LUNGGA, GUADALCANAL, SOLOMON ISLANDS, 1944-02-29. A GROUP OF OFFICERS AND OTHER RANKS AT THE ...

LUNGGA, GUADALCANAL, SOLOMON ISLANDS, 1944-02-29. A GROUP OF OFFICERS AND OTHER RANKS AT THE HEADQUARTERS CAMP OF THE DEPUTY SUPERVISING INTELLIGENCE OFFICER (DSIO), NAVAL INTELLIGENCE DIVISION, RAN. LEFT TO RIGHT: BACK ROW, WEARING HATS: CAPTAIN B. FAIRFAX-ROSS, AUSTRALIAN ARMY; LIEUTENANT (LT) F.W. MCCONAGHY, RANVR; LT W.B. MARSTON, RANVR; LT COMMANDER D.S. MACFARLANE, RANVR, DSIO; LT T.O. SEXTON, RANVR, RADIO OFFICER. THE MAN IN THE FRONT ROW WEARING A HAT IS LT R.N. EBBELS, RANVR. FAIRFAX-ROSS AND MACFARLANE SAW SERVICE IN THE FIELD AS COASTWATCHERS. THE IDENTITY OF THE OTHER MEN IS UNKNOWN. MOST OF THEM ARE OTHER RANKS PERSONNEL OF THE US ARMY. BEHIND THE GROUP IS A NATIVE PIT-PIT HUT MADE FROM THE WOOD AND LEAVES OF THE SAGO PALM. IT IS BEING USED AS A STOREHOUSE. THE DSIO'S HQ AT LUNGGA WAS THE COLLECTION AND RELAY POINT FOR OPERATIONAL INTELLIGENCE GATHERED BY THE NETWORK OF COASTWATCHERS THAT OPERATED IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS.