So off to Wellington I head knowing that all through the night I would be subjected to rushing bodies all trying to get passed me at the different stops to grab a cup of tea or coffee and of course to get one of the famous railway sandwiches. These yummy food and beverages tea or coffee [what's coffee?]. Hells bells weren't we tea drinkers! At least I was at this time and it wasn't till I had spent some time in Canada that I was converted to being a coffee drinker [Americanized]. But first just let me explain just what the food consisted of as it takes some description. First the pies, these consisted of a thick and I do mean thick crust, after all these were NZ made pies and world known here in this country. The reason for being so thick was the idea that if you dropped one when it hit the ground it didn't burst open and so by giving it a wipe you could carry on eating it.       

Inside was, I must admit, a fairly good supply of meat and gravy and were quite palatable. Then of course you had a selection of sandwiches which like Henry Ford selling his cars you could have any filling you wanted providing it was ham. No these ham sandwiches consisted of one loaf of bread with the ends cut off, then the bread cut into four pieces, butter being waved across the tops of the pieces, quickly so that the bread got just a whiff of it, and then a piece of ham, and I mean a piece of ham about ½ inch thick placed between two pieces of the bread and there you had a sandwich to be proud of. You could eat it but it took you all the time between stops to consume it. Between stops taking a couple of hours. Still you didn't feel hungry any more. But to return to the trip.   
  
Now it was a rush to get back on the train after you had procured your refreshments as you had to fight a large mob of people all doing the same. Remember that the train only stopped for the length of time it took to change locomotives and their crews, drop off passengers and take on any new ones who might foolishly want to travel.      
  
So what did one do with the cups [no saucers] when you had finished with them? That was easy, as they were not plastic one would put them under the seats, where the porter would come through with a four gallon tin with the top cut off and a piece of No. 8 fencing wire threaded through two sides to make a handle and there you had a true designer container, and what's more the design did not require a pattern or copyright The porter then filled it up and took it back to the guards van where he would unload it at the next stop.    
  
One must take ones hat off to the refreshment girls who for just a few moments managed to feed the hoards of passengers that faced them sometimes in the middle of the night. Getting back to the cups, one would not like to have one fall on your foot as they were so thick and heavy that you could sustain serious damage. Travel by train in those days was an experience not to be missed, and so onwards towards Wellington where we arrived at 7am feeling shagged out and with your nerves a bit on edge. One thing about the railways in those days was the fact that they generally arrived right on time, something the crews were very proud of and rightly so.
  
Still we were at last here preparing for the start of our world wide experience all at the expense of the government of the day but unfortunately from which some would not live to return. Ah well, we had better report to the armed forces movement office to find out how to get to where we were going. Yes we were expected and were told to just hop on that lovely blue painted truck and it would deliver us free of charge to our destination, Rongotai.      

So we set out for our destination arriving there on 18/3/42 where the Air Force had set up our quarters in the old exhibition halls with all meals and sleeping equipment supplied by a very caring Government where nothing was too much for their boys providing you could rough it. Maybe they cared because of a comment made by the incoming Governor General one Sir Cyril Newell and one we the Air Force would have to endure for a long, long time. He addressed the nation with “Gentlemen of the air force and officers and men of the other services” After all he was an Air Force man of some distinction. And you may well wonder why us Air Force types were not popular at this stage with the other services seeing as to how they had sustained massive losses at Dunkirk and other places with apparently no help from the Air Force, who seemed to be very conspicuous by their absence. This of course was not so but just you try and tell that to them, so of course we just had to put up with all the taunts flung at us. But every dog has it's day and ours would come later as the records would show. Just remember that we were and still are the junior service.    
  
But I digress [now there's a good word] as to fill in time it was playing ping pong at the camp or catching the unique Wellington trams and head off to the big city and take in as many movies as one could stomach. The rest of the time you filled in by just being plain bored. But comes a day when we were told to get our equipment together, take it outside and place it by the truck standing outside the barracks, then climb aboard another truck that was alongside. Oh good show it looks like we are on our way.    
  
So off towards the wharf we went but wait what's this we are coming to a stop and we are not even in the centre of town yet.   
  
“Everybody out and form up in four's," was the command and that being a military command who were we to disobey. Right now as we were in our good uniforms we were then made to march through the center of Wellington for all to see us where we carried on down to the wharfs where the command to halt was followed by an order to “get into the truck again." Having done so, the tarpaulin was pulled down and tied and we were told in no uncertain terms to not poke our heads out, as some spy could see us and report to his superiors as to what he had seen.      
  
