DARING SERGEANT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24675, 30 August 1943, Page 4

DARING SERGEANT

"BOOBY-TRAP" EXPERT FEAT IN JAPANESE CAMP SYDNEY, Aug. 25 In the rugged fighting round Bobdubi, Sergeant Allan Naismith, of Gunbower, Victoria, has made a reputation as a booby-trap expert. He added to his list of "kills" the other day when he set a line of traps inside a Japanese camp, writes a Sydney Morning Herald war correspondent in New Guinea. Naismith had been ordered to pfnetrate the Japanese lines, set boobytraps, retire to a distance, watch and report results. With five other troops, he reached the Japanese positions after two days' hard walking through the jungle. Naismith and Private Alfred Vmey took the materials for the traps from the others and sent them back. Heavilv laden, the two men went forward together. They got so close to the Japanese that they could see enemy troops lining up for food. Waited for Darkness They studied the layout of the native huts, which made up the camp, and waited about until dark. Then leaving Viney at a point he knew he could make for in an emergency, Naismith moved in among the huts. "It. was tricky work," he said later. "I kept my pipe between my teeth to keep them from chattering, but I moved quietly and managed to set my line of traps so finely that the lightest touch would explode them. "On my way out, I noticed a waterhole the Japanese apparently used for drinking water. I had the 'makings' for three more traps left, and had just fixed the last of these into the bank of the waterhole when there was a sudden blaze'of light. "Terrible Commotion" "The door of a hut had swung open, and I could see the Japanese inside using a pump-lamp. I could hear them jabbering. I bit through the stem of my pipe. It dropped with a clack to the ground, but for some reason the Japanese did not come out. "1 picked up my pipe and made a dash for it. I picked up Viney and we went back 500 yards and sat down to wait for dawn. About 5 a.m. there was a terrible commotion as the first of the Japanese ran into the boobytraps. "Others came tumbling out of the huts and stumbled into another line of traps. The Japanese began shooting off their guns wildly and screaming and yelling. We saw several blown up, and then we moved off. The uproar was so terrific that our comrades thought we had got into trouble, and were rather surprised when we got back." Naismith was a tobacco-grower' before the war.

GENERAL ELECTION CANDIDATE WITHDRAWS The Democratic Labour Party's candidate for Patoa, Mr. P. B. Fitzherbert. of Auckland, said last night that ho had withdrawn his candidature because of personal and health reasons. Mr. Fitzherbert added that the withdrawal had been made with the consent of the leader of the party, Mr. J. A. Lee, and of party officials for the electorate. Mr. Fitzherbert went to Hawera last week and opened his campaign, but ho returned to Auckland after holding one meeting. CONTEST FOR KAIPARA LABOUR CAMPAIGN OPENS (0.c.) DARGAVILLE, Sunday The campaign for the Kaipara seat on behalf of the Labour Party opened in the Royal Theatre, Dargaville, last night, when the Postmaster-General, the Hon. P. C. Webb, and the official Labour candidate, Mr. J. S. Stewart, addressed an attendance of about 180 people. The Mayor, Mr. R. Gibson, presided. After paying a tribute to the late member of the district, the Rt. Hon J. G. Coates, Mr. Webb dealt particularly with the conditions obtaining in Xew Zealand as a result of the depression when the Labour Party took over the government of the country, and outlined what it had done recently to improve the position. Speaking of the rehabilitation of returned servicemen, the Minister said that the Government would see that the liion were settled on the best land obtainable and in that connection he instanced the value of the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Act just passed. Mr. Stewart, who was well received, also paid a tribute to the late member for the district, and said that the standard set by him was very high. He warmly praised Mr. Coates' patriotism, which, he said, was demonstrated even to the extent of turning down his own party—the act of a courageous man. Mr. Stewart confined his remarks chiefly to the war. Both speakers were accorded attentive hearings, and at the conclusion of the meeting were accorded a vote of thanks. A vote of confidence in Mr. Stewart, as a fit and proper person to represent Kaipara. was also passed, there being a few dissentients. MONTH IN GAOL THREE MAORI BROTHERS Two Maori brothers, Shepherd Uroughton, motor driver, aged 22, and Joseph Broiighton, labourer, aged 20. who appeared before Messrs. C. J. Taylor and W. JafFrey, J.P.'s, on Saturday morning, pleaded guilty to a cbarge of being found without lawful excuse in the Auckland railway yards on Friday night. A third brother. William Rroughlou, labourer, aged 17, admitted a charge of assaulting Constable Richard Trevor Turnbull. Sub-Inspector Joyce said that the first two brothers were found sleeping in a railway carriage. The third brother assaulted the constable when he was taking one of the brothers to the police station. Each accused was sentenced to a month's imprisonment. SOLDIERS ENTERTAINED {N.Z."R.F. Official Xows Service) CAIRO Auc: *js great open-air theatre at the New Zealand base camp was the scene of a memorable performance last night by four stars of American radio and screen—Jack Benny. Larry Adler, Anna Leo and Winnie Shaw. The terraced hillside was packed with troops esti mated to number about 70(10. making what the artists agreed was one of the mosf thrilling sights of their careers