Merauke Revisited.

The end of Dutch Rule and the birth of Indonesia.

After the two atoms weapons left Japan devastated. The Emporer ordered complete capitulation and it was all over. After a period of some days of heavy drinking and hectic activities the call was made for personnel to enlist in the BCOF British Commonwealth Occupation Force, with a sense of relief then of not having commited a great deal I signed on. In September I was accepted and given a further 10 days leave this leave changed my life to this day but that is another story, I was due back on the 7th of October due to chasos in the rail and the RTO I didn't report until 10th I was to be charged but again events were on my side. That afternoon I was on a DC3 heading for Higgin's Field Cape York as the armourer to a flight of our P51's on duty to support the Dutch Goverment in its effort to suppress native and Indonesian rebels who wanted to be free from the Dutch. Photo insert our arrival at Higgins Field.

When I arrived at Higgin's the first duty was to contact the Armanent Officer to gain the supply of ammunition and ariel bombs this proved to the hardest part as most of the armanent stores had been moved on into the advancing squadons. The insert photo show AA armourers assistant Alex and I rearming after a sortie over Merauke Alex and I were made up the extent of thearmory, having left Townsville in such a rush and bing told that my tools had been forwarded another "goof," the tools didn't arrive until two days later, during this period the guns were in somewhat of a mess with the limited cleaning methods we had to hand. once the tools arrive the rush was on to service the barrels this was done 880 armonia, all but one responded and to replaced. I was instructed to arm with pound GP bombs these were in short supply so, I armed with M 30 100-200lb HE American Type these proved to ineffectual as I learnt in 1952 from a former Radio Operator they simply burried deep into the soft swamp that was Meraukeand gave the local worms a strir. The RAAF at this time was dismantiling it bases and when the flight was not flying any missions we the ground personnel were seconded into a work party that was sent to Horn and Goodenough Islands to recover radio and radar these were short quick trips as the gear was crated and on trucks all we had to was with some local big boys and they were big, load it into a DC3 and within a short time we were on our way back to Higging's Field, giving us no time to take in base or scenery. After the second week at Higging's the pace slowed and the trauma of what was around the strip for 36 Sqdn and a Dutch Sqdn were transporting Australian ex POW's home and the sight of these men the condition they were in will for ever stay in my mind. I searched for my Sisters husband who was in Changi without any luck. I managed a trip to Thursday Island where the fishing was great. It was mostly a relaxing time and we had the chance to ham up a few photo's this one two of the local Australian soldiers making out the could arm a stang. The fl;ight was withdrawn to Townsville on the 10th of November 1945.

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