NZ416235 W/O Ernie Alexander (Navigator)Part XI : Treasury Islands - Operations
These experiences are from extracts of letters that I wrote to my grandfather Mr. A. K. Alexander of Hamilton, N.Z. when I did my aircrew training in Canada.
After some months at Halavo Bay, I was sent on a detached flight to the Treasury Islands. Again our crew were among the first to go. For this we only took seven of a crew. Our two new engineers, Bill Harvey and Alby Dower, stayed behind. Bill Harvey carried on in the Air Force after the war and flew for several overseas airways. He finally married a Japanese girl in Hong Kong. Alby Dower is a contract carrier and lives at Manurewa.
Our crew always seemed to be among the ones who were moved on to do something different. We received word quite unexpectedly that we were to go on a detached flight to somewhere. We packed up and took off to the Treasury Islands and landed in a channel between two islands, Mono and Stirling. Our accommodation was rather luxurious, an American aircraft tender, the U.S.S. Coos Bay. We slept in bunks and dined in grand style. I was quite intrigued to use a pop-up toaster, I thought it really something.
Both islands were occupied by N.Z. troops, having taken them off the Japs. On one island an American bomber squadron was stationed, and it was also the base for a motor torpedo boat squadron.
[JS Note: 15 December 1943 U.S. Naval operating base established in the Stirling Islands. Stirling Airfield (Coronus Strip) Stirling Island. 15/1/1944: 339th Fighter Squadron operating P-38 Lightnings moves from Guadalcanal to Stirling Island. 20/1/1944: 75th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) operating B-25s moves from Russell Islands to Sterling Island. 25/1/1944: 106th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment) operating B-25s transfers from Guadalcanal to Sterling Island. 7/3/1944: First Marine PBJ Squadron VMB 413 moves from Espiritu Santo to Stirling Island.]
Every nighta number went out to intercept Japanese troop barges moving from Bougainville to Buka Island and they invariably sunk some.
On Mono Island there was an American anti-aircraft battery, and when we were there it had seven victims, four American planes and three New Zealand ones. They shot at anything in sight and we were warned never to fly over the island. We always came in low and approached the channel without flying over the island. Submarine nets were strung across each end of the channel. Once or twice we went ashore and spoke to the troops, on one occasion I met my cousin, Jim Morrison from Paeroa, and also Stan Malequinn, who later married Roma booth, another cousin from Kerepehi. Stan was laying telephone wires through the jungle and I asked him where to find Jim. He was a stranger then, and we next met at his wedding - a small world.
The army boys had a picture theatre on a hillside. They lay coconut logs on the ground for seats, and it was completely open air. It was named St. James, it was certainly the best (the only one) available. When it rained and it was often, the show would be abandoned. That was the extent of our entertainment.
The only incident on the ship was a Jap raid early one morning. Apparently we were the target, but they missed and destroyed several planes and damaged numerous others. We were only about 150 yards away. The Japs came in very low, the radar missed them, and so did the anti-aircraft guns. I was woken to hear our gunners blazing away and the bombs going off.
Most of our work here was rescue 'Dumbo' jobs. When on a rescue job we always flew up to Mutapina Point on Bougainville Island and circled for about half an hour or so until our escort was ready. We usually had eight Airacobra, or sometimes Lightnings. Mutapina Point was mapped wrongly and was several miles out of position. It was 60 miles from our base and we were usually there in half an hour. The base at Mutapina was only five miles by three miles and triangular. The American Marines landed and pushed the Japanese back far enough to set up camp and lay down several strips.
On Bougainville there were 100,000 Japanese and they were virtually isolated. They obtained supplies by I Class submarines and attempted to grow their own food. the Yanks made a habit of spraying their gardens as soon as they were ready to eat.
Everyday they bombed the perimeter of the base to keep the Japanese quiet. Even then, every so often they would launch an offensive and try and push the Americans into the sea. One day when we were waiting for an escort Jap shells were coming mighty close to us. We had ventured too far inland, we didn't do that again.
Bougainville was very mountainous, Mt Balboa, [JS Note: I believe Ernie must here be referring to Mt Balbi at 2,715 M the highest point on the island] not far beyond Mutapina Point was an active volcano and always steaming. It would not have been a pleasant experience to have crashed on Bougainville. The natives in many places were cannibals and the story went that they decorated their villages with Jap heads.
Almost all our trips went to Rabaul Harbour. Around the town there were five strips and about 20,000 Japanese troops. It was a daily excursion to bomb the place, and we used to watch the planes going in dropping their loads. We were always on the perimeter waiting for the call, "50 Baker 28".
The Japanese radar at Cape Gazelle was quite ineffective for two reasons. One, it was always being bombed, and the other, that we flew almost at sea level, and it was hard for them to pick us up. I think the reason why we were not attacked very much was that the Japanese were too busy licking their wounds after a raid. We could see the fires and smoke quite easily.
An American PBY Catalina at our base had a three inch shell through it one day, but it was a dud.
Our flight made numerous rescues all over the place. Quite often the planes would be nearly home when they ditched. Among those picked up were crews from Liberators, Airacobras, Mitchells, Kittyhawks, Corsairs, Dauntless and Avengers. No plane was immune from being shot down.
The Japanese on the other hand would not accept a ride from a 'Dumbo'. It was a disgrace to be captured and they would sooner commit hari-kari. One plane did land to rescue a Jap fighter pilot, but he waved him away. It was dangerous anyhow because they were known to carry a bomb and blow everything up when rescued.
There were some sad stories concerning rescues. One Liberator crew was doing its last raid and a shell hit the plane and it caught alight. Only four out of twelve jumped, the others couldn't make it. Three landed in the water and one in the jungle. We were involved in this rescue. One American was so thrilled to be picked up he wanted to keep our smoke float we dropped as a marker for a souvenir.
In most cases only one or two of a crew were saved, and quite often they were in bad shape. It is difficult after 25 years to remember all the details, but I do know it was most rewarding to be able to help in saving lives, instead of being involved in senseless slaughter. The look on the face of a rescued person is something I will never forget. The number of lives lost was amazing, particularly amongst the American bomber crews.
In due course we finished our tour and were posted back to Halavo Bay. Before we left the N.Z. 10th Battery Brass Band came aboard the Coos Bay and gave a concert. It was a perfect tropical night and the sound of the music across the water was incredible.
We were at Halavo Bay a short time and I received news about a posting to the Pacific Ferry Command. At the time I did not know I would not see No. 6 F.B. Squadron again, but it was the finish. I was credited with 54 missions plus other flying duties.
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