2/5 Independent Company in New Guinea and Borneo / Mick Sheehan

Mick Sheehan's film record of his service with the 2/5 Independent Company (later 2/5 Cavalry Commando Squadron) in New Guinea and Bougainville. Shows VX56 Major Ian Kerr CO 2/5 Commando Squadron. Invasion of Balikpapan 1 July 1945. Invasion fleet and landing barges. Gunfire from warship. Shore line. Smoke from burning oil tanks and wells, enemy fortifications etc. Beach area after bombardment. Shot taken after landing. Shore line and landing beaches. Camera panning from a tower on Sepinggang airstrip. Fighter aircraft do a strafing run on enemy position in front of 2/5 Commando Sqn. The camera pans following aircraft. Forward on the Milford Highway at 632723. The Bren gun pit of Lieut Sheehan's No. 8 Section, showing L to R Cpl Albert Clements (at Bren gun) and Tpr Keith Cole. Japanese A/A gun. Major Ian Kerr. Japanese A/A gun on Milford Highway. L to R Trooper Gordon Middlesborough, Sgt R.O. "Matey" McLaughlin, Trooper Boris Murdoch of the 2/5 Cdo Sqn. Jungle at 2/5 Cdo Sqn position which had previously been blasted by artillery bombardment and aerial strafing. Camera panning. Unidentified soldiers outside Sqn HQ. Tpr Le Leivre takes the mail to Sqn HQ. The 2/7 Commando Regt took the surrender of Koreda Japanese force in front of their position. Here the CO of the 2/7 Commando Regt, Lt Col. N.L. Fleay, takes the surrender of the Japanese commander assisted by the interpreter. The interpreter repeats orders to the Japanese commander. Japanese are searched for weapons and formed up for further movement. A notice in Japanese which had been put out betwwen 2/7 Cdo Regt and Japanese positions with instructions to the Japanese about surrendering. The 2.5 Commando Sqn took the surrender of a second Japanese force further forward at Mentawir on 16 September. Here they are being searched. After the Japanese had surrendered, the 2/5 Cmdo Sqn was relieved and moved back to the 7 Div HQ area near the beach at Batakan Besar. These shots were taken at the main inhabited area of Balikpapan, called Kampong Baru. A mosque at the township area, damaged in the bombardment. Houses occupied in pre-war days by Dutch residents. When the 2/5 Sqn was disbanded on 9 October, some of the troops went to Macassar while awaiting repatriation. This shot is of a group about to leave. The aircraft carrier which took them. The following scenes are from the earlier reels and precede those placed ahead of them in the scene list. They relate to going to New Guinea and are followed by some activity on the Atherton Tablelands. the action in Borneo followed. Shows Group of officers at Spencer Street station, Melbourne, leaving for New Guinea. Lieutenants Ian McLennan, Brian Lockhart, Bill Horne, Tom Bullock (in hat) Lieut Mick Sheehan standing on railway engine. Lieutenant Sheehan gets down from engine and joins group, from left Lieutenants Bullock, Horne and Lockhart. Leaving Spencer Street Station, shot from window of troop train. On board the troopship crossing the Coral Sea. Shot taken from beneath a life boat. Another vessel in the convoy. Group of Officers sitting: Lieutenants I. McLennan, W. Horne. Lieutenant Sheehan standing with back to camera, turns. The following shots were taken after the troops had been in New Guinea for some time during the Kokoda campaign. Camera pans L to R along group: Ptes D. Rennie, unidentified, unidentified, S. Suckling, R, Stammers, Sgt W. Annear, Pte R.G. Taylor. L to R Pte S. Suckling, R. Stasmmers, Sgt W. Annear, Lieut M. Sheehan, Pte J. Preston. A close-up of the same group. Shot taken from motor wvehicle driving out to the 7-Mile airstrip, to fly to Wau. Transport plane at the airstrip. Interior of plane on the way to Wau. Among those that can be indentified are Ptes J. Preston, R Stammers, F. Moore. shot of another