Merauke.

This was to be our base, I had never seen or smelt anything like it before, However we did what had to the best of our ability to become an effecient unit,

Click to enlarge map.

Once the aircraft landed on the Merauke River. The pilot taxied the flying boat as close to the bank as he could, then sergeant ordered us all out with our gear, kit bag, rifle, tin hat the lot. The water was about three feet deep but, where must of been another twelve to eighteen inches of mud by the time we had wadded to the bank holding our kit and rifle above our heads we were all but exhausted but grateful to be on dry land. Soon an army truck came and picked us up and took us two or three miles out of what was left of the village of Merauke. These houses had been totally destroyed by Japanese bombers and fighters as they sought to extend their occupation of the area.

This was a very busy period for armed forces in the North of Australia, the Army was engaging the Japanese on several fronts, the Kokoda trail and the island of Bouganville. The Navy had also engaged the Japanese, in the Battles of Midway and the Coral Sea these major sea battles had brought the seabourne invasion plans of the Japanese on Port Morbsey to a halt, the Fighter Squadrons of 81 Wing 75,76 and 80 played a vital role in the defence of Port Morbsey and the islands to the North and East.

The main tasks carried out by this group were to construct the basic structures for the main camp, concrete slabs for the the mess areas, shower blocks and the most important Toilet blocks, this caused some problems for the hygene crew as the water table was so close to the surface and as the long drop system these had to built six feet above ground level, these being maintained by the pour and burn method, pour in a very inflammable mixture and ignite. On this occassion the hygene crew had carried out their duties in the morning to the point of igniting when, the air raid siren sounded and every one dived for cover the hygene crew failed to finish.

Later that evening a pilot went to the block and as was the norm, struck a match to ensure that he was the only creature using the seat. Any one who has been to tropics knows that the safety match nerver worked and the wax matches did, having cleared the area he flicked the match down not aware of what had happened earlier. The match ignited the built up volumn of fuel and most of the toilet passed him in a ball of fire, the only casualty was the structure, the funny side was talk of the messes for weeks.

The town of Merauke (click on map)was the center of Dutch Government control in the southern regeon of DNG the Governor had the major residence with one main street of other houses it was also the centre of Catholic influence with a Convent, Church and school. When the American's arrived in force they did for what they are reknowned for and that was they renamed the street names from the Dutch to the American such as Main Street and numbered the streets 1st, 2nd, Third and so on.The photo insert left shows the damage to the mission after the first major air raid by the Japanese. The Dutch also had camp at Boepel some distance up stream on the Merauke River where a number of political prisoners were held from various parts of Dutch East Indies...Go to Road works