So It was back to the barracks for another night in captivity and about 2pm next day we were again loaded into our limousine and transported down to the wharves but this time we were driven right up to a ships gangplank and told to get on board and not to worry about our kit bags as they were already on board.    
  
Up the gang plank we trudged to find our quarters below the aft deck. This consisted of small cabins where there were, I think, four luxurious bunks with the cabin door leading out to the dining room, which had a couple of long tables attached to the floor. Around each table was a raised piece of wood to stop any plates or cups hitting the floor in the event of rough weather. This was at the aft end of the ship.    
  
To top all this off we had at our disposal white jacketed stewards - Indonesians - who would look after us on our journey and they actually made our bunks and handed out our food. Boy, were we traveling in luxury.           
  
Now it was time to go on deck, even if it was only for any spies to see what fine upstanding young men our Government was sending over. And also by this time quite a few people had gathered at the wharf railings. So much for the secrecy of our departure. But wait there's more - for at that moment two large black limousines came through the gates and pulled up at the gang plank and out of the first car stepped our then Prime Minister Mr Peter Fraser and his entourage, who then proceeded to come up the gang plank.
  
Don't say that we are going to have his company for the trip. Apparently no as we were told to line up in two ranks, facing one another, while he was introduced to us and then shook our hands and wished us well in our future lifestyle. But there was one other surprise for us, as while the Prime Minister was talking to us two trucks, one fully laden while the other was just a quarter loaded. But what with? Well the PM solved the mystery, both trucks were laden with beer courtesy of the Government and they were for us, no payment required. Just what did they want in return?        
  
Apparently the second truck unloaded it's load onto another ship the same as ours and just who got on board it and where it went I have no idea.

Do you know just how much beer has to be consumed per person to get rid of it all? Especially as some of us did not drink or at least drank only a small amount, at this stage. Remember that there was only 40 odd of us on board. Well I do know that if either the Japs or the Germans wanted to find us they had only to follow the trail of bottles that we would be leaving . It was a good job that no one had informed the enemy of this great opportunity to get us. You don't get much for free from the Government but we did.       
  
So with a final “Good luck” from the PM, he took his leave of us. This now left us in a state of anxiety as to when we would be leaving as no one was going to tell us just in case someone told the spy standing at the gate. Well 5 o'clock came [or was it 6'o'clock!] and then the hawsers [mooring ropes] were cast off and we slowly started to move away from the dock and into the Wellington channel, and away from NZ. And at this stage who knew when we would return and also how many of us would give our lives for what we believed in.  

Now the ship, which after dropping us off, had a very colorful life. The ship was the TITJALENKA, one of four built for an Indonesian company. Now apparently the word means the river LENKA [TITJA means a river] hence TITJALENCA. The other three ships were all named after rivers and so had the TITJA in their name. How do I know that this information is correct? Well the chief engineer on the ship had a son who is a member of my local RSA club and he filled in the details. Apparently this ship was the first of its kind in that it was a diesel powered ship whereas all the others were still coal fired.         
  
Eventually this ship was turned into a hospital ship after disgorging us and what's more it survived the war. First morning on deck we were told our duties. What, did you think that the Air Force would let us loll about on the deck or else we were to do nothing for the entire trip? Oh no we were expected to work our passage and so were given certain tasks to perform.        
  
Now there was firmly attached at the stern one 3 inch gun and with my experience on this type of gun guess where they put me, go on just try and guess. Oh no, they gave me the job of maintaining the machine gun, and also the rifle so old that its lineage could not be determined. We also had one other firearm which the captain kept to his self and that was a pistol. Now allocation of duties just happened to turn out right for me as the two guns were kept in the chart room and yes, you guessed it, I had unlimited access to this room where I kept both guns in first class condition due of course to my training both in the cadets and the territorials and also when I was in the army. But of course these guns required constant tender loving care and being there gave me a great opportunity to check over the charts and how and where we were going.
  
Whilst maintaining them I could talk to the navigator and he took great pains to show me how to navigate. He was also instrumental in showing me how to use a sextant shooting the sun or the stars, and of course this was of great assistance to me later on in my training as you will see.       
  
