A diary kept by VX15748 Warrant Officer James Anderson for the entire year of 1943, on active service in New Guinea
A commercial pocket diary in blue papered boards (104 × 67 mm), with minimal wear to the covers; minor foxing; overall in excellent condition.
The diary has Anderson's name and service number at the beginning; it is closely written in pencil, and occupies 108 pages in a week-to-an-opening format. He was closely involved in supply operations for the construction of the Bulldog Track, also known as the Bulldog to Wau Road, or Reinhold's Highway, 'longer, higher, steeper, wetter, colder and rougher than' the Kokoda Track about one hundred kilometres due east. The eight-month project was completed on 22 August 1943 (Wikipedia). In January 1943 Anderson is at Albany Island at the tip of Cape York, en route to Port Moresby on AM5 'Gloria'; he arrives there on 10 January. Shortly afterwards, he travels to Milne Bay before returning to Port Moresby after ten days. He records various work and leisure activities, as well as regular Japanese air raids (17 January: '25 bombers & 5 Zeros seen. 150 bombs dropped on ship no casualties lot of damage'). The entries until he leaves Port Moresby in late February are mainly a record of his daily activities (25 January: 'Worked in office 1 Aust Water Cft Gp (RAE) Port Moresby Detachment. In afternoon went to Tatana [Island] in "Miss Sunshine" & to billets, did washing wrote letter to Ma ...'). From 23 February he is based at Terapo, north-west of Port Moresby, with much of his time spent travelling between there and Bulldog, on the upper reaches of the Lakekamu River. Much of the work involves transporting equipment and supplies by barge (20 March: 'left Terapo on 320 ton lighter with Mech Equipt. Tug "Vim" towing, US "Wongawill" in lead', with AB86 and AB87 also present). The entries from 17 to 22 April 1943 relate to the search and rescue of Lieutenant Louis A. van Zutphen, 35th Fighter Group, 41st Squadron USAAF, shot down over the jungles near Bulldog. 'Left after lunch on trip to bring in USAAF pilot of [Bell P-39] Airacobra who parachuted 17 miles away. Left early entered jungle cutting way through dense bush going heavy, thru swamps, across creeks & river ... Made base camp in proximity to river to work from daily ... cut through to another river searching for island airman was reported to be on - made smoke signal of no avail returned to base camp with 40 fresh fish blown by gelignite in river [Wednesday 21] ... Set off with enough gear for night out & 5 boys ... tough going lunch on island in next stream finding pilot 1/2 hr later 300y downstream, great excitement, with his rations & ours had good feed, chatted & slept in improvised hut'. Although many of the entries are routine (even mundane) by comparison to this incident - there are lots of letters in and out, books read, chaps spoken to, meals eaten - interspersed with them are plenty of observations that ensure one remembers the world's at war. On 21 May Anderson writes: 'arose early - craft under way, morning & afternoon tea & reading - photo in paper of Jack Reeve's [sic] & boys of 2/8 Fd Coy at Stalag XIIIC Germany'. On 8 June, 'Drove Jeeps on to barges ... piloted "Kutubu" to Bulldog & return - saw damage done by Japs - strafing & bombing'. On 5 September, 'Over 300 planes paratroops, bombers, fighters overhead (Lae). Went to Bulldog on barge, lunch at 2/9 HQ, drove Jeep to No 2 Sect camp 14 miles along Rheihold [sic] Highway. Tea with Roy & boys, pleasant ride back'. On 5 October, 'Recommendation for WO II rank refused ... made application for transfer for reposting, paraded before O.C. & told recommendation would be submitted'. On 16 December he travelled along the Reinhold Highway to Wau; before flying back to Bulldog via Lae and Port Moresby on 27 December, he records an interesting and hectic series of short trips and social events, not least the 'opening of Senior NCO's Club Pt M - Tom Blamey there DANCING WITH NURSES & AMWAS [Australian Medical Women's Army Service]'.
Item #121383
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