September 28, 2006
The days can be hot and the patrols can be long but two Kiwi soldiers serving in the Solomons say they are enjoying every moment of their stay.
Private Justine O'Dwyer and Private Douglas Hughes deployed to the Solomon Islands in June with a 42-strong platoon from the 1st Battalion of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (1RNZIR).
They have been carrying out patrols, assisting local police in downtown Honiara and helping with external security at Rove Prison.
Private O'Dwyer, who has been working as a medic with a patrol near Rove Prison, says she has enjoyed meeting the Solomon Islanders and experiencing a new culture.
The hardest part of her trip has been coping with the temperature, which can reach 35 degrees Celsius at times, and being away from her friends and family.
“Leaving loved ones behind in New Zealand has been tough,” she says. “But it has been made much easier because they send me over the latest Cleo magazine and lollies. Thanks guys.”
Private Hughes also found the heat difficult but says the deployment to the Solomons has given him many new opportunities and allowed him to learn about the history and culture of the islanders.
“I was lucky enough to be part of a small group who took part in a tour of Bloody Ridge. Back in World War II the Japanese and Americans fought each other to claim the land because the islands were a good location for airfields. The tour explained the importance of Bloody Ridge, the whole battle and the history of how it quite easily could have gone the way of the Japanese.”
Private Hughes has made an effort to pick up some of the pigeon language spoken by the islanders during his stay so that he can speak with the locals during the many village visits and overnight stays his patrol conducts.
“The patrols allow you to really get out there and interact with the local people and experience different things like the food, sports, their way of doing things and their culture and beliefs.”
Since arriving in the Solomons on June 27, the current platoon from 1RNZIR has carried out more than 150 patrols to help ensure stability in the area around Rove Prison and Honiara.
The next rotation of New Zealand soldiers into the Solomons and the chance for Private Dwyer, Private Hughes and their platoon to come home will take place in late November.