{"id":3290,"date":"2024-01-25T10:00:04","date_gmt":"2024-01-24T23:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=3290"},"modified":"2024-01-16T13:57:34","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T02:57:34","slug":"war-letters-new-guinea-24-25-jan-1944-finschhafen-barge-to-sio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=3290","title":{"rendered":"War Letters &#8211; New Guinea: 24-25 Jan 1944, Kelanoa; Patrol, Sio and Barge off Fortification Point"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>W.E. Pidgeon<br \/>\nC\/O Public Relations<br \/>\nN. G. Force<br \/>\nMoresby<\/p>\n<p>Monday<br \/>\n[24 Jan 1944]<\/p>\n<p>Darling,<\/p>\n<p>I was going to write to you last night but learnt on returning to the tent that a black out is enforced\u00a0 up here \u2013 the Japs planes occasionally fly over so it seems.\u00a0 Some went over last night I was told \u2013 but I didn\u2019t hear them being dead to the world.\u00a0 I went to bed when it was dark and didn\u2019t wake until dawn.\u00a0 My God I was tired \u2013 I had been awake travelling half the previous night<sup class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote \" data-mfn=\"1\" data-mfn-post-scope=\"0000000013d3dccf0000000034bcd2e9_3290\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"  title=\"Barge trip from Finschhafen to Kelanoa on Saturday 22nd\"  role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000013d3dccf0000000034bcd2e9_3290-1\">1<\/a><\/sup><span id=\"mfn-content-0000000013d3dccf0000000034bcd2e9_3290-1\" role=\"tooltip\" class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote__note\" tabindex=\"0\" data-mfn=\"1\">Barge trip from Finschhafen to Kelanoa on Saturday 22nd<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>The balmy surrounding of the beach on which I sit are poppingly disturbed by the exuberant troops who punctuate the silence with machine gun bursts and rifle fire.\u00a0 Not that they are shooting at anything \u2013 they just like hearing them go off.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5794\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/2-New-Guinea-1944-01-24_06-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"848\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m tired and dirty.\u00a0 I\u2019ve lost the only towel I brought up here with me.\u00a0 There is no fresh water to bathe in \u2013 I\u2019m as sticky as a stamp with accumulations of salt, seawater &amp; salt sweat.\u00a0 I should taste good!\u00a0 Especially as I dry myself after a dip with my underpants \u2013 adds just that Parfait de Nuit touch!<\/p>\n<p>I have been as far as Sio on the northern coast.\u00a0 Went on a barge with three other PR people who are in effect somewhat irresponsible.\u00a0 They missed the barge back to where we are at present.\u00a0 Although I must say it was only a fluke that I happened to catch it.\u00a0 I am glad that I didn\u2019t have to spend a night up there. A dismal spot.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5795\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5795\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5795 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/2-New-Guinea-1944-01-23_01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1225\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5795\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sketch study for &#8216;Patrol, Sio&#8217;, New Guinea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5796\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5796\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5796 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/2-New-Guinea-1944-01-23_02.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1069\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5796\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Patrol, Sio<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Most of these jungles stink of decaying vegetation &amp; have that dank warmth of a mulch heap to help one along.\u00a0 Beautiful and lavish enough they may be, with a kind of monsteria deliciosa vine winding up the trees, and a dozen other types \u2026.ed from the branches.\u00a0 Not so many birds.\u00a0 A few butterflies &amp; a bloody lot of mosquitoes.\u00a0 Not the healthiest spots to live in under normal circumstances but the necessities of obtaining cover makes it almost imperative for the troops.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5797\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5797\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5797 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/2-New-Guinea-1944-01-23_03.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1016\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5797\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Passed by Operational Censor SWPA Photo No. MNG 893 New Guinea &#8211; A bomb scarred area at Sio with troops encamped close to a bomb crater which was quickly filled with water following heavy rain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5798\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5798\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5798 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/2-New-Guinea-1944-01-23_04.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1226\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5798\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">25 pounder artillery guns, most likeey near Sio on the north east coast of New Guinea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5799\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5799\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5799 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/2-New-Guinea-1944-01-23_06.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1068\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5799\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Believed to be Sio Bogadjim area, Huon Peninsula, New Guinea. Depicts five unidentified Australian soldiers involved in jungle operations, members of the Royal Australian Artillery, 2\/14th Australian Field Regiment with a 25 pounder gun.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5800\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5800\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5800 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/2-New-Guinea-1944-01-23_05.