The author joined up in the Engineers when war broke out in 1939 and by October 1941, by then a lieutenant, he was in the Middle East.

     There, he worked with 2/1 Field Company including the push north into Syria as the Australians fought the Vichy French.

     With the Pacific War underway much of the AIF was returned to defend Australia and Grover soon found himself in Papua.

    His unit  was sent to the start of the Kokoda Trail, with the task of hacking a new track through the jungle. They had almost reached Nauro when the Japanese arrived first and the work was abandoned.

     He later built roads and bridges around Buna and faced the force of nature often ruining bridges that had just been built.

    In charge of a platoon of 2/14 Field Company, next came Wau and Bulolo –– again building and repairing vital bridges.

      The end of the war in the Pacific found Grover and his engineers supporting the fighting along the New Guinea north coast.