WEEK’S LEAVE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3298, 9 August 1943, Page 5

WEEK’S LEAVE

NEW CALEDONIA HOLIDAY PTE. L. ROBERTS’ LETTER SEVERAL PAEROA BOYS SEEN An interesting account of a week’s leave spent in sight-seeing in New Caledonia, mainly in the Capital, Noumea, when he met a number of Paeroa boys is given by Pte. L. Roberts of Paeroa, in in the following letter to the Gazette. Pte. Roberts writes: — “Here we are again and this time I thought I would tell you a bit about a holiday I spent at the capital of this island. On Saturday we left camp and proceeded to the road house where we met the main convoy taking about eighty of us on trucks. “At the roadhouse I met Mick Jamieson' who was also making the trip. He joined our party and we set off on a long and weary trip. At 4 p.m. we pulled up at a base camp where we were to stay the night. “ I had just finished unpacking my gear when who should come along but Graham Bush. We had a long yarn after ’which we had tea and then decided to have a look around and see if I could see anybody I knew. I had worked there a couple of months ago so. knew quite a few of the boys. Attended Boxing Match “We went to the Y.M. tent and it was here that I ran into Don Jennings. We decided to go and see a big boxing match which had been put on in the open. Here I got another surprise when I saw a cousin of mine get cleaned up. “While I was looking around I ran across Arthur Simmonds also of Paeroa, so for the first day out of camp I had seen quite a few of the boys. I also saw Doug. Ross who- is a lieutenant but did not have a chance to speak to him. “Next day we set off at 8 a.m. for the last leg of the journey and while going through a one-way pass we saw Sir McKee on guard but as we were on the trucks we could not stop. We arrived at the capital at 2 p.m. and after getting cleaned up went down to see the city. I had been there seven months before but this time it was busier than ever with trucks, going day and night.

“We went to the Red Cross building and had some tea. Here one can eat, drink, play games or listen to items. The New Zealand Scots gave a few items which were appreciated by the Yanks. After this a special ping pong match was played. It, was while watching this that I saw Billie Beattie, formerly of Paeroa. After a prowl around the dark streets we went back to camp. Ran Across Ken-Day “ The next morning we were out early so decided to have a look at the Cathedral. It is a wonderful building and very large with great stained glass windows. There is a microphone and speaker rigged up for the convenience of the congregation. We then went in search of souvenirs but everything was at exorbitant prices so only bought two or three small things. “At lunch in the Red Cross I ran across Ken Day who I had seen twice before on the island. During a stroll around the town I met Don Coldicutt from Netherton so after talking for a while we decided to go to the pictures which were being held in the triangle. This triangle takes up a big portion of the centre part of the town. It is used) for pictures, baseball, boxing and one portion is called the Beer Carden. 6 Here at a certain hour of the day the fellows line up in a queue about half a mile long to get two small bottles of American beer. Of course the town is full of sly grog places if you know where to get it. Saw Stan Lafie and Jim Trembath

“We spent most of our spare time at the Red Cross building and there on Wednesday I ran into another^Paeroa boy by the name of Stan Lane who used to work for Hare Bros. We also did a good many miles trying to see all we could While on our short stay. On Friday I met Jim Trembath. All the boys I have met look well but are anxious to get home. “One day at the triangle the Negro band played. Well, the Yanks mayhave liked it but it was too rowdy for us fellows. “While visiting the Post Office • one day to send a cable we met the manager who had just returned; from -..a< trip to New Zealand where he had spent two and a-half years and thinks that much of it that he is going back in a couple of ,months. He speaks very good English which he learnt over there. Film “Desert Victory” “One morning as we were on our

way to have a look over the nickel 1 works we saw a Javanese funeraL They had a little old hearse with a canopy over the top and ‘beside this walker the pastor (or whatever he is called), who every now- and then threw a handful of What looked like maize to me, at the moving vehicle. Behind this walked the mourners. “We arrived at the works and were shown around by the manager who could speak perfect English. It is a - very big place and covers many acres and it took us two hours to go over it. We saw where the ore went im -- and came out in a molten liquid of , < ; nickle to be cooled off in moulds. “In the evening we saw a boxing match between some Americans and ■ P lifter that -we saw .the. great picture called ‘Desert Victory’ which- showed * how the Eighth Army chased Rommel J out of Africa, and is worth seeing. “On Sunday we left Noumea at a.m. and travelled .till just" op ■mMßbg night until we. reached our camp. a hot shower I got into' bed at Ll 5 a.m. feeling .pretty tired.”