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was the question of leave. As early as 15 December Field noted that a complaint‘had been transmitted via II Corps that “61 Bn has had no leave for 3 years most ofwhich period has been spent in New Guinea”’.206 While this was not true, all unitsof the 7th Brigade had commenced service in Bougainville with many men havingvery large leave credits. In contrast, the 15th and 29th Brigades had leave beforedeparting from Australia.207 Statistics in Field’s papers showed that 633 personnelwithin the 61st Battalion had not had leave for 12 to 18 months, considerablyhigher than either of the other two battalions.208 On 18 February he was compelledto write a confidential memo to his COs ‘on the subject of leave rumours’.209 Ewen’sdiary contains a substantial number of references to that very subject. On 19 Marchhe noted ‘it is quite possible that we may be back in Aussie for the Anzac March …next month’.210 The issue of arranging leave after the brigade’s relief occupied Fieldthroughout late April.211 The final arrangements dictated by higher authorities,which limited the amount of leave that could be taken and only allowed drafts todepart when the preceding one had been concentrated for return, were describedby Field as ‘an injustice to all concerned and will be widely resented’.212 Like juniorleadership, this was a brigade-wide problem but one that was particularly sensitivein the 61st Battalion. Long noted, ‘There are men in this Bn (61) who’ve had only24 days leave since Milne Bay’.213 On the departure of men from the battalion onleave, Ewen noted:206 Field’s diary, 15 December 1944, AWM 3DRL6937, Item 6.207 ‘3 Aust Div Report on Operations November 1944–August 1945’, p. 158, AWM3DRL2529, Item 75.208 ‘Leave – 7 Aust Inf Bde Gp’, undated, AWM 3DRL6937, Item 35. It is probable that thiswas part of a ‘comprehensive memorandum on leave’ Field mentioned in his diary inApril. Field’s diary, 19 April 1945, AWM 3DRL6937, Item 7.209 Field’s diary, 18 February 1945, AWM 3DRL6937, Item 7.210 Ewen’s diary 1, 19 March 1945, AWM PR89/190. See also entries 23 February and 25March.211 Field’s diary, 17, 19, 20 and 27 April 1945, AWM 3DRL6937, Item 7.212 Field’s diary, 28 April 1945, AWM 3DRL6937, Item 7.213 Long’s notes, 6 February 1945, AWM 67, Item 2/68.48 — A tale of three battalions