Aitape, North East New Guinea. 16 April 1945. Following a few casualties in the rough surf of the ...

Aitape, North East New Guinea. 16 April 1945. Following a few casualties in the rough surf of the Aitape coast, Australian troops organised surf teams to police the bathing areas. Life-saving work became so popular, many teams are now formed and competition runs high between rival teams. A new form of entertainment is now available to the troops, in the frequent surf carnivals, held on rest days. Reel-teams compete on the sands of Aitape beach. Note the crowds thronged among the palms, on trucks, and all available seating accommodation. Reels are home made, the majority of them being old signal-wire spools. 'Rope' used is sometimes captured Japanese signal wire. Caps and trunks are made from discarded parachute material.