Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 25, 2007 11:51:31 GMT 12
One of the legendary pieces of kiwi ingenuity that came out of the RNZAf at Guadalcanal was the Cactus Stove. Named Cactus after the codename that the Allies had for Guadalcanal, the stove was made from old oil tins and other bits of scrap and consisted of a tank of diesel that drip fed down into a bottom chamber that was filled with coral. It was lit and heated the upper chamber which would hold the water, and the smoke would be drafted off using a chimney made again from old petrol or oil tins.
One of the prime uses for the Cactus Stove was boiling uniforms, it was really the Guadalcanal washing machine. Apparently when you washed all your shrts, shorts and socks together it usually came out a 'uniform grey' but clean.
An interesting fact I just learned this week is that the Cactus Stove was apparently invented by Fred Morriss of Cambridge during No. 3 Squadron's first tour at Cactus (Guadalcanal). Mr Morris was a carpenter by trade, and apparently an airgunner in the RNZAF, and was renowned for his inventions and for his front lawn that was covered in his hand-made concrete animals. A local legend by all accounts.
One of the prime uses for the Cactus Stove was boiling uniforms, it was really the Guadalcanal washing machine. Apparently when you washed all your shrts, shorts and socks together it usually came out a 'uniform grey' but clean.
An interesting fact I just learned this week is that the Cactus Stove was apparently invented by Fred Morriss of Cambridge during No. 3 Squadron's first tour at Cactus (Guadalcanal). Mr Morris was a carpenter by trade, and apparently an airgunner in the RNZAF, and was renowned for his inventions and for his front lawn that was covered in his hand-made concrete animals. A local legend by all accounts.
