RESISTANCE IN SOLOMONS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23947, 14 May 1943, Page 3

RESISTANCE IN SOLOMONS

LOYALTY OF NATIVES CO-OPERATION WITH EUROPEANS (Rec. 10 p.m.) SUVA, May 13. When the full story of Allied operations in the Solomons can be told, cme of the proudest chapters will deal with the part played by British and native civil servants, and by the islanders generally. Among the first Japanese arrivals on Guadalcanar was a political officer whose purpose was to pacify and obtain assistance from the inhabitants. He sent circulars to native leaders, inviting their co-opera-tion, declaring that the British and American Navies had been sunk and that British rule in the Solomons had ended. Only Japanese law would be recognised and Europeans would be interned. The letter drew no response. Those addressed knew that the boasts were grossly exaggerated, and the British Administration was embarrased, but not interrupted, by the arrival of the Japanese. Obviously, without the wholehearted support of the islanders, Colonel W. S. Marchant and his young men would have been unable to survive their amazing game of hide-and-seek during the three months of enemy, occupation. The many Europeans remaining in the islands included Anglican and Catholic bishops and their staffs. None was betrayed into Japanese hands, in spite of threats of dire penalties for concealing information of their whereabouts. The Japanese made many efforts to justify their boast that they were rounding up the Europeans, but news of their intentions flew before all their patrols, and the hunted had ample time to elude pursuit. The Japanese yisjted every mission station, but the mission, aries, co-ordinating their tactics with those of the administration, withdrew into the bush “in good order and according to plan” at each Japanese approach. returning when the enemy left. One district officer in the northern part of the group was frequently attacked by Japanese aircraft while he was on a tour or reconnaissance in a small vessel. One islander accepted a job labouring on a Japanese airfield for several days. Later he escaped with detailed accounts of Japanese dispositions. The people, as a whole were staunchly loyal and helped the invader only under duress. In order to obtain labour the Japanese had to threaten to exterminate villages. Colonel Marchant’s “scorched earth” instructions were carried out to the letter and scores of useful small vessels were not allowed to fall into enemy hands. At first the Japanese tried to ingratiate themselves with the natives, and did nothing worse than pillage gardens, but with the commencement of the Allied counter-offensive the Japanese vented their savage spite on those who, they claimed, had “betrayed” them. Many brutal murders were committed, but resourceful islanders, armed with axes, knives, and weapons stolen or wrested from the Japanese, put up a good fight in defence of their lives. The Americans found the native scouts ideal for patrol work. The gallantry of the scouts, who were later organised in a battalion, was recognised with the award of a United States decoration to one of the British offiOne of the heroes of the Solomons campaign, a native medical practitioner, received personal congratulations from Admiral Halsey.