

OUT TO SEA [[?]] - THIS MORNING

WE SAW ABOUT 100 PLANES GOING

UP, PROBABLY MADANG.

MON JAN 3^RD

SAME PLACE, SAME WORK,

LITTLE NEWS [[?]] UP FRONT.

YANKS LANDED UNOPPOSED AT SAIDOR

60 MILES UP COAST FROM SIO,

THIS WILL CUT OFF HIS ESCAPE TO

MADANG BY COAST TRACK.

TUES JAN 4^TH

REMAINDER OF BN MOVING

UP TO SIALOM ISLAND, 'B' COY TO 

REMAIN TO GUARD BEACH. PL MOVED

TO NORTHERN END OF BEACH, A 

DELIGHTFUL SPOT.

 

WED JAN 6^TH - 7^TH

NO CHANGE BUT MAY

MOVE TOMORROW. - HAVE BEEN

PRACTICING SEMAPHORE SIGNALLING

& HAVE MASTERED IT QUICKLY &

EASY.

SAT JAN 8^TH

L.C.V.P. PULLED IN AT

0940 HRS 3 FOR THE Coy, MY

PL VERY BOLDLY LOADED 3 CASES OF

CANNED FRUIT ON OUR CRAFT FROM

A NEAR BY STACK I DIDNT SEE IT

12 HOURS BROUGHT US TO SIALOM

ISLAND, A SHORT MARCH OF 1 MILE

TO BIVVY AREA. - SAW 4 JAP PRISONERS

BEING TAKEN TO M.D.s ALL

LOOKED THIN & WEAK.

SUN JAN 9^TH

STILL IN SAME POSN

AMID COCONUT GROVE. - FWD

TROOPS HAVE CONTACTED ENEMY

[[?]] NOT GET MUCH INFORMATION.

MON JAN 10^TH

STILL NO CHANGE, HAVE

BEEN EXPECTING TO TAKE OVER

THE ADVANCE BUT NO SIGN YET.

WEATHER FINE & WARM, NO RAIN

NOW FOR 15 DAYS OR MORE. - THE

ROAD HERE IS VERY DRY, MAKING

EVERYONE DIRTY LOOKING.

TUES JAN 11^TH

STILL NO MOVE

PL DONE A SHOOT IN [[?]] & [[?]]

FIRING FROM [[?]] [[?]] SHOOTING, 

ALL PERFORMED [[?]]

MAIL SERVICE EX[[PECTED]], LATEST 

BEING 5^TH JAN.

WED JAN. 12^TH

MOVED AT 0900 HRS, A

SHORT WALK TO AN EMBUSSING AREA,

THEN A JOURNEY OF 9 MILES

TO THE [[?DYLLION]] RIVER

 

NOW LIKE OLD DESERT DAYS

RIDING IN TRUCKS. - HEAVY RAIN

LAST NIGHT THE FIRST FOR 3

WEEKS.

FORWARD UNIT 1/17 ARE ACROSS THE

DIFFICULT KAPUGARA RIVER NOW

ONLY 9000^X FROM SIO

THURS JAN 13^TH

THE NEW POSN

QUITE OKAY, NO IDEA OF WAHT

THE COMING DAYS WILL BRING.

SIO WAS TO BE THE DIV

OBJECTIVE?

FRID JAN 14^TH

NO CHANGE IN OUR

POSN. - BN RUNNING A 7 DAY

[[?C.O]] SCHOOL. LEAVES PLENTY

OF ROOM FOR THOUGHT, NOT 

UNPLEASANT THHOUGHTS EITHER.

2/17^TH REACHED SIO UNOPPOSED,

FOUND A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER

OF JAP PENS [[?]] [[?BE]] RACKS.

IN THE EVENING OUR [[?PL]] & 17

CALLED A MEETING OF SGTS, REF

SGTS MESS IN AUSTRALIA.

BN ADVANCE PARTY TEED UP &

ARE GOING [[?]] [[?]] MAIN

LAND. [[?]] [[?]] LEAVE BY

MARCH.

