Parts 1-6
Staff Sergeant deCavalho [5th Field Park Company, New Zealand Engineers] describes his experiences during the Libyan campaign, which led to him receiving the unexpected responsibility of being appointed Mayor of Apollonia [modern Susah in Libya.]
While his company was stationed at Derna he and Lance-Corporal Montrose and Sapper Chisholm went out on road reconnaissance between Derna and Cyrene, on 6 Jan 1941.
After many months in the desert the forested region and mountain scenery of Cyrenaica were a welcome sight. He describes passing through wooded areas to reach the ancient Greek colonial capital of Cyrene [now Shahat.] They also visited Apollonia nearby on the coast at Susah.
The Officer Commanding asked them to visit the town and evaluate the situation, as they had heard residents were asking for help restoring law and order. A crowd of local people surrounded them: Turks, Greeks, Libyans, Italians and Jews. They told them about looting which had gone on in the town, forcing the population underground into caves.
He set up a party of men to act as town council and patrolled the town. Many families were living in caves. The RAF had shot up the Italian aerodrome near the town, wounding an elderly woman.
The council of citizens appointed Sgt deCavalho as mayor. They encouraged residents to move back into their homes and set about deterring looters who were coming from a nearby village. They were fired upon by the looters and patrolled the streets with a policy of shoot to kill and shot several men.
The town began to return to life, with stores reopening and children playing outside. Another New Zealander, Sapper Hale arrived to join them and he shot another looter. Sgt deCavalho assisted a family with a new-born baby and was invited to a wonderful dinner as thanks. Australians came and asked if they could restart the local power station which supplied the hotel in Cyrene which was now their headquarters.
He treated an elderly woman wounded by RAF when they fired on the aerodrome and helped deliver a baby. They were invited to the christening of the baby and were asked to name him after a New Zealand statesman, so he was given the name Michael Joseph Ruben, after Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage.
A company of Australians arrived and they formally handed over the keys of the town to them. They had to formally record the birth of the babies and were showered with gifts and cheers by the inhabitants. He was given a silk flag of the town of Apollonia by the townspeople.
They rejoined their unit rebuilding a bridge at Basi which had been demolished by the Italians and they soon ended the Libyan campaign, travelling 856 miles back to base before setting off for Greece.
Sgt deCavalho ends by sending messages [on behalf of other men?] to Mrs Dixon, Jack and Zena of Tauranga, from Archie. Hello to Mum and Pop and the rest of the Stone family, Bill and I are okay.