Infantry Battalion 2nd AIF the 31st Hqs
was based in Townsville with the 51st Hqs in Cairns. On the 29th
of June 1943 I was part of the Battallion rear party that moved
from Cairns to Merauke on MV Jannsen a Dutch vessel plying the
island routes.I was a member of the 31/51 Australian Infantry Battalion 2nd AIF the 31st Hqs
was based in Townsville with the 51st Hqs in Cairns. On the 29th
of June 1943 I was part of the Battallion rear party that moved
from Cairns to Merauke on MV Jannsen a Dutch vessel plying the
island routes.
Officers and Sargeants were allotted the cabin space the troops the open decks with scraps of canvas as mattresses, the meals as they were were prepared in wood fired coppers bolted to the steel deck. The toilet facilities the nicest way to discribe them was as different, they consisted of a large metal trough was fastened to the port side railing each night in the hours of darkness it was flushed overboard. The meals were in the main bullybeef with what ever vegetables were at hand stewed up in the coppers, for most it was our first sea voyage and just the sight of these meals was enough to send us to the nearest space on the starboard railing. One thing that has lingered in my is that the date of embarkation we were awarded an overseas allowance of ninepence (8cents)a day with the proviso that we would have submit a Tax Return if our total income private and Army incomes exceeded 250 pounds ($500.00) per year
As we neared the coast of Dutch New Guinea we noticed columns of smoke from fires lit by the natives, later I learned that this a warning to the Japanese that a ship was entering the Merauke River, as some were in sympathy with the enemy as part of their dealings with the Dutch (refer to Merauke revisited.) On arriving at Merauke in addition to the defence of the area we were to assist the RAAF in completing the airstrip, to build new roads and a wharf to land all supplies for all units in the area with thw most important the establishing bases on the coast to the West to enable us to comduct a rigorous patrolling we were camped very close to the airfield, very close to our camp was an American Construction Unit its ranks consisting of in the main of Negro's and they were giants who operated the heavy machinery dozers and graders building the strip and dispersal areas.
One day not long after we arrived there was a great commotion, the sky seemed to be full of aircraft 24 Japanese bombers with fighter escorts and the Kittyhawks scrambling to attack them, within a few minutes an American truck arrived full of negro's who were in a great hurry, the road ended at our tent lines so they abondoned their truck as they raced past I asked them "whats the hurry," one stopped for a second and said "Man, ain't you ever seen a bomb drop" we said "no" on leaving us at full gallop he yelled out " You won't stop when you do."
After a few weeks "B" Company (of which I was part) under the Command of Major Rex Penny, established a base at Aeroembe view map about three miles (4 kilometers) west of Merauke over the river. Here the company ate well fish,( the biggest was a giant Groper that fed Every one.)geese, pigs and the occasional water buffalo Zebu. Major Penny ordered the building of native style huts of Sago Plam logs and bamboo with grass or attap roofs three or four of these huts housed the company of 100 men W/O 2 Lyon a WW1 soldier, who had served all his life in the Battalion had fish traps built, being an old soldier saw that his shot guns cams with him. He mad his own cartridges with spent .5 sheel cases, a 1 cent dutch coin was sweated on to the base which fitted the old 12 guage exactly, Cordite from 303 ammo was the propellant with lead shot was made with a home made shot tower.
I had been issued with a Thompson .45 Cal Machine gun ( Tommy Gun) with a drum magazine a good weapon but, very heavy, here I got lucky! I was issued with an Owen gun the Major had obtained a great ammount of 9mm ammunition, with all this ammo and the time improve our talent after a few days we could line up coconuts on the beach firing from the hip we would chase our target along the beach. We became very good and as time passed a very neccessary skill. I kept this gum with me until the war ended.
On the 6th of August 1944 the Battallion embarked on the "Taroona" for Thursday Island. This vessel was especially built for the Melbourne-Tasmainia run in the early 30's. It could enter the Merauke River if the tide was right on account of its shallow draft, she sat on the mud tied to the pontoon whalf while we got on board, as the tide rose so did she breaking her moorings wrecking part of the whalf and a schooner tied at her stern. As we came into Thursday Island some yelled out "There's Aussie" 700 men raced to have a look, the Captain was calling through a megphone to trim the ship as it was in danger of capsize. It was a lot of men many more than its normal Passenger list.
Postscript. While at Merauke the units arranged their own fun, what stayed in mind was the several Race Meetings with Timor ponies were brought, borrowed or stolen broken in and trained for the porpose, on a race track cut from the Jungle with the equipment used to build the roads and airfield. Some of the names in the Race Book were: Laddy out of Amuninie, Kit Debit out of Paybook, Blackmail by Loveletters out of lubra and AckWillie by wishfull thinking out of Heading South.
View The Race Meetings
Back to Chapter four.