CHANGED OUTLOOK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 107, 7 May 1943, Page 2

CHANGED OUTLOOK

FIJI AND THE WAK

NOW OFFENSIVE-MINDED (By ROBIN MILLER) No. 111. SUVA (Fiji). There is no invasion complex in Fiji now, but the colony still wonders why , the Japanese failed to arrive in the months after Pearl Harbour, when New Zealand was hastily strengthening the garrison force here in the face of frightening difficulties in the delivery of equipment. Fiji would have fought back with the little she had, but a really serious invasion attempt could not have been stemmed. The colony breathed with relief when the Japanese did not arrive and as its islands were steadily fortified by the United States and New Zealand as 'a vital link in the chain of Pacific defences. Fiji's key strategical position across the supply lines in the South and South-west Pacific must have been obvious to the enemy, and many people put his failure to seize the opportunity down to crass stupidity. But in the light of what we have learned about him since, the more probable answer is that it was beyond his means. He could not go to Fiji for the same reason that he could not go back to Pearl Harbour —his resources and communications were too heavily taxed by the campaigns he was undertaking through the Philippines, Malaya and the Dutch East Indies. Now, with the feeling that any immediate threat has disappeared, Fiji is thinking of the war in terms other than those of home defence. She has gone offensive-minded. She wants to send her highly-trained New Zealand-Fijian Army and Commando forces beyond her own shores, and to fight the Japanese on their own ground. Pine Native Soldiers I have already told in my dispatches the story of these remarkable native soldiers who were born and bred to jungle life and have been taught by New Zealanders to blend their innate uncanny skill with the art of modern warfare. Their strength in numbers must remain secret, but it would not be an exaggeration to say that they could do as much damage to the enemy in the jungle as an all-European force three times the size. American field commanders who'used a small party of the New Zealand-Fiji Commandos for patrol work on Guadalcanal- were amazed at their "jungle sense" and fighting prowess, and asked for more.

More New Zealanders are still serving in Fiji than many people realise, for when our expeditionary force here was relieved by the Americans last year a considerable group of New Zealand commissioned and non-commissioned officers and men was absorbed into the Fiji Defence Force, now known —and perhaps the change is significant of the ofi'ensive-mindedness existing here—

as the Fiji Military Forces. In the Commando and infantry units they lead and instruct the native troops, and they man the static anti-aircraft and coastal artillery positions. The Fiji detachment of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, which pioneered air reconnaissance and patrols in the central South Pacific, is in its thi: .1 year of service here on the monotonous but essential job of searching the sea approaches and escorting ships as they come and go. Antidote to Boredom For the air force, Fiji is also a training-ground for service in the Solomons. After gaining valuable experience here, air crews move on eventually to Guadalcanal where life is a lot less comfortable but the war is satisfyingly close. _ The promise of Solomons service is an antidote to boredom. Across the main island of the Fiji Group the New Zealand flyers run what I heard an American call "the rocking-chair ferry." This is an air transport service which saves hours of dusty, tortuous travel by road, and is maintained by old and hoary de Havilland aircraft which used to fly the internal air routes in .New Zealand. No one can ride in one without a feeling of love at first sight, for among all the sleek modern warplanes the de Havilland ferry is like a dear old lady surrounded by glamour girls. It lifts you gently from the ground, flies you gently across the mountains, and sets you ger.tly down again. Long ago, when there was nothing better available, it was drafted from civilian life, given a coat of war paint, fitted with bomb racks and shipped to Fiji for coastal defence service. Up-to-date patrol bombers then shouldered it out of the way, but it stayed in uniform and became a base wallah. Its flown miles have passed the million mark, its flying hours run into thousands —but, as its pilot says, "there's life in the old girl yet."