Dozerdust

Dozerdust was a weekly typewritten camp magazine published by the Works Service Construction Company (Engineers) based in New Caledonia between June 1943 and August 1944 during World War II.

Dozerdust featured gossip, messages, accounts of camp life, impressions of New Caledonia, personality profiles, event and sporting notices, jokes, cartoons, songs and poems, much of which relied on being submitted by members of the company.

Most issues were not able to be sent home, leading Dozerdust to create several issues in which content was carefully selected and approved by the base censor so that copies of these issues could be sent home. A message home from one issue state ‘we left home to do a job of work and we know that that job can only be done satisfactorily by the combined effort of us all. We intend to do that job just as quickly as possible and, when it’s done, we’ll be coming home – fast’ (9 July 1943: 1). Many of these home issues were filled with messages under the headlines of ‘Cuddles and Kisses’.

Dozerdust published its last issue on 5 August 1944 as the Works Service Engineers were preparing to return to New Zealand. Within its final message it was said ‘Dozerdust will resemble a famous Division; it will not be dead but sleeping. The awakening, it is hoped, will take place in New Zealand when, after furlough, Works Service Engineers will return to the job of digging for Victory’ (5 August 1944: 1). They go on to say, ‘we somewhat sadly leave (and)… make our last bow in New Caledonia’ (5 August 1944: 1) where they had spent 15 months.