77 days to go.
Well after an interesting nights sleep, this is the first night I have gone through without having some form of assisstance. That is, no fan or air conditioner on. I am still adjusting to getting up to use the toilet because of the large amount of water I am drinking.
I awoke just before the alarm at 0700 to the strains of some 70s music being played nearby and the singing that was with it. Go to prison and pick up the visitors and on to work. Squeeky is still unwell, but continues on.
Get into work and receive a phone call from one of the outer Islands. Utter confusion reigns. I was supposed to go, now I’m not. Speak to Nemo who is on her way to a meeting with other RAMSI folk. I can still go perhaps, but will find outafter her meeting. After the meeting she rings and says I can go. The Army Colonel has said he will ordere the boat back to pick me up. They are going to love this onboard. I will be surprised if anyone speaks to me. Maybe they will tow me behind the big boat in a little inflatable. Maybe they will just throw me overboard and report me missing. In the meantime, Duke had started to get me dropped from the flight.
Went out with Tweety for lunch. He wanted to return to the hotel to get some tablets for his tummy. Back to work and drafting new instructions for changes to procedure. Had confirmation that I was still listed for the Thursday flight. I will have confirmation and departure details at about 1500 tomorrow.
As today is a slow day I will mention the War, I did before, but I think I got away with it.
The War in the West Pacific. Prior to the US landing on 7th August there were a few other things that happenned. Everyone knows about Pearl Harbour in December 1941. After that the Japanese moved south from their own country to a line from Singapore, New Guinea and Bouganville and to the Solomon Islands at Tulagi on the 3rd May 1942. This started the Battle of Coral Sea between 4th – 8th May 42. This was the first defeat for the Japanese forces on their push south. The following month 3rd – 7th June the Battle of Midway was fought. The Allies had a significant victory and changed the balance of navy power in the Pacific. In early July the Allies discovered that the Japanese were building the airfield on Guadalcanal. This lead to the land battles I started on earlier. This was the first US land action of WW2. As a result of this the following sea battle followed.
The Battle of Savo Island. (I can see Savo every morning, it is about 20 nm from Honiara).
Two days after the landing, in the early hours of the 9th August a Japanese fleet sailed down “The Slot” to Savo Island. A series of miscalculations by the Allies missed the fleet, and after the initial attack started they made several mistakes that worked in the Japanese favour. They sailed from the north and came around the East of the Island and then turned and headed North on the Western side of the Island. In the hour it took to do this the Japanese fleet sank 3 US Heavy Cruisers and 1 Australian Heavy Cruisers.
One other US Heavy Cruisers and two Destroyers were badly damages. A third US Destroyer that was damaged in the attack was sunk by Japanese planes later in the day. It was one of the worst defeats suffered by the US.
There were six other naval actions serious enough to be given their own names.
If anyone reading this is interested, please leave a comment to let me know if you want me to continue this, or an I boring you to death? I do not need to write it as I have other ways of remembering.
Well after an interesting nights sleep, this is the first night I have gone through without having some form of assisstance. That is, no fan or air conditioner on. I am still adjusting to getting up to use the toilet because of the large amount of water I am drinking.
I awoke just before the alarm at 0700 to the strains of some 70s music being played nearby and the singing that was with it. Go to prison and pick up the visitors and on to work. Squeeky is still unwell, but continues on.
Get into work and receive a phone call from one of the outer Islands. Utter confusion reigns. I was supposed to go, now I’m not. Speak to Nemo who is on her way to a meeting with other RAMSI folk. I can still go perhaps, but will find outafter her meeting. After the meeting she rings and says I can go. The Army Colonel has said he will ordere the boat back to pick me up. They are going to love this onboard. I will be surprised if anyone speaks to me. Maybe they will tow me behind the big boat in a little inflatable. Maybe they will just throw me overboard and report me missing. In the meantime, Duke had started to get me dropped from the flight.
Went out with Tweety for lunch. He wanted to return to the hotel to get some tablets for his tummy. Back to work and drafting new instructions for changes to procedure. Had confirmation that I was still listed for the Thursday flight. I will have confirmation and departure details at about 1500 tomorrow.
As today is a slow day I will mention the War, I did before, but I think I got away with it.
The War in the West Pacific. Prior to the US landing on 7th August there were a few other things that happenned. Everyone knows about Pearl Harbour in December 1941. After that the Japanese moved south from their own country to a line from Singapore, New Guinea and Bouganville and to the Solomon Islands at Tulagi on the 3rd May 1942. This started the Battle of Coral Sea between 4th – 8th May 42. This was the first defeat for the Japanese forces on their push south. The following month 3rd – 7th June the Battle of Midway was fought. The Allies had a significant victory and changed the balance of navy power in the Pacific. In early July the Allies discovered that the Japanese were building the airfield on Guadalcanal. This lead to the land battles I started on earlier. This was the first US land action of WW2. As a result of this the following sea battle followed.
The Battle of Savo Island. (I can see Savo every morning, it is about 20 nm from Honiara).
Two days after the landing, in the early hours of the 9th August a Japanese fleet sailed down “The Slot” to Savo Island. A series of miscalculations by the Allies missed the fleet, and after the initial attack started they made several mistakes that worked in the Japanese favour. They sailed from the north and came around the East of the Island and then turned and headed North on the Western side of the Island. In the hour it took to do this the Japanese fleet sank 3 US Heavy Cruisers and 1 Australian Heavy Cruisers.
One other US Heavy Cruisers and two Destroyers were badly damages. A third US Destroyer that was damaged in the attack was sunk by Japanese planes later in the day. It was one of the worst defeats suffered by the US.
There were six other naval actions serious enough to be given their own names.
If anyone reading this is interested, please leave a comment to let me know if you want me to continue this, or an I boring you to death? I do not need to write it as I have other ways of remembering.
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