SAT JAN 15^TH

RAINED HEAVILY AGAIN

LAST NIGHT, [[?]] NIGHTS IN 

SUCCESSION, NOT UNCOMFORTABLE &

DID NOT GET WET.

SUN JAN 16^TH

CHURCH PARADE, OTHERWISE

NO CHANGES - RAID THRU OUT NIGHT

MON JAN 17^TH

SAME PLACE, SAME RAIN [[?]]

TUES JAN 18^TH

PLATOON OUT TO A

 

A PRACTICE SHOOT. HAVE HAD A

NUMBER OF EVACUATIONS, MAINLY

[[?LANGI]] AND MALARIA. - PL STRENGTH

NOW 15. - 60 REINFORCEMENTS JOINED

UNIT TODAY.

WED JAN 19^TH

HAD A VISIT FROM A

TOJO PLANE ABOUT DAWN, CAME

DOWN LOW, NO BOMBS DROPPED,

PERHAPS TONIGHT WE MAY DISTURBED.

RAINED ALL DAY.

INFORMED WE MOVE ON FRIDAY TO

FINSCHAFEN AREA.

THURS JAN 20^TH

LEFT AREA0900 HRS

MARCHED TO KELENDA HARBOUR,

BY L.C.M TO SCARLET BEACH

9 MILES N OF FINSCHAFEN, TIME

FOR TRIP 5½ HOURS.

MOVED TO JUNGLE ON BANKS

OF SONG RIVER. - 2/43 ARE

NEXT UP TO [[?]] READY TO MOVE

PER LIBERTY SHIP FOR THE MAIN

LAND.

FRI JAN 21^ST

NOT SO GOOD IN OUR

NEW SURROUNDINGS, OLD TRENCH

POSITIONS AND CONSIDERABLE DIRT

& MITES. - MET RALPH DASHWOOD &

STEVE COLLETT FROM 2/45 I WAS

CAMPED WITH THEM WHILST ON

AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING NEAR [[?COLANE]].

NATURALLY THEY ARE HAPPY & FIT

SAT JAN 22^ND

A TASK OF CLEANING

THE AREA. BACK TO THE USUAL

CAMP ROUTINE, A LITTLE MORE

RIDICULOUS THIS TIME.

SUN JAN 23^RD

CHURCH PARADE &

MORE CLEANING TO DO. - 2/43

MOVED THIS MORNING.

 

MON JAN 24^TH

MORE CLEANING &

GRADUALLY GETTING SOMETHING LIKE

A CAMP. HAVE BUILT A DOOVER

& HAVE BOB SMITH WITH ME.

WENT TO PICTURES LAST NIGHT,

3 ALERTS & A DELAY OF 2 HOURS

SENT ME CAMP WARDS.

TUES JAN 25^TH

DUTY COY TODAY &

NUMEROUS JOBS OCCUPIED MOST

OF THE DAY.

WED JAN 26^TH

STILL WORKING ON

CAMP, NO FURTHER NEWS OF OUR

NEXT MOVE YET.

THURS JAN 27^TH

MORE WORK & AREA

LOOKING LIKE A CAMP NOW.

HEAVY RAIN LAST NIGHT, DID

NOT WORRY ANYONE

FRID JAN 28^TH

IMPLEMENTED A 10 DAY

TRAINING SYLABUS, MORNINGS

ONLY, AFTERNOONS TO BE SPENT

ON BEACH.

A WAR CORRESPONDANT FROM THE

SYDNEY CONSOLIDATED PRESS WANTED
TO PAINT ME. QUITE OKAY WITH

ME, ONE IN WATER COLOURS, ONE

PROFILE SKETCH, MADE A GOOD

JOB & HAD PROMISED TO SEND

ME ONE

RECEIVED A PARCEL FROM A

LADY I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF.

SAT JAN 29^TH

TRAINING IN MORNING

BN SWIMMING CARNIVAL IN ARVO.

MY COMPANY WON THE DAY, BEATING

H.Q. Coy BY 4 POINTS. I RAN

2^ND IN THE MEDLEY, ALSO SWAM

IN THE Coy RELAY, WHICH WE WON