ARTILLERY SURVEYORS, 2NZEF, 1940-45
Survey work for Anti-aircraft people was pressing at that stage, but theodolites and other necessary technical gear had not then arrived from New Zealand. However, with equipment loaned by neighbouring American engineers, serious work was started in the Plaine des Gaiacs area on 18 January, and all who could be spared from camp duties turned out to help the surveyor folk. Even QMS 'Staff' White turned to on 'trig' building, whenever he could snatch an hour or two away from his ration stores. Farewells to Sergeant W. Vautier, who was returning to New Zealand with a well-earned recommendation for training as a cadet officer, had been said when the first mail from home folk arrived on 26 January. The first of the equally welcome but less frequent parcel deliveries followed some three weeks later.
With Plaine des Gaiacs triangulation well in hand, a party of survey people chaperoned by Lieutenant T. Finlayson and Sergeant A. Taylor left camp to commence similar work in the Oua Tom area some miles south on the road to Noumea. In the timely decision to detach a section for this assignment this party escaped the midnight move from the river bank. Late on the afternoon of 3 February, heavy rain in the hill country towards Mount Paouea, transformed the trickle of Nepoui's summertime river into a raging torrent. As hell itself would be easier faced than a court of enquiry should equipment be lost in a flood, the troop hurriedly moved to a nearby rocky hillside. That night in the rain was even more miserable than the earlier occasion of the hurricane warning. The local oldest inhabitant was very insistent with his warnings of rainy season floods, but none eventuated. However, as it was thought wise to play safe, construction of a new camp on the hillside commenced. The troop was temporarily short handed for the work involved, but this problem was solved by the arrival of fresh manpower. Sergeant D. Archer's rearguard of drivers arrived from Tirau with much needed trucks and equipment. A few days later Bombardier T. Olifent and Gunners B. Maschell and A. Hanna arrived opportunely for advanced survey training.
p61. Artillery Surveyors by RD Munro