KEY POINTS:
New Zealand Army Corporal Ray Trembath is following his father's footsteps in the Solomon Islands.
Francis Selwyn was stationed here for 2 1/2 years during World War II with 36 Battalion, and others among the 43 New Zealand defence personnel in the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (Ramsi) are in the same position.
"It's been good to come here and be able to see some [of the places] our fathers served in," said Corporal Trembath. He said his father seldom spoke about his experiences.
The 53-year-old enjoys the Solomons and the Army.
"This is my sixth mission, worldwide. I adore it."
He has two nephews serving in East Timor, but unlike his siblings he has never married or had children. He is addicted to the adventure and thrill of the job.
"The first thing I will do when I get back is go into Auckland and apply for another deployment, hopefully to Afghanistan or back here."
He also enjoys connecting with the locals. In the Solomons, the troops work with the community to build confidence in local policing and maintenance of law and order.
"If you just wave out to them and drive on they don't see you or talk to you. But if you spend four or five hours talking to one group of people, after a while going from village to village it doesn't take long until they know exactly who you are, that you are the good guys."
He was disturbed by the possibility of Ramsi being wound up early. There would be problems again with militia units and the hordes of unemployed, disillusioned youth.
"I think it's important that Ramsi stays here until the mission is complete. It's no use pulling out before you know it's complete."
- NZPA