Having access to the chart meant that I always knew exactly where we were at any time of the day and I also new where we were headed. Needless to say that I kept a diary for every day and yes I still have those diaries in a safe place and which I can fall back on to gather information. One thing I was asked by the navigation officer and that was to not tell anyone where we were and in fact not to let anyone know that I had access to the charts. Top secret don't you know.
Now on instructions from our minder, an air force officer, who was to accompany us right through to our destination, we were not permitted to mix with the paying passengers who were quartered in the front of the ship as these were paying refugees of high class and money to flee Asia.     
  
Pray tell me what were we, stowaways! We were after all paying our way even if it was the Government footing the bill. But ‘orders is orders’ come hell or high water. So be it.           
So we were confined to the aft section of the ship while the passengers had the fore section of the ship, all except me who was able to go up to the chart room whenever I felt like it just to check that our mighty defenses were ready to blast whoever dared molest us. And of course while there I could check on our position. If the navigation officer was in the chart room I had the opportunity to allow him to show and explain the finer points of navigation. This information would be used to my advantage later on in my career. The navigator must have taken a shine to me as he was very helpful especially when he found out that I was no dummy when it came to navigation, as you will see.    
  
As we were approaching the tropics, laziness started to set in, even though we had our chores and also we had to do PT. One night or should I sat early morning [3 am] while we were all sleeping, the motors ceased operating. Now how did we know that, for when you are used to a gentle throbbing and then silence and knowing that you are plying enemy waters you too would wake up in a hurry.    So there was a concerted rush topside to see what was stopping us and there as far as the eye could see nothing !!! A little while later the motor resumed its gentle throbbing and we were again on our way. Apparently there was an injector requiring replacement Boy oh boy, if we could have got our hands on the engineer then. Well he did upset our sleep didn't he!        
  
As we progressed across the Pacific leisurely we were fast approaching the international date line and would have to put our clocks forward 24hrs just to keep up with the rest of the world [we wondered if we could get paid for the extra day ] and we also had to watch out for KING NEPTUNE who would find us come what may. Too late as we hit the date line [we knew that we had hit it as there was a slight bump as we went over it] KING NEPTUNE came aboard and as there was a small swimming pool on board [see we had all the luxuries and we were not allowed to use it as it was reserved for the front passengers] and it being full of water the KING took no prisoners and all those who had not crossed the line were punished.
  
First we were given a large lathering of soapy water all over your face and then you were shaved by the most awesome large, and I do mean large, cut throat razor all the while sitting in a chair with your back to the pool. Now a couple of his attendants tipped you head over heels into the water where a couple of his other helpers grabbed you as you hit the water and held you under the water till you were really spluttering and then you were let up.

You were then given a certificate signed by his most exalted majesty which stated that you had crossed the line on the Titjalenka and in future you would not have to go through this ordeal again, and you were now to be recognized as citizens of his King Neptune's domain.           

It's a pity that people today can't experience this old fashion tradition [I believe that it is still done on some boats] because it was an hilarious occasion with everyone joining in. This was the only time that we were permitted to mix with the paying passengers who of course were paying for the privilege of escaping the wrath of the Japs. So this was a very welcome interlude for them. But onwards and upwards and this episode had to come to an end, and we would have to get back to our duties. All who were dunked were issued with certificates to be shown the next time that you had to cross the equator that you were exempt from such going on and could just sit and watch the proceedings. This of course was only applicable if you were still alive.

Now some of us had our hair growing a bit long, in fact we all had that problem and it required a bit of a tidy up, but what to do! Fortunately I had in my kit a pair of woman's clippers [I still have them in their original box] and no I'm not gay, they were there because they took up less room see. These I offered to any one who could use them [only on loan of course]. Well our Ronnie wanted his hair cut and persuaded someone, I don't know who, to do the decent and cut his hair assuring Ron that he was a master craftsman, and what's more he would gladly do it for free.      
  
So placing Ronnie on a chair on the aft deck [Boy am I getting clued up on these naval sayings] our clipper started to cut into Ron's hair. Now up to this time we had had a remarkable smooth sailing as the seas were what one would hope they would be when on a luxurious cruise, why even the flying fish were all flying solo and some even flew nearly as high as the ships deck, really remarkable. Now our top clipper had started to demolish Ronnie's crowning glory by starting at the back and working his way closely following the couture of his head he worked his way up and over to the front of his [Ronnie's] head thus doing a Mohican's or Mohawk style hair cut, only this time in reverse. That is the tuffs of hair were at the sides not in the center, whilst down the middle was one great bald patch. Hot stuff. Who said that us Kiwis could not create great hair styles

It was a pity that we were confined to the ship for when Ronnie found out what had happened he started to chase the so called self appointed hairdresser around the deck. Now he was doing the four minute mile in less than three minutes and all the while the hairdresser was keeping just ahead of him.          
  
