3rd New Zealand Division Special Tank Squadron

Major Rutherford's Valentine Mark III CS loading for "Operation Squarepeg" on Guadalcanal on the 11th of February 1944.

by J. E. Plowman

The 1st New Zealand Tank Brigade, trained in New Zealand for service in the Middle East, was destined never to see service as a whole unit. It and its component units were successively broken up until only one squadron remained, the 3rd New Zealand Division Special Tank Squadron Group. This unit had been assembled from 2 Tanks Battalion Group in July 1943 and readied for service with 3rd Division in the Pacific. Its commanding officer was Major T. C. Wallace (former commanding officer of 2 Tanks) and second in command was Captain R. J. Rutherford (former commanding officer of A Squadron). The establishment of the squadron differed from squadrons of normal battalions for in effect it was a miniature battalion.

Squadron Headquarters: two Valentine IIICS and two Valentine III tanks;

Reconnaissance and Intercommunications Troop: 13 scout cars and four jeeps;

Five Troops: one Valentine IIICS and two Valentine III tanks;

B Echelon: one jeep, two Chevrolet 4x4 store trucks, one slave battery carrier, two GMC 6x4;

Signal Troop;

Ordnance Field Park Company;

ASC MT Company (part of divisional ASC once overseas).

In August orders were received for the unit to move overseas. The main body, including the tanks and part of B Echelon, were to go to Guadalcanal, the scout car troops, reinforcements and the balance of B Echelon were to proceed to New Caledonia. The latter departed on H.M.S. Cetus on 31 August, joining the main body on Guadalcanal in January 1944. The squadron itself departed for Wellington late in August and were quartered in Trentham Camp. Here they received nine Valentine Mk. IIICS tanks (with their 3-inch howitzers) bringing their tank strength up to 25. In addition, they were issued with a quantity of 2-pdr. HE (a Bofors HE shell fitted to a 2-pdr. case) and 2-pdr. canister (a U.S. 37-mm canister shell fitted to a 2-pdr. case). Unfortunately, efforts to prepare a 3-inch howitzer canister round proved to be unsuccessful...the shell was too fragile and tended to leave ball bearings in the barrel.

On 7 September the squadron left Wellington on the U.S.S. James B. Francis arriving at Guadalcanal on the 26th of that month. Camp was set up two miles up the Lunga River on a piece of low-lying ground adjacent to the river, though the tented quarters were later shifted to a nearby hill (for obvious reasons). At the end of September the tanks were fitted with wireless extensions for infantry use and grousers were fitted to the tracks and experimented with, though they were later discarded. Early in October the ammunition rings were modified to fit the special 2-pdr. ammunition. Shortly afterward the fighting troops were attached to the battalions of 8th Brigade; 2 and 5 to 24th Battalion, 1 and 4 to 29th Battalion, and 3 to 35th Battalion; the infantry phones used on these trials proved to be satisfactory.

At a demonstration of the tanks to a visiting British officer it was found that the 2-pdr. HE would not fit; apparently the shell had not been pushed far enough into the 2-pdr. cases, hence the breech would not close. All rounds were modified by the tank workshops though it proved necessary to chamber test each round. Courses and demonstrations were begun on the 3-inch howitzer and the use of the indirect fire equipment after the arrival of Major A. J. Flint that month.

In November, while gaining experience in locating enemy positions, one gunner received numerous pieces of lead and nickel in his shoulder when bullet splash entered the turret under the mantlet. All tanks thereafter had a bullet splash guard fitted below the gun on the gunner's side.

In January the tank telephones were moved to the rear body of the tank, the mike and headphones combined into one unit and 15-foot leads provided. Five tanks in the squadron received 100-yard cables. Two lights were also fitted to the rear of the fighting compartment.

Major Wallace had resumed command of the squadron in October 1943, however, in January 1944 he took ill and had to be repatriated to New Zealand. Captain Rutherford assumed command. Then on 8 February came the news that the squadron was to participate in Opera-tion SQUARE PEG, the landings on the Green Island Group. The squadron was to be split into three flights: the first to include eight tanks, one SBC, one 3-tonner, one jeep, stores and men; the second to include nine tanks, one 3-tonner, stores, etc., and the third four jeeps, one trailer plus stores. On the 11th, 1st Flight left from Kukum Beach, Major Rutherford's tank and 1st Troop (under Lieutenant T. K. Evans) in LST 447 and Lieutenant Cox's tank and 3rd Troop (under Lieutenant D. Holden) in LST 446.

