IN THE SOLOMONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 31, 6 February 1945, Page 7

IN THE SOLOMONS

INTERESTING LECTURE

The guest speaker at the men's monthly luncheon of the Englishspeaking Union last week was Lieuten-ant-Colonel G. R. Powles, Director of Personal Services, who gave an interesting address on the relationship between the American and New Zealand soldiers in the Solomon Islands campaign. The operations covered Guadalcanal, Vella Lavella, Treasury, and Green Islands, and despite the high humidity and temperature, LieutenantColonel Powles found the climate not really so trying, and higher up in the hills where one got the benefit of the sea breezes it was delightful. Although some American units came under the New Zealand command, the New Zealand Division as a whole was always under the American command. Sea travel from island to island was mostly in American troopships and cargo vessels escorted by American warships. Accommodation was very limited, owing to the huge quantities of supplies, and there was endless loading and unloading of equipment on to beaches. Malaria was their worst enemy, and in this respect the Americans and Australians were unfortunate. The New Zealanders learned that much could be done by personal effort to combat the nuisance, and they were able to show others how this could be done.

American pictures in the open at night greatly helped to keep up the morale of all troops. The Japanese themselves would creep in sometimes to watch the pictures, and prisoners taken could even name the films that had been shown. The organising, planning, and energy of the Americans were very impressive, and LieutenantColonel Powles had nothing but admiration for the Americans' system of amphibious warfare. Although the Americans used huts, he did not consider their camps were as comfort-' able as the New Zealanders, who used tents.

• A vote of thanks proposed by Mr. R. R. Olan was accorded LieutenantColonel Powles for his interesting address.