KANDA SIGNS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 63, 12 September 1945, Page 5

KANDA SIGNS

END AT BOUGAINVILLE

A SEVERE REPROOF

(R.N.Z.A.F. Official War Correspondent.) BOUGAINVILLE, Sept. 8. Lieutenant-General Masetone Kanda, Commander of the Japanese forces on Bougainville, formally put his name to the documents of unconditional surrender at noon today in the solemnity of the battleroom of the 2nd Australian Corps headquarters at Torokina.

Lieutenant-General S. G. Savige, the Australian corps commander, presided over the ceremony, and New Zealand was represented by Air Commodore G. N. Roberts. The Australian Navy and Air Force also were represented, and the United States had a representative in Colonel John P. Coursey, Acting Commanding Officer of the Marine Air Group on Bougainville.

A small man who obviously has been suffering from ill health and who had sadness marked on his "sharp, rather characterless face, General Kanda did not look the part of the man who featured in the rape of Nanking, nor did his appearance suggest the man who had been bitterly and fiercely resisting the Allied forces on Bougainville. With Vice-Admiral Baron T. Samejima, who commanded the Japanese navy in the Solomons, General Kanda quietly marched into the battleroom and took his place at the surrender table, where General Savige was seated. Posted around and outside the battleroom were Australians armed with Owen guns.

1 The ceremony was opened by the action of General Kanda and ViceAdmiral Samejima in rising and placing their swords on the table. Unlike the Japanese at the ceremony on H.M.S. Glory, Kanda used a steel pen and not a brush to put his signature on the seven copies of the surrender document, and Samejima also used a pen. Another difference was that all the Japanese wore their decorations. Kanda had four rows of brilliant ribbons. The high-ranking officers were all neatly dressed.

KANDA REPRIMANDED

Before he signed the surrender documents Kanda was severely reproved by General Savidge for delaying his attendance by one day.

Genei-al Savidge pointed out that on Thursday Kanda had agreed to be present at the Australian headquarters on the following day to sign the surrender, and that Kanda's subsequent application for a postponement of one day had been refused. Kanda had taken no notice of that refusal.

"Did you, General Kanda, receive my message?" General Savidge asked. Kanda. through an interpreter: "Yes."

General Savidge: "I did not receive a reply from you. Nor did you report to the ship. Will you tell me why you did not reply? I take a serious view of neglect of my orders." General Savidge went on to explain the surrender of the Japanese homeland for the benefit of Kanda, and said it appeared thct Kanda and his superior officers had not been aware of the situation in Japan. If they had known the true position, by delaying the surrender of Bougainville they were guilty if trying to obtain advantages by devious means.

"Delay, neglect, or equivocation in carrying out any orders will not be tolerated in any circumstances whatever," Genera] Savidgc added, and he asked Kanda if he would like to say anything.

Kanda, whose features did not alter throughout the reprimand, replied haltingly in Japanese. The interpreter stumblecl over the translation, but the general meaning was that Kanda was very sorry that a mistake had occurred. The delaj' had been due to instructions i received from Eabaul to the effect j that aboard H.M.S. Glory a plea for i one day's postponement of the suri render of Bougainville had been i granted. Kanda assumed that General : Savige would have been advised oi: the postponement.

"I will obey your instructions regarding my movements in the future," Kanda said through the interpreter. "I know very well that the only way to work for our Emperor is to obey what you tell us." He went on to say that the Japanese army and navy commands were not unified, and, begging General Savige's favour, said that above everything else was the matter of medical supplies and attention. General Savige replied that that matter would be dealt with in staff talks after the ceremony.

PRESENTS FOR VICTORS

Two most unexpected incidents occurred during the signing of the surrender documents. The first was the arrival of two small wooden boxes, which, were carried into the Australian battle room. General Savige immediately asked what they- were, and the answer was that tiiey were presents for him from General Kanda. General Savige straightway ordered that the boxes be removed to a safe place and examined.

The contents were- two beautiful glazed vases of an intricate willow pattern design. They were 12 inches high. After examination, they were returned to the battle room.

In the boxes were cards with the following inscription: "Present to Your Excellency Lieutenant-General S. G. Savige, Australian Army, from Lieutenant-General M. Kanda, Imperial Japanese Army, and ViceAdmiral Baron T. Samejima, Imperial Japanese Navy." The card was typed in English lettering". The second incident occurred after the signing, when the Japanese went out into the garden adjoining the war room. They asked permission to be allowed to pay tribute to the Allied dead on Bougainville, and removed their hats and stood with bowed heads in silence for several seconds.