RAE prepares the ground for PIR at Moem Peninsular
Recollections by Vic Ward (Sapper, Independent Construction Troop, RAE. 1959-1961)
(click on a photo to see enlarged)
Strategic Movement
Moem Peninsula is near Wewak in Papua/New Guinea. In 1959, the only inhabitants were the villagers of Moem Village, a fishing village overlooking the sea.
Due to the threat of possible invasion by Indonesia of West New Guinea which could have spilled over into East New Guinea, it was decided by the Australian Government to send a Royal Australian Engineers Construction Troop complete with earth moving equipment to Moem Peninsula to start the early phase of land clearing (including unexploded bombs dropped during WW2) and road construction for a new Pacific Island Regiment (PIR) camp on Moem to act as a base for PIR Troops to be stationed there if they were needed to prevent any incursion over the border in to the Australian governed Eastern side of New Guinea.
The PIR already had a southern base at Port Moresby and this was to be a northern base and possibly the first of a number to be built if needed in a chain behind the border of West New Guinea from north to south.
The Troops are Gathered
As this move had not been approved by Parliament, due to the urgency of the situation, the RAE Construction Troop was made up of soldiers drawn from various RAE Construction Squadrons in Australia, namely 24 Construction Squadron from Queensland, 17 Const Sqn from NSW and 21 Const Sqn from Victoria. All earth moving equipment and other stores and equipment were borrowed from these units as the construction troop did not officially exist until officially approved by the Australian Government. There was also a cook from the Catering Corps and a Medical Orderly from the Medical Corps. A Signal Corps member was also part of the team to man a huge (tall) aerial we had installed on the highest point near the camp. This gave us direct radio contact with Australia and the Australian Army Northern Command in Brisbane under whose control we were.
This was the first time Australian Troops had been stationed in the Sepik area since WW2. The new Moem troop was called the Independent Construction Troop, RAE. After about 6 months the presence of the Army in the Wewak area was officially approved and supplies could then be provided officially from Australia. The Unit Name was changed to Papua New Guinea Construction Troop RAE and later Detachment 24 Construction Troop, RAE.
Working and Living in Early Moem
Before any works could begin, the bush area of the camp had to be cleared to erect Marquees for our accommodation, mess, administration, stores and other requirements. This was done by the troop members who were flown up by RAAF Hercules aircraft from Townsville, Australia, and included required earth moving equipment and other stores. I can recall being with other members in the cargo hold of a Hercules with a TD18 bulldozer (blade taken off and slid in sideways) and a Ditching vehicle (used for digging ditches) enroute to Wewak, The Hercules landed at Boram airstrip near Wewak to unload us and the equipment needed to clear the area and set up camp.
The Marquees proved to be excessively hot, even with the sides rolled up, so local native builders were employed to help build Sak Sak and Pungle (Coconut Palm roofs and stalks of the Palm (Pungle)) for the side walls and prop out windows of the buildings. This proved much cooler and suitable. The floors were made of crushed coral which we spread on the ground inside the huts, wet it down and rolled it to a hard surface. We had a number of trades among the members, including electricians, plumbers, plant fitters, plant operators, refrigeration fitter among others. To provide power and lights to the camp we had a very large diesel driven KVA.
 Vic Ward kneeling in front of one of the trucks |
 WO2 Maurie Vernon directs the building of the canteen 1959 |
We were later joined at the camp by a platoon size group from the PIR from Moresby. They helped with some tasks and also provided infantry protection if needed. They had their own Australian PIR Officer Lieutenant in charge, while our Officer in Charge was an RAE Captain who was in overall command at Moem. He reported to the Army Northern Command in Brisbane.
As most of our clearing and road construction for the future PIR camp was off base in the proposed new PIR base area, we spent most of our time off the base working during the day. We also did a few patrols to outlying village areas when requested by the Civilian District Commissioner for various reasons.
 In the bush with locals. Vic Ward crouched to the left, George’s pate reflecting the sunlight. |  Vic Ward and Vic Ireland trade for local produce, Passam Village. |
Later, other relief RAE members were posted in to replace those who were returning to Australia after their duty period at Moem had finished, although some stayed longer if they wished.
Expect the Unexpected
A couple of incidents we had while I was there was the backwash from a Chilli Tidal Wave which hit at night on the opposite side of the Peninsula destroying part of the building of a new Wewak Hospital, luckily the old hospital survived untouched.
We also had an incident with native members of the Cargo Cult who tried to remove stuff from our camp (which they thought was only fair seeing the gods had sent it all for everyone to share). They had to be arrested at rifle bayonet point, loaded onto trucks and conveyed to the local Calaboose (Prison) where they were handed over to the local authorities.
I was also chosen to be a spotter on an Australian chartered DCE flight which departed from Boram airstrip and flew over the Dutch New Guinea coast to search for Michael Rockafella from the USA who was missing off his boat in the area. The search was unsuccessful.( See:http://www.papuaerfgoed.org/en/The_disappearance_of_Michael_Rockefeller)
All in all it was an interesting experience for me as a young Sapper who had his 18th and 19th birthday while posted there. I recently viewed a video about the disrepair of Moem Barracks, which is a bit sad. None of those buildings had been built when I was based at the old Moem Army camp. It was our job as members of the RAE to clear the scrub, dispose of unexploded WW2 bombs that had been dropped from aircraft during the war, clearing for a telephone line, building of the roads, kerb and guttering for the “new” PIR Barracks prior to the buildings being constructed. It was at that point I left Moem in 1961.
Further photos may be viewed here