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1055\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5800\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sio Bogadjim area, Huon Peninsula, New Guinea. Depicts a 25 pounder gun of the Royal Australian Artillery, 2\/14th Australian Field Regiment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>3 pm Tuesday [25 Jan 1944]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5802\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5802\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5802\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/2-New-Guinea-1944-01-25_02.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"832\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5802\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fortification Point near Scarlet Beach, Finschhafen area, New Guinea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5803\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5803\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5803\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/2-New-Guinea-1944-01-25_01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1223\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5803\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Troops in a barge off Fortification Point in transit from Kelanoa to Scarlet Beach, Finschhafen area, New Guinea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Been travelling since 9 am have just landed at another point &amp; am prostrate wit de heat.<sup class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote \" data-mfn=\"2\" data-mfn-post-scope=\"0000000013d3dccf0000000034bcd2e9_3290\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"  title=\"Moved out by barge from Kelanoa back south to Scarlet Beach in the Finschhafen area.\"  role=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" aria-describedby=\"mfn-content-0000000013d3dccf0000000034bcd2e9_3290-2\">2<\/a><\/sup><span id=\"mfn-content-0000000013d3dccf0000000034bcd2e9_3290-2\" role=\"tooltip\" class=\"modern-footnotes-footnote__note\" tabindex=\"0\" data-mfn=\"2\">Moved out by barge from Kelanoa back south to Scarlet Beach in the Finschhafen area.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5773\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5773\" style=\"width: 2000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5773\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/2-New-Guinea-5-Finschhafen-Area-18.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1041\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5773\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sketch study for &#8216;Barge off Fortification Point&#8217;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5774\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5774\" style=\"width: 1046px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5774 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/AWW-1944-06-10-P41-Barge-at-Fortification-Point-PIC00005.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1046\" height=\"845\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5774\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Barge off Fortification Point; reproduced <a href=\"http:\/\/nla.gov.au\/nla.news-page4724938\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Australian Women&#8217;s Weekly, 10 June 1944, p41<\/a> &#8211; Men of the 9th AIF Division relax on board a barge as it rounds Fortification Point, on its way to Finschafen, Huon Peninsular. They are returning from Kelanoa tired, but with every reason to feel satisfied with the job done. Kelanoa was then a forward area, and Wep&#8217;s brush portrays brilliantly the men&#8217;s infinite weariness and their unfailing cheerfulness. They are all looking forward to their return to the base. &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au\/collection\/works\/7718\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Art Gallery of New South Wales collection<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>These dirty marks on this page are sweat decorations.\u00a0 As there are a lot of lads writing letters in the YMCA hut I thought it best to get it best to get away pronto.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll write you again tonight.\u00a0 A few bombs were dropped down this way a few days ago.\u00a0\u00a0 Nothing happened however.\u00a0 I guess I\u2019m \u00bd stone lighter.\u00a0 It\u2019s no question that you (sic) ole man is melting down to a soup pot of unfunny stew.<\/p>\n<p>Lots of love from Willie.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t worry about sending letters they will never catch up with me.<\/p>\n<p>Have just bumped into Roy H. again.\u00a0 He is at the camp I am now in.\u00a0 Calls himself the \u201cErl King\u201d (translates into the oil paint king).<\/p>\n<p>More love.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"modern-footnotes-list-heading \">Notes:<\/h3><ul class=\"modern-footnotes-list \"><li><span>1<\/span><div>Barge trip from Finschhafen to Kelanoa on Saturday 22nd<\/div><\/li><li><span>2<\/span><div>Moved out by barge from Kelanoa back south to Scarlet Beach in the Finschhafen area.<\/div><\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have been as far as Sio on the northern coast.  Went on a barge with three other PR people who are in effect somewhat irresponsible.  They missed the barge back to where we are at present.  Although I must say it was only a fluke that I happened to catch it.  I am glad that I didn\u2019t have to spend a night up there.  A dismal spot. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1656,62],"tags":[2198,2199,1791,136,1779,1790,65,1984],"class_list":["post-3290","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-new-guinea-jan-feb-1944","category-war-letters","tag-80yearsago","tag-otd","tag-erl-king","tag-new-guinea","tag-roy-hodgkinson","tag-scarlett-beach","tag-war-correspondent","tag-war-letters"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>War Letters - New Guinea: 24-25 Jan 1944, Kelanoa; Patrol, Sio and Barge off Fortification Point - Pidgeon Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Most of these jungles stink of decaying vegetation &amp; have that dank warmth of a mulch heap to help one along.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=3290\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"War Letters - New Guinea: 24-25 Jan 1944, Kelanoa; 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