The landing of 14th Brigade, at first light on 15 February, was unopposed. Consequently a holiday atmosphere pervaded the landing areas and though there were supposed to be infantry patrols holding a perimeter, a determined Japanese attack could have wreaked havoc.

1st Flight of the squadron came ashore in the afternoon and the tanks were used to drag heavy anti-aircraft guns ashore. 1st Troop landed on Green Beach (south of the Tangalan plantation) and 3rd Troop on Red Beach (north of the plantation) with 37th Battalion; they rejoined the squadron next day. On D+1, 1st Flight moved south with 35th Battalion, breaking tracks for the infantry. Lieutenant Evans fired the first shots for the squadron when his gunner accidentally discharged the Besa.

Late in the evening of D+2 the squadron reached the south coast of the island just in time to see a Japanese barge leaving the area. At first light on D+3, infantry patrols working towards the mission area encountered a deep ravine. Major Rutherford inspected it but concluded that it was too wide for the tanks to cross. In an effort to find a way around it Lieutenant Holden's troop, one SHQ tank and an infantry platoon were sent along the southern beach in the afternoon. Some 70 Japanese were reported to be in the mission area so they could expect to encounter some or be fired on from the cliffs. About 300 yards from the start line some natives were found sheltering under an overhang at the foot of the cliffs, but they proved to be of no help (they were terrified). About one mile further on the patrol ran into a peninsula of rocks jutting out into the sea which blocked further progress.

Leading infantry reported signs of Japanese and some caves so the tanks were ordered to fire their coaxial machine guns at the cliffs to draw fire and flush out the enemy. However, apart from abandoned equipment, the caves proved to be empty. After this the patrol returned to South Point.

At first light on D+4, 1st Flight proceeded to Green Beach, one tank of 3rd Troop became mechanically disabled en route and had to be left behind. They were transported across the lagoon to Blue Beach at the Pokonian Plantation and then to 30th Battalion Headquarters. The enemy had been reported in the mission area and before moving in the area was bombarded by 144th Battery. However, the mission was occupied unopposed; the Japanese had slipped through the noose.

The tanks and brigade headquarters remained at the mission while 30th Battalion returned to their jumping off position at the village of Tanaheran. Here the troops took time out for a swim. Late in the afternoon, 5th Platoon from A Company set out on patrol along the cliff face where they encountered some Japanese. In the resulting engagement two Japanese were killed and when the rest were seen to scurry down the cliff via a ravine the rest of the company was sent for and the position was held all night.

On the morning of D+5, A Company returned to Tanaheran and the rest of the battalion returned to their permanent bivouac area. Later that morning the brigade carrier platoon under Captain Stronach arrived at Tanaheran with the view to selecting a suitable site for brigade headquarters.

To all intents and purposes this area was clear of the enemy, so Stronach decided on a swim followed by lunch. One man wandered over to the cliffs to have a swim when a shot rang out. Two of the sergeants gathered some of the men together to investigate and were met by bursts of machine gun fire which wounded two men. Stronach formed a cordon around the area and when attempts to rescue one man proved fruitless he realized he was opposed by considerable force. (The Japanese had been hiding in caves along the south coast in the vicinity of Tanaheran and had thus evaded detection. In the morning patrols from 35th Battalion pushed the Japanese north and onto the carrier platoon.)

At 2:00 p.m. the squadron liaison officer, Captain L. F. Brooker, called up the squadron and indicated that two tanks could be employed in the area. Lieutenant Evans and his troop sergeant, R. H. H. Beetham, were sent accompanied by Major Rutherford and part of squadron headquarters. After making contact with Captain Brooker, machine guns were set up on the east side of the village to give covering fire through the trees, while tanks were sent into the area; the time was 2:30 p.m.

Some half an hour later, Major Rutherford found that the two tanks were operating too far to the left. He crawled forward, contacted Lieutenant Evans over his infantry phone and guided him onto a fresh line. Major Rutherford returned and called up 3rd Troop. At 3:45 p.m., 14 and 15 Platoons of B Company, 30th Battalion, under Major Bullen arrived to relieve Stronach's platoon. Till their arrival the area had been held by some 14-15 men from Stronach's platoon, four medium machine gun teams and the squadron (including their B Echelon which had been in their area since the previous day).