However by the time we had reached land Ronnie had calmed down to a simmer, as in the meantime some other bod had tided it up, his hair of course, and it didn't look half bad providing he didn't remove his hat. Still things were not going my way as I had a very, very large blister covering the whole of my back due to playing silly buggers and getting a bad case of sunburn. [The sun is not going to hurt me] but with the help of a nurse who was with the refugees, she proceeded to cut the skin off and then proceeded to apply a liberal amount of lanolin which soaked right through my shirt and we were only a couple of days out from land, Panama. Woe beguile me.     

On Monday 6th of April 1942 at 07.10 in the morning, land was sighted [I am taking all the following data direct from my diary]. Also some submarines and planes. We then heaved to at 09.30 and at 1430hrs [2 pm] we docked at Panama. Thanks to the army [American} we were denied any leave except for just a couple of hours and then it was back on board. At least I got to see a place called Coconut Grove, a hang out for ladies of the night, and what I saw of Panama according to my diary it was just a terrible place.           
Now one of the boys had a nasty experience whist walking past a large building which had guards in front of it. As he got to them one of the guards said something to him in a very strange language and then raised his rifle, reversed it and proceeded to hit our bloke on the point of the chin, promptly dropping to his knees. Well we didn't know that you were supposed to cross the road first.            

Needless to say the airman involved was sore for a couple of days. Apart from this episode what leave we had went quietly.          
We left port at 06.20 am and headed for the canal proper. It was fascinating the way that the ship could rise and fall via the locks and be maneuvered by the “mules” - these being mechanical of course. And so onto the canal itself.     

After a leisurely eight hour trip through the canal, which was very hot but very pleasant just looking at the huge cuts of earth and also the thick forest lining the edge. It was much better than looking at the flying fish and also we did not have to watch out for enemy submarines or in fact any enemy craft.            

Arriving at Colon at 14.30 [2.30pm] we parked up at anchor awaiting our departure time. While there we got a good look at a departing submarine with some navy personnel in the conning tower, and then suddenly the personnel were gone and the submarine started to dive and next minute, nothing.       

Boy, they can keep that job To think that shortly we were going to have to run the gauntlet of enemy submarines but at least we knew that there was at least one sub looking out for us. At 16.40 [4.40pm] we weighed anchor and headed for New Orleans. Now contrary to some tales I have heard, the captain of our ship had not disobeyed orders. The story doing the rounds is that we were supposed to go to New York but the captain thought that in light of all the sinkings in the area he would break away from the convoy [what convoy as we were on our own according to my diary] and go to New Orleans instead. Not so, as you know I had access to the chart room and even when we were still in the Pacific the chart showed that New Orleans was our eventual destination. This rumour was told to me just a few months ago so you can see how the truth gets distorted.

Last sight of land 17.50 [5.50pm] and at 18.20 [6.20pm] we were starting to roll pretty good, and for the first time some of the boys started to travel by rail and for some who managed to eat they had plenty of meals. Six down and six up.     

Now remember, we were now in very hostile waters and for safety sake or as safe as one could make it most of us had already put on life jackets. You just can't be too careful, and so on through the night. At 06.00am we sighted a ship and also an island and were hoping to arrive at our destination on the Sunday and this is only Wednesday so everyone was on his toes and keeping a good look out for signs of any trouble.

We were changing course every 10 minutes. Sighted a cargo ship on our starboard bow, time 6am and no swell and we have covered 485 nautical miles and still had 815 nautical miles to go. And at 1600 hrs [4pm] we have 600 more miles[nautical] to cover and am now running into some rough weather.

Sighted two more ships, one at 9am and the other at 10 am, and later the Captain informed me that both had just been sunk. Not a very reassuring thought, as this was only Thursday and we still had 3 more days to travel And all the time we were sighting more and more ships and the scary thing was that the majority of them were tankers which to the Germans were the prize ship, but to them any ship would do and so we were rather on edge.   

