Forrester, Walter William (Sapper, b.1920)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of NX54460 Sapper Walter William Forrester, 2/4 Australian Field Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers, Balikpapan, Borneo, 1945.

Collection consists of one typewritten five-page letter from Sapper Forrester. In his letter, Forrester provides an account of his experience of landing at Balikpapan in July 1945. He describes traveling from Morotai in an American invasion craft alongside troops from the Netherlands army, and arriving at Balikpapan two days after the initial landing. He saw Allied ships bombarding the town, minesweepers in the harbour, and bombers overhead, their sights on targets inland. Forrester describes the devastation of the town when he and his unit landed the following day, including the lack of trees and other vegetation, cratered roads, lack of clean water, fires, smashed vehicles, damaged railway lines, crumpled oil tanks, and buildings reduced to rubble. He also mentions the impact of the conflict on local people. Forrester goes on to give an account of the reconstruction efforts, saying that usable material was salvaged and buildings were being repaired. However, he included that the Japanese were using bombers to attack the harbour on clear nights, and that the bombs caused anxiety for the troops in the town.