The Boys Got Their
p. 145 · Read in the full issue
[?]E Wharfies
Dn’T Help. But—
The Boys Got Their Christmas Presents
’EW stevedoring records were set in Singapore on Christmas Eve, 1954, when Major Ratu Penaia nilau and eight soldiers of the Fiji Battalion in Ma’aya went to rk in the holds of an overseas sel. rhe men had made a 200-odd es’ dash from Batu Pahat to col t gift parcels from home and tribute them on Christmas morn . Apparently the gift cases had n held up in Australia and they . not arrive until the night be e Christmas Eve. When Major nilau located the vessel they were >ard, he was told that the cases ild not be unloaded as no labour s available.
Ie explained to the ship’s officer t Fiji’s fighting men were eagerly aiting their gifts from home, and had come several hundred miles make sure that they got them.
Ie was told that he could have cases if his men would do the oading. The nine Fijians dived o the hold and the precious tes were at Battalion headquart at about 7 p.m, on Christmas 7.