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

LUNGGA, GUADALCANAL, SOLOMON ISLANDS, 1944-02-29. A GROUP OF OFFICERS, OTHER RANKS AND NATIVE HOUSEBOYS AND GARDENERS AT THE HEADQUARTERS CAMP OF THE DEPUTY SUPERVISING INTELLIGENCE OFFICER (DSIO), NAVAL INTELLIGENCE DIVISION, RAN. THE OFFICERS, DISTINGUISHED BY THEIR WEARING HATS. LEFT TO RIGHT: LIEUTENANT (LT) R.N. EBBELS, RANVR; LT F.W. MCCONAGHY, RANVR; LT COMMANDER D.S. MACFARLANE, RANVR, DSIO; CAPTAIN B. FAIRFAX-ROSS, AUSTRALIAN ARMY; LT T.O. SEXTON, RANVR, RADIO OFFICER; LT W.B. MARSTON, RANVR. MACFARLANE AND FAIRFAX-ROSS SAW SERVICE IN THE FIELD AS COASTWATCHERS. THE IDENTITY OF THE OTHER RANKS AND OF THE SOLOMON ISLANDERS IS UNKNOWN. MOST OF THE OTHER RANKS PERSONNEL WERE MEMBERS OF THE US ARMY. 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.