Good stuff guys!
Good on ya Vassili/Austin!
The 1st Marine Division trained at Mackay's Crossing, the border of Raumati South and Paekakariki in New Zealand prior to heading for Guadalcanal, the camp now Queen Elizabeth II park. I lived in the area a couple of times.
Prior to leaving, they dug a huge pit, drove the jeeps round in circles till the engines seized and bulldozed them into the pit (there were fears of the equipment falling into enemy hands should the Japanese attack)
The Stuart tanks suffered a similar fate, as did a mass of ammunition, dumped in heaps, and demolished. Some mates used to pillage the still visible earth mounds for ammo, and I scored a heap of bullet heads that way myself, aswell as 5 complete 50 cal. rounds. Once heard of someone walking home with a 105 mm artillery round from there!
One of the Stuart tanks was located in a creek when I was last there (about '93 I think) and there were plans to restore and display it at the entrance to the park. No idea if that eventuated.
Interesting to note too that a main road near the entrance is called 'Jeep road'.
Thought this might be of interest.