JAP. CLAIMS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 236, 6 October 1942, Page 2

JAP. CLAIMS

"25 SHIPS SUNK"

U.S. MARINES LAUGH (0.C.) SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 31. Sherman Montrose, war correspondent for N.E.A. and Acme Newspictures, reported that United States Marines in the Solomons Islands had a good laugh when the Japanese reported the sinking of 25 American warships in the fighting there. Montrose wrote from "somewhere at sea" to his wife in Mill Valley, near San Francisco. It was the first news received from an American correspondent who had seen the Solomons fighting. "I've seen my first dead Japs," wrote Montrose. "I've heard a few bullets whistling around my ears (our own, incidentally), landed with marines on a hostile beach, stood all night leaning against a palm tree in a tropical rainstorm, drank my first fresh coconut milk, tried to talk to a Jap. prisoner or two, hiked and sweated and cursed tropical growth, rode in jeeps and amphibious tractors on land and sea. and ate iron rations of beans and ham (cold) for breakfast and been damn glad to get 'em."

He said American correspondents were permitted ashore for two days. Robert Miller, of the United Press, he said, remained ashore with occupation forces when given a chance of leaving at once or remaining indefinitely. Montrose said Joe Custer, of United Press, "should be popping up with an interesting story before long. I was not with him during the action." He added that "it looks like a very productive field for action."

"We're all laughing," said Montrose, "about the Japanese claims of having sunk 25 ships in the Battle of the Solomons. Even though news is scarce hereabouts, we got that one over just-resumed radio news."

American forces, he reported, were in good spirits and were taking in stride unaccustomed conditions, including tropical heat, heavy rains and dense undergrowth through which they were compelled to fight in some areas. "Tropic rains and heat," he said, "have raised hell with my equipment—;iersorjal and camera —the latter falling apart rapidly. Heat? I never knew what it was until I left San Fra»cisco."

JUNGLE ORDEAL

BRITISH COMMISSIONER (0.C.) SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 6. From Guadalcanar, in the Solomon Islands, came a most dramatic story by Richard Tregaskis, an American war correspondent, in which he gave a thrilling account of the experiences of the Entish Commissioner for Guadalcanar, a man who refused to submit to the Japanese invaders and fought back in the only way he could-—with his wits.

Tregaskis was with the U.S. landed_ on^he

His story treats of heroism and en durance, and is one of the vivid nar ratives of recent date.

"Blonde, blue-eyed. handsome, with a full beard and luxuriant moustache, a man in khaki came striding out of the bush and turned himself over to United States Marine outposts on Guadalcanar," says Tregaskis. "He was no Jap, no German, but the heroic Scotsman who since the Japs came to Guadalcanar one week after the battle of the Coral Sea, has been living in the mountainous jungles of the interior. Ijived on Canned Food "The newcomer was the British Commissioner for Guadalcanar when the Japanese came. While he existed in the jungle for three months, living on canned food, he ruled over only a very small kingdom which made, in his own mind, a humorous mockery of his title 'commissioner.' He had the Guadalcanar police force of some ten natives with him and ten prisoners, who had been serving penal sentences. That was his 'kingdom.' and his castle was whatever jungle grove happened to be handy as he moved into the interior of this 30-mile-wrde, 90-mile-long island.

"Jap planes flew over his camp every day, but they did not spot him except once when he was taking a swim in the river. Then the Jap plane came down to investigate, but by the time the aircraft was low enough the commissioner had hidden his naked body in the bush, and the Jap, after circling at 200 ft, flew off, apparently deciding it was only a stray alligator which had caused a disturbance on the waters below. "The commissioner moved his headquarters inland in accordance with the degree to which the Japanese advanced. They were aware of his existence somewhere on the island, he knew, but they told the natives they were not interested in pursuing him for the time being. Nearly Starved to Death "The theory was, he knew, that eventually he would starve to death. And he nearly did. 'Oh, I had a few tins of food left,' he said with the typical casualness of an Englishman —or Scotsman. But the situation was grievous, to say the least, when United Nations arrived to blast the Japs back from their Solomon Islands shores and sent torrents of troops pouring in to occupy key objectives. Once, on a reconnaissance party, the Japs started up a road to the mountain stronghold where the commissioner was then making his headquarters. The Japs took the wrong turn—and missed the commissioner, hiding out in the hills.

When the commissioner came to Marine Headquarters, his clothes were ragged and he had no shoes. But he was soon accommodated with Marine footgear. He had marvellously kept intact, with great pride, his aiguillettes and red epaulets, marks of his authority. They were all he needed of his uniform. The commissioner still loolfed husky when I saw him, despite his jungle ordeal," wrote Mr. Tregaskis.

"He had been a champion Soccer player in England, and, as the Marines would say, he was a rugged boy. One of the greatest pleasures of his life, said the commissioner, was sitting on a hill 2000 ft high, in the interior of Guadalcanar, and watching the colossal naval and air bombardment which preceded the United States Marino landing on Um