the immediate task of the advance party, in preparation for the arrival of the first contingent, 1 august, was that of cleaning and equipping the assigned buildings. in order to fit the physical facilities for efficient use, there was also considerable minor carpentry, plumbing, signal and engineering work to be done, as well as quartermaster and commissary supplies to be drawn. as a result of strenuous work by the members of the advance party, carried out over long hours, the physical task of moving in was completed by saturday evening, 22 july 1944. on the following monday morning, a field ration mess was opened.