IN THE PACIFIC

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 32376, 24 December 1943, Page 5

IN THE PACIFIC

MEN SETTLING DOWN GARDEN BEING PLANTED LETTER FROM PTE. L. ROBERTS Further news from the Pacific is contained in the following letter from Pte. L. Roberts of Paeroa who is serving with the Second N.Z.E.F. in that area. Pte. Roberts writes: — “At present things have been going on here as usual. We have had our bure officially opened and it was claimed by our Padre (who was a missionary in these parts) to be the best building on the island. We did all the woodwork, while the natives did the roof and walls of sago leaf. They were paid for their work by the National Patriotic Fund. There were about twenty natives on the job and although they had to prick and plait the leaves they did the job in tWo days. “These natives have only recently come down from the hills where they went with their wives and children when the Japanese first arrived here. They seem quite friendly and are very handy at carving and working tortoise shell. The other Sunday they came to our Y.M. and sang some hymns in their own language. The •Padre who was in charge of them and who, incidentally, can speak their language fluently, gave a talk on Bougainville which was quite interesting. “I noticed that some of . these natives had wristlet watches, Yank rings and sheath knives and armlets, also provided by the Americans. “The cinema is still going strong, showing three or four nights a week. At present they are showing pictures wq had already seen at New Caledonia. “Not very far away from our camp is a very large house, which has now been turned into a road-house and is equipped with eight showers. It is well got up and is well patronised by the Allied soldiers.

“ Well, the Japs, had their hands full up north, but they can still send an odd- plane over here which was the case a few days ago. We had just finished tea when the alarm went and soon after we heard the machine-gun fire from the planes, but do not know the results. Just as we were thinking of retiring at 10p.m. the alarm went again and this was soon followed by light and heavy ack-ack and the search-lights. We dived for the fox-hole and through the slits we could see the shells, bursting in the sky and then we could hear the sound of the plane getting. further and further away.

“I had a very close shave a few days ago when I had been out visiting with a couple of my cobbers. Wle came across a place where they wefe taking the fuse out of a 5001 b. bomb. We didn’t like the look of it so started to- walk away and had only gone 20 to 25 yards when it went off throwing us to the ground. The next few seconds seemed an eternity, as thousands of flying particles rained down around us, but luckily none of the three of us was hurt, but I would not .say this for quite a few other fellows who were closer and evenfurther away than us. I certainly don’t want to get any closer and what beats une is, how we missed being hurt. I think my guardian angel was 7 hovering over us. “Some time ago I sent home for some seeds which I planted and now I have tomato plants 4in. high. They took just over two days to come through the ground.”