Shortly after this Lieutenant Holden and his troop corporal (H. Johns) arrived and were directed into the scene of the engagement. They were followed by the three other tanks (Lieutenant Cox, Major Rutherford's tank and Corporal Falloon of 1st Troop) that were retained outside the area. Then Sergeant Beetham's tank arrived carrying the wounded man. Apparently in maneuvering to protect the wounded man Lieutenant Evan's tank had run over a branch on which the wounded man lay and in the act lifted him onto Sergeant Beetham's tank. The tanks continued to strafe the area using canister at the higher tree levels while the three tanks outside the area concentrated Besa machine gun, canister and HE on suspected sniper posts.

At 5:45 p.m., B Company decided to direct mortar fire into the area to enable the company to reorganize and launch an assault. Evan's and Holden's troops were withdrawn to their B Echelon's position north of the village watched by the other three tanks who joined them shortly afterwards. Here all seven stood by in case they were needed. The mortar came down short though was soon corrected enabling the two platoons to get into position. In the fading light (around 6:00 p.m.) the infantry attacked under a barrage of grenades and small arms fire and carried the position. The few survivors were picked up by 16th Platoon, B Company, which was on a beach patrol and the next day while trying to escape to the caves and by barges from the coast. A total of 52 dead Japanese were counted in the area. At 6:45 p.m., Lieutenant Holden's tank was guided to where the remnants of the enemy were believed to be while the rest of the squadron returned to Mission Point. Shortly afterward Lieutenant Holden arrived at Mission Point, but his tank had not been needed.

At the ammunition refilling point a check was taken of the damage incurred by the tanks and the ammunition expended in the area:

3-inch howitzer: 62 rounds

Besa: 10,800 rounds

2-pdr. HE: 37 rounds

Bren: 700 rounds

Canister: 50 rounds

Armor-piercing: 8 rounds

The tanks had not gone untouched. Snipers had concentrated on the periscopes while machine gun fire had been directed against the 2-inch mortar aperture and on the gun sights. Lieutenant Evans had to replace his periscope four or five times and one bullet came with a half-inch of his gun sight.

On D+7, 1st Flight joined 2nd Flight (who had arrived on D+5) crossing the lagoon once again. Camp was set up at the northern end of the Tangalan Plantation by the lagoon; from then on it was all downhill. Personnel were steadily withdrawn for service in the Middle East and home employment and the squadron eventually returned to New Zealand where it was disbanded.

In October 1943 the tanks were painted with heat resistant paint. This consisted of mixing some silica into the paint to give it a matt finish. The interiors were painted in white or aluminum. It would appear that the turrets and upper surfaces from the rear engine deck to the driver's hatches were painted deep bronze green, while all the rest of the tank (including the top surface of the glacis plate and driver's front plate) were finished in mid-bronze green. Furthermore, most tanks appeared to have small patches of mid-bronze green applied over the turret and upper hull, while Holden's troop sergeant appears to have applied small patches of light bronze green or yellow, leopard-spot fashion over his tank.

References

The Pacific. (The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War.) Gillespie, War Histories Branch, Department of Internal Affairs.

Tanks, MMGs and Ordnance—2 NZEF—IP. A. H. and A. W. Reed (Publisher).

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank R. J. Rutherford, A. J. Flint, T. K. Evans, D. Holden, the National Archives, the Alexander Turnbull Library and the Queen Elizabeth II Army Museum for their assistance.

 

In addition to retaining the "Dragon Rampant" (drawing left) of the 1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade, the squadron also retained the 2 Tanks regimental number, "26" in a red square. In the case of those tanks that had formerly belonged to 2 Tanks in New Zealand it was simply a matter of painting the 3rd Division "Kiwi" (drawing center) next to the arm-of-service insignia front and rear. The Valentine IIICS tanks had to be freshly painted, hence their dragon was simpler in design (drawing right). Between these insignia, on the front only, the tanks carried the troop number. Troop numbers were painted in Roman numerals 15 inches high on the turret sides and on the Bren ammunition box on the rear. These were carried well forward on the turret sides though in the case of 3rd and 4th Troops (at least) the asymmetric arrangement of the pistol ports meant that it had to be painted behind the pistol port on the gunner's side. Initially squadron headquarters tanks were marked with Arabic numbers 1-4; later the headquarters squadron diamond was added. The troop lieutenant's markings were painted with white paint, while the troop sergeant's markings were yellow and the troop corporal's markings were red. The squadron headquarters diamond appears to be yellow while the number is most probably white. In addition to this the fighting troops carried the letters TL, TS and TC on their tank telephones for troop lieutenant, troop sergeant and troop corporal respectively.