transport flying alongside. Wau Valley. Troops on the way forward stop for a drink at a stream. Sgt A.G. White (in topi), Pte W. Stingemore drinks from a mug. Crossing one of the many streams. Pte Lance Pearce (in helmet). View from Ballams (about 5000ft) back along the wau Valley (frequently covered by cloud). Shows some of the huts at Ballams. Troops moving along track towards Sumit camp. From front: Ptes R. McAlpine, S. Suckling, W. Stingemore, L. Pearce (in helmet), K. Long. Crossing along a log over a stream, a frequent occurence. Pte J. Preston, followed by L. Pearce. Difficult log crossing. Pte W. Stingemore and L. Pearce (in helmet). Summit camp (6000ft). Grave of Lieut Bill Drysdale at Guadagasal, KIA at Mubo on 1 Oct, 1942. Native carrier line arriving at Summit camp. Summit camp during the daily heavy rain. Troops drying their clothes in between rains. Pte J. Murphy on duty as cook. He serves food to unidentified, Ptes K. Long and E. Noakes. Native carrier line at Skindewai. They watch an operation on a wounded soldier. Forward scouts at Waipali. L to R Ptes Done Suter and Dick Taylor. Smae setting, L to R Lieut Sheehan and Pte Dick Taylor eat sugar cane. A native with the scouts keeps watch from a tree. Amarai, a native carrier with the scouts. The forward scouts take a rest at Waipali. Camera panning L to R: Cpl Dick Fitzgerald, Pte Ray Stammers (in beret), Walter Sabien, Dick Taylor with hat and beard. On the way to attack Mubo in January 1943. A group of 2/5 and 2/7 Independent Company troops resting at (Neill's?) creek. Major TBF Macadie seated in middle. Lieutenant B. de Meyrick (in beret standing). Garrison Hill, Mubo, seen from Vickers Ridge during the attack by 2/5 and 2/7 Coys in January 1943. Smoke from mortar bombs can be seen. Bitoi River which flows between Mubo and Vickers Ridge. Heavy rain. Returning from raid. A stop at a stream. Panning from L to R past Lieutenant W. Ridley (beret), Lieutenant J. Greer (bald head) to Captain n. Winning, standing shirtless. Troops move along mountain track towards Skindewai. Lieutenant Mick Sheehan (in beret), followed by Lieutenant M. Wylie (in hat) and Lieutenant W. Ridley (beret and beard). Wau valley from Ballams. the following shots are in colour. they are of the forward scouts at Buibaining and Guadagasal and were taken before the preceding attack on Mubo. With the forward scouts at Buibaining (on the Black Cat track). A native wedding. In the abscene of a Patrol Officer, Lieutenant Sheehan gave the necessary approval. Natives play football, with a cocnut tree fibre. Native watch Pte Ernie Bygravew clean his Tommy gun. Visiting Papuan police boys do drill. Some natives dress for a photo. Forward scouts at Buibaining L to R unidentified, unidentified, Pte R. Taylor, R Stammers, E. Bygrave, W. Sabien, D. Suter, Lieutenant M. Sheehan. Looking from the scouts observation post at Guadagasai towards Mubo along the Bitoi Valley. A strike by Beaufighters took place during this shot. [End of colour] the following scenes were taken while the unit was training on the Atherton Tablelands between the New Guinea and Borneo campaigns. The 7 Division sports meeting on 21 December 1944. shots of 2/7 Cdo Regt athletes in various events. The mile won by Tpr Laurie Denton (2/5 Sqn). Jack Leane (2/5 Sqn) wins the 100 yds. The motor cycle relay race, won by the 2/7 Regt. The winning team L to R Tpr H. Durant. Lieut E. Peel, Tpr G. Blewett, Capt R. Couche. Brigadier Eather presents the winners trophy to Lt Col Fleay, CO of the 2/7 Cdo Regt. The 2/7 Cdo Regt sports on 1 January 1945. Lieut J.F.N. Keane 2/5 Cdo Sqn. Capt E.G. Chaston, Lieut R. Halliday, Capt J. Macqueen. [Colour begins again] Lieut R.N. Crook. Liet R.B. Lynam. Lieuts Lynam and Crook. Lieut C. Broom. Lieut B. Davies. Lieut Davies and Broom. [transcribed from Mick Sheehan's scene list]