Comes Saturday and the lads were informed [by me] that hopefully we would be in the mouth of the river by 17.00 hrs [5.00pm]. Now the weather was still a bit rough and as we got closer to the mighty river it was amazing to see it nearly 100 miles out to sea as it was a very dirty colour so we new we were close. This colour contrast you had to see and possibly you can from high up but we were here. Yes it is a mighty sight and you can understand that if you put a couple of containers over the side and scooped up water from the two different colours, you would find that one was sea water while the other was fresh water, albeit dirty. It was also a bit disconcerting that away on the horizon there were a couple of plumes of smoke, no doubt from some poor ship and even though we were close to shore we still were not out of the woods yet because at this time and place was known as the turkey shoot, so just how do you think that we felt?

At 18.40 [6.40pm] we arrived at the main river mouth as, for those in the know, the river mouth proper was only a small part of this huge delta complex, and at 20.00 [8.00 pm] we were boarded by our pilot and set sail up the river. Destination, New Orleans. Now we could relax and so started to get stuck into the Government refreshments. Now the pilot was aboard and the pilot boat, to save its motor just tied up to the ladder hanging over the side shut down the motor and let the ship do the rest. On board were the remaining two crew, so striking up a conversation with them we challenged them to the strength of their beer.          

When we told them the strength of our beer compared with theirs they just laughed at us saying that they did not believe us so to make our point we dropped down a few bottles. As they seemed to enjoy the brew we loaded up the stern of their boat with as much beer as it would hold for after all we had no more use for the stuff. The sequel came in the morning. We sailed up with all lights blazing enjoying the sheer feeling of being safe. Comes 05.00am we tie up in the stream and it was not until 13.15 {1.15 pm] that we finally tied up at the wharf and we still had to wait until 14.30 [2.30] to start disembarking in a foreign country, and also even that we were now allies we had to go through customs, declaring any thing illegal. When asked if I had any thing to declare I drew myself up to my full height of, in those days, 5ft 6ins and said in my most hurtful voice, “Just who the hell do you think we are, saboteurs!” With that he just laughed and said, “On your way Bub.”            

So we were now at the mercy of the bloody Yanks. However we have till 19.30 [7.30] before we catch the train to Chicago so I decided to see what I could of the town and hooked up with a Yank soldier on leave who offered to show me around with what time we had. It was unfortunate that the Mardi Gras would not be on for a few weeks still I got to see some of the more seedy parts of town, and as there was still some time to do before the train went we, that is the soldier and I, went into a bar for a drink. On the wall was a list of some drinks so I ordered a Pink Lady, drink that is, and after drinking it down and no effect I ordered another one.         

“Do you think you should!” the soldier said and as there was apparently no effect I answered “Yes I think another one will be alright.” Oh the foolishment of youth.          

“There's only two to a customer recommended” the bar tender said, but what did he know!      

Well on waking up in a swaying carriage with one heck of a taste in my mouth, I gingerly asked those around just where was I and what had happened. On being told that I was dropped off by a Yank soldier and I was very unsteady on my legs the boys took me in tow and laid me on a seat to sleep it off. On assessing myself I discovered that most of my money had gone all $65.00 dollars of it.       

So where did it go? On searching further I discovered a receipt for an Argus colour camera and yes you guessed it, it was for $65.00 so the Yank had not ripped me off. Now I know that I was with him because on having the film developed much later the first exposure has a bloke in uniform standing by the curb, very blurred as no one had told me that you had to focus the damn thing as I was used to a Brownie box camera, which surprise, surprise, I still have in my possession but the Argus has long gone.

So we are off to Chicago then onto Toronto. We expect to arrive in Chicago at 21.30 on 13th - a Monday. However around 1800 hrs {6pm] at one of the numerous stops we got talking to some girls who invited us to a do at their campus with the promise that they would get us to the train on time at Union Station, Chicago, and that we would not be missed. So a couple of other lads and myself hopped off the train and went with the girls to their campus where, surprise, surprise, there was a high class concert in progress. And although I was not used to this sort of high brow stuff I did enjoy it.        

However, time was marching on and the girls, bless them, piled us into their car and took off for Chicago railway station, and yes we got there in plenty of time. But wait, there's more, for in our absence our minder had done a head count and as no one seemed to know where we were had taken his hat off and was just starting to pull his hair out and was getting off the train to inform the American M.P.s that he had some deserters on his hands when low and behold we arrived on the platform.     

For some reason he didn't want to know where we had been but from that moment onwards he had the doors to the carriage locked, just as a precaution you understand, so that on arrival in Toronto he would have by his calculations a full muster. I don't know what gave him the impression that we would not be there. Oh ye of little faith.        
We will be leaving for Toronto at 23.59 [11.59] or in other words midnight. See I told you we had plenty of time.        

