The Forgotten War, RNZAF Stations In The Pacific, WW 2, New Caledonia

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New Caledonia

The US, while in perpetration mode for the attack on Guadalcanal, requested 6 Vickers Vincents from Fiji, to act as they were short of aircraft for anti-submarine patrols.

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Vickers Vildebeest

After discussion, it was decided not to send the Vincents, which were unsuitable for long-range patrols in an area where enemy opposition was likely.

Instead, 2 Lockheed Hudsons were sent from Fiji, and two each from No 1 & 2 Squadrons, in New Zealand.

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Lockheed Hudson

The Servicing and administration staff were also sent from NZ, to form what was to become No 9 [BR] Squadron.

The advance party left NZ on the US Seaplane Tender USS Mackinac, on the 1st July 1943,

The party arrived in Noumea Harbour on the evening of 5th July, and preparations were made to disembark on the following Morning.

At midnight, however, general and action stations were sounded on the ship and the Commander explained to all Officers that 3 Japanese Cruisers and 4 Destroyers, and an Aircraft Carrier were within two and a half hours distance, and were apparently on their way to bombard Noumea.

The only forces in Noumea to counter the attack were the Mackinac, [a seaplane tender, armed with 2 x 5” guns, 8 x 40mm Anti-Aircraft guns, 8 x 20mm Anti-Aircraft guns, and 2 depth charge racks], and an antiquated French gunboat.

The Ships Commander offered to put the NZ contingent ashore, but all volunteered to remain on the ship and help in any way they could.

The alarm was maintained until 2 pm the following day when a signal was received stating that the force had turned away towards the Coral Sea.

The NZ force was unloaded at 8 am the following day, and taken by truck to Plaine des Gaiacs, [named for a Gaiac tree that grows in the area], approx 180 miles from Noumea.

The Hawaiian Construction Company was constructing an Airfield for the NZ Squadron, when it arrived, was to be Stationed.

Squadron Leader C J Kidson, a civil engineer from Christchurch, picked a site for the camp to be erected and everybody started digging ditched, erecting tents, setting up the cookhouse etc.

The next day, the US Commander of the Airfield decided that the site was to exposed to observation from the air, and selected a new site for the NZ camp.

When the camp was re-erected, the Signals section went to work with the US 69th Bombardment Squadron, which was already operating from the airfield.

The main party was brought to Noumea on the USS Mackinac, on a second voyage.

This move raised two major supply problems as far as NZ’s resources was concerned,

Firstly, it had been necessary to deplete the quantity of Hudsons in Fiji, and secondly, shortages of equipment in New Caledonia had o be made up from NZ.

Until per-fabricated wooden huts arrived from NZ all accommodation was in tents erected by the advance party.

Later, huts were erected for offices and messes, but most of the men lived under canvas all the time they were on the Island.

All cooking and messing equipment was taken from NZ, as well as supplies of technical equipment and paint for camouflage.

Field rations were to be supplied by the US, but an emergency 21 day stock was held by the NZ camp.

There was a lack of motor vehicles among the US forces, so NZ sent the maximum number possible, along with rifles, ammunition, stocks of bombs and detonators.

In the initial stages of its formation the unit was considered a detachment of No 4 [BR] Squadron, on 23rd July 1943, it was renamed No 9 [BR] Squadron.

By the beginning of November 1943, the numbers had grown from the originally proposed 15 Officers and 116 Other Ranks, to 36 Officers and 245 Other Ranks.

The aircraft strength had also expanded to 8 plus 4 spare/undergoing servicing, Hudsons, and was part of Task Group 63.1, responsible for patrolling 400 miles around the coast of New Caledonia.

To ease the supply of aircraft spares it was found that Lockheed B 17s Flying Fortresses were 80% interchangeable with Hudsons

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Lockheed B17 Flying Fortress

Island, Numea

Airfield, Plaine Des Gaiacs

Station, Santos, 1943

Opened, 6 July 1942

Used by:

[BR], Bomber Reconnaissance

SU, Support Unit, [the Airmen that serviced the aircraft]

HQ, Head Quarters, Island Group

No 9 [BR] Squadron, 17 July 1942 to March 1943

No 1 SU, June 1943

No 12 SU, June 1943

No 1 Islands Group HQ, 10 March 1943 to 5 January 1944

RNZAF Repair Depot No 4, 25 January to 1 November 1943
Their work included:
Overhauls, and Major Inspections/Servicing of Airframes and Engines
General Engineering Section
Coppersmith and Blacksmith Shop
Electricians Shop
Instrument Shop
Armoury
Propeller Shop
Engine Repair Shop
Engine Store
Main Store
This was renamed Base Workshop 1 November 1943 to December 1944
The Engines went to Ile Nou, New Caledonia

Aircraft Assembly Depot

Airfields Works Party, March 1943

RNZAF No 2 Hospital

Transit Camp

Corsair Assembly Unit, April to December 1944

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner