Page 16 - BNVTA CAMPAIGN Summer 2020

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campaign Summer 2020
Reader’s Story by Kenneth Bainger MBE
Operation Dominic
Christmas Island 1961 to 1962
In 1961 I was a Warrant Officer employed as a Shop Foreman
of the Electrical Department, Army Technical School, Chepstow.
I received a posting to Christmas Island in August 1961 to relieve a warrant officer who had completed his year on the island.
I travelled by civilian airline to New York, Los Angeles, and Hawaii, then by RAF Transport Command - Hastings to Christmas Island. The first thing I noticed when we landed was a rotting smell. After reporting to my officer, commanding 73 Squadron, Royal Engineers (Major) the warrant officer I was to relieve, Don Crawford, who has since passed away, introduced me to the rest of the squadron in their mess. He then said, look in the large mirror, what do you see?
I said, “I am the only white man”. Yes, they were all dark brown. Next, at night he took me cray fishing. I had no idea what I was in for. First, he said, “Here is your kit and wear army boots. The kit was a hurricane lamp, kit bag, and thick leather gauntlets”. I said, “Why army boots?” He said, among the coral are Moray eels who have sharp teeth. When we arrived at the other end of the island there were Navy, Army and RAF sitting beside two 40-gallon oil drums full of saltwater boiling away - these were for cooking the crayfish. Apparently, there was a coral prong that side of the island.
Don told me to put the open kit bag over my left shoulder, with my right hand holding the lit hurricane lamp high and slowly walk forward looking
for crayfish. Crayfish taste similar to lobster and look like a black round centre with many long tentacles coming from it. When you see one,
too close to the edge. If you see any person close to the edge, shout a warning. On return to the fuel drums I cooked the crayfish and they were delicious.
The next day I was shown my responsibilities, that is, Port Camp Power Station, water and sewage system, boilers, lighting, heating, also main camp in mothballs, large fuel tanks, refrigeration, cold storage, electrics at the airport, battery charging and repair workshop. Don took me fishing where we came across white fish that moved vertically. When caught, you cut off either side, cook in a frying pan with coconut milk - melts in your mouth. After Don returned to England, I went shark fishing with the Royal Navy - caught a Tiger Shark, and shark fishing from the shore. I also caught a 6-foot long black tail tipped shark. Also, I posted a coconut to UK and it reached home!
Because of little to do, sports
were encouraged. I had plenty of work to do - I watched a film and found it was interrupted on/off, and diagnosed palm branches growing between lines in the Gilbertese village, and vibration from the generator diesel engine. The sewage /foul water collection tank near the officer’s mess in Port Camp had
STOP, transfer the hurricane lamp to your left hand, then, very slowly lower your right hand over the crayfish within about 6 inches, pause, push down hard as you can onto the round black centre, grasp tightly (take no notice of the hungry, lively tentacles) and throw into your pre-arranged kit bag. Relax, and don’t move.
Then continue making sure you avoid any holes in the coral. If a baby shark comes near you, punch them with your gauntlet and keep in sight with each other. Don’t stray