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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?cid=101&fct=showf

ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboard.cgi?fct=gotoforum&cid=101&fid=102

ť Topic: Ron 10- May 43 to July 43
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=2181

Gentlemen:

Can anyone shed some light on the location of Ron 10 from their base at Noumea at the end of May 43 until thier arrival at Rendova in July 1943? Did they stay in Noumea or did they deploy to Tulagi for a short time prior to moving north to Rendova?

Posted By: Dave v | Posted on: May 4, 2011 - 10:31am
Total Posts: 11 | Joined: Jan 10, 2011 - 8:07am

Dave;
Tulagi then Searlesville on Banika Island, Russell Islands.
Take care
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: May 5, 2011 - 10:09am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Where exactly on Banika Island was Searlesville?
I found this map that points out a PT Base on the point near the mouth of Wrenham Cove. Is this where the PT Base was?
[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Nathaniel%20Smith/Searlesvillemap.png[/image]

natsmith

Posted By: Nathaniel Smith | Posted on: May 8, 2011 - 2:32pm
Total Posts: 211 | Joined: Jan 19, 2008 - 6:55am

Nat;
This is the documented location for the Pacific wrecks website.
Lingatu Cove-Wernham Cove / Yellow Beach
Located at the southern end of Banika. Code named "Yellow Beach", on February 19, 1943, Headquarters and the 1st Battalion of the 103rd Regimental Combat Team, the 43d Signal Company, the 11th Defense Battalion detachment, and 43d Division headquarters landed at this location. By the end of February, a PT-Boat base and radar station were established at this location.

However, if you read this it appears to be located at Yellow Beach. We need to find the actual location of the Lever Brothers Plantation House(aka: The Officers Quarters), The explanation makes more sense than the map, unless the HQ building was at the location noted on the map and the boats moored further up the cove near Yellow Beach. They did use a LCPL and a Japanese barge to pick up crews off the boats for chow.

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Ted%20Walther/RenardSoundBanikaIslandmid1943.jpg[/image]

RENARD SOUND, separating the two airfields on Banika. Construction of roads, airfields, and boat bases began in February and by 15 April the first of the two airfields was ready for operation. The torpedo boat base at Lingatu (Wern-ham) Cove went into operation on 25 February.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: May 9, 2011 - 7:35am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Nat;
Google Earth makes more sense than the map. There are currently six buildings in theis location and across the water there are eight buildings. When Ken Prescott and Huck Wood went back in 1996, Ken told me only the concrete slab of the foundation remained of the Plantation House.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: May 9, 2011 - 7:57am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Thanks!

Its amazing what great info. you guys have.

Posted By: Dave v | Posted on: May 9, 2011 - 10:38am
Total Posts: 11 | Joined: Jan 10, 2011 - 8:07am

Great picture of Renard Sound.
I am sorry I am such a slow learner. I searched on Google Earth as was suggested. I hope this image will make it easier for for me to grasp the answer.

The Deck Log of PT-155 describes being moored to bushes in Sunlight Channel. It also describes a 6 minute trip to [the] warehouse on Wrenham Cove and an 8 minute trip to the fueling dock.

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Nathaniel%20Smith/PTBaseRussellIslands.png[/image]

Position B is where the map I posted earlier implied the PT base was located. The Yellow Beach area is position E. There looks like a substantial dock at position C.

Am I getting closer?

Nat

natsmith

Posted By: Nathaniel Smith | Posted on: May 9, 2011 - 3:04pm
Total Posts: 211 | Joined: Jan 19, 2008 - 6:55am

Nat;
Yes, you are close. I believe everything you targeted is part of the base complex. I also read they had two pontoon drydocks in another cove.
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: May 9, 2011 - 4:14pm
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Ted
I spoke with Barbara Wood (Huck's Wife) and she still has those slides when Huck and Ken Prescott went back to the Solomons. I have offered her the chance to transfer these slides to DVD. I am waiting on her answer. The slides would become useless if you have no projector, so transferring them to DVD would be great. I will let you know.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: May 10, 2011 - 1:29am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Frank;
That is fantastic! Ken never really mentioned the later photos, he just told me about the trip.
Take care,
TED

Posted By: TED WALTHER | Posted on: May 10, 2011 - 10:53am
Total Posts: 3059 | Joined: Oct 16, 2006 - 7:42am

Nat,

Is Sunlight Channel shown on your Google earth photo ?

Steve

Posted By: Nuge210 | Posted on: May 10, 2011 - 6:41pm
Total Posts: 323 | Joined: Jun 4, 2008 - 7:50am

This Google earth image shows Sunlight Channel

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/Nathaniel%20Smith/SunlightChannel.png[/image]

natsmith

Posted By: Nathaniel Smith | Posted on: May 11, 2011 - 5:36am
Total Posts: 211 | Joined: Jan 19, 2008 - 6:55am