Now, we had traveled from New Orleans on the Illinois Central railway but from Chicago to Detroit we would be traveling on the NEW YORK CENTRAL railway where we would continue our journey by Canadian Pacific to our final destination, Toronto, and all this without changing trains.

Comes the morning and there is a very heavy frost on the ground so this must be a foretaste of things to come. Thank goodness the carriages had central heating. We were to arrive in Toronto at 15.30. After leaving Detroit we went under the river towards our goal arriving at Toronto at 15.15, where upon we were met by the highest ranking NCO the RCAF could find. A corporal no less, who in good old Air Force ways made us load our kit bags onto a truck and then made us fall in and march to our barracks. Imagine not having done any marching for a couple of months and you have the picture.    

Our place of abode was a place commonly known as THE BULL RING and it was in fact a place similarly like the show grounds we have here in NZ. The barracks were in the main buildings, with of course the main arena used as a parade ground. See they did think we were cattle. So after our first night in our most luxurious 10 Star hotel we were duly paraded in the morning and the officer in charge was horrified at the length of our hair and ordered us to "get it cut". And so to comply we reported to the station barbers. Seeing what was on offer apart from the hair cuts the first boys into the chairs ordered the works [silly boys] as come time to get out of the chairs payment plus tips was demanded. “What's this?! We thought that the Air Force was paying for the haircuts”       
   “Your pulling our leg aren't you!” was the stern reply. Apparently not as the Air Force had told us to get our hair cut not that they, the Air Force, would be paying for that pleasure. Tough titty. After the initial shock of payment [do you know just how much we were charged for the honour of cutting our Kiwi hair? An arm and a bloody leg]. No one told us that the barbers were civilian and they could and did charge what they liked. Needless to say we all made our own arrangements for hair cutting after that and for some unexplained reason Ronnie didn't ask any one to take on cutting his hair.

Still we were here for serious business and in the morning a very nice young man with a couple of stripes up asked us, nay ordered us, to get our butts outside and form up as a squad and start marching like we were enthusiastic about it. No wonder they called this the bull ring. After he was satisfied that we were presentable he marched us out of the bull ring and onto the road leading to Hamilton, [Ontario that is], where we marched at ease, thank goodness, till we were some distance from the camp where upon he halted us and let us sit down on the grass nearby or else we could just look at all the boats that were on the water. Lake Ontario that is.  

Or for real excitement we could watch the cars driving on the wrong side of the road whizzing by.

 

Canadian Boys Marching

But for rare excitement we could just sit still and watch the grass grow. Fascinating, just fascinating. But we were not allowed to go into Toronto.  

After a few hours of this unbridled excitement we were formed up again and marched back to the barracks just in time for lunch. Then after a short rest we were again reformed and made to march once more down the road to find another spot to sit and watch the grass grow. Somehow I don't think that it had stopped growing while we were away. This carry on went on day after day until 24/4/42 when we were given new orders.

Our original destination was apparently Calgary to train on Harvard's, but the Air Force had better ideas  and  our new  destination was Saskatoon which was in the heart of Saskatchewan, way, way out in the prairies. But the powers that be relented and gave us a weekend pass prior to catching the train and so we could go and have a look at Toronto.        

I did not know that later on in my career I would be able to see Toronto and also the surrounding countryside at a much more leisurely pace.       

Trevor enjoying the sights at Niagara Falls, Toronto

Apparently I hitched hiked to Niagara Falls and rode the Maid of the Mist for a very unforgettable experience and would see the falls many times later on. I also saw a remarkable place called Casa Loma, a castle of some renown, well in Toronto at least.   

But the 48hr pass soon went and we were soon at the Union Station again ready to catch the train for Saskatoon and were soon in our luxurious carriage which was called a day coach. You guessed it, seats only to accommodate one bod lying down and this was for a journey that will take two nights and two days and no pillows to lay our weary heads. Life is teaching us that all is not a bed of roses even for us glamour boys.        

So late in the afternoon of the 26/4/42 we arrived at Saskatoon and were greeted with our a very own air conditioned truck, far better than the ones we were used to in NZ as this one had no cover, no tail board but did have a long metal seat down each side. This is what we would call a stock truck and were possible thought of as such. And remember there was still some snow about.         

But now we had arrived at our destination No. 4 SFTS, which would be our home for the next four months.

 

Above: Casa Loma, Toronto

 

 

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