CORAL REEFS DESTROYED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25247, 28 July 1947, Page 3

CORAL REEFS DESTROYED

SHIPPING CHANNELS IN APIA AREA

WORK OF N.Z. NAVAL PARTY

(PiA.) AUCKLAND, July 27 Diving for hours at a time to lay more than 1000 charges, two chief petty-officers and a petty-officer of the Royal New Zealand Navy have completed a task of destroying outcrops of coral that were threatening to block shipping channels in the Apia area. Constantly risking coral poisoning, ignoring possible attack of sharks, and taking many tumbles in the surf that pounded the jagged reefs, they performed remarkable feats in the under-water handling of powerful explosives. The three men, Chief Petty-Officer De L A. Graham-Cameron, 8.E.M., Chief Petty-Officer D. W. Bell, and Petty-Officer J. H. Kane, landed their store of explosives from the corvette Arbutus at Apia. A few hours later they made their first reconnaissance of the reef, to find that leather halfboots or canvas jungle boots were essential to avoid injury while diving end wading over the coral. The first depth charges and 501 b charges were ignited by cable, but the connexion was repeatedly cut on the broken coral ledges, and it was decided to alter tactics and select positions by diving before dropping the charges with a waterproof safety fuse lit. In shallow depths the men reconnoitred underwater with the aid of no equipment except eye-goggles; in deeper parts light diving gear was used. Misfired charges could not be ignored. After waiting for the water to clear, one of the men would dive to make certain that it was safe to move ■he explosive. Once he was satisfied, it would be secured to a line from the dinghy above and hauled to the surface. Only one charge which failed could not be recovered.

Sometimes the torpedomen or their native assistants worked underwater in shifting coral sand until there was a hole sufficient to take the charge. A common procedure was to prepare the charge and light the fuse on the accompanying launch. It would be passed to the naval men, who dived to the foot of the reef, placed the explosive and swam to a skiff which was towed by the launch to a safe distance. The dinghy from which the party worked was several times overturned by the surf. Injuries from the sharp and poisonous coral were frequent at cne stage, and Chief Petty-Officer Bell had to be admitted to hospital for treatment. Sharks were numerous and reputedly poisonous fish added another hazard.

Native Samoans were intrigued by the spectacular demolitions. Some thought that every village was to have its own boat passage through the reef, and the naval party was received with marked honour. When one of the chief petty-officers was formally presented with the “freedom” of one community, he was given a Samoan title which was translated as “Chief Blasting Harbours.”