ONE-MAN BATTLE

Grey River Argus, 6 April 1943, Page 4

ONE-MAN BATTLE

Against the Japs NEW BRITAIN PLANTATION OWNER’S DEFIANCE. (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) (Rec. 5.5) SYDNEY, April 4. A member of the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles. Private J. L. Stokie, is known as “the man who fought singlehanded a rearguard action against the Japanese.” The owner of a plantation on New Britain he was at Rabaul when the enemy occupied the town in January, 1942. Until March of this year he defied intensive efforts by Japanese patrols to' capture him. Recently Private Stokie arrived at Port, Morseby, New Guinea, with three American airmen, whom he had located in a New Britain jungle. The airmen were survivors of the crew of a bomber which crashed in the sea after a raid on Rabaul. For ten months before they joined forces w.th Private Stokie the Americans suffered frightful hardships. They lived with natives, ate grasshoppers, lizards, caterpillars, and grubs, and waged a continuous fight against sickness. Two other members of the party were captured by the Japanese, and a third died. Private Stokie went to his plantation after the Japanese occupied Rabaul. He first submitted to native mumbo-jumbo designed to make him bulletproof and invisible to the enemy. The Japanese sent Private Stokie two notes inviting him to surrender—but he found time to plants fifty acres of native food and two thousand coconut trees before he was compelled to take “avoiding action.” When he heard that the American airmen were in the jungle he sent them a letter by a native carrier. It read: “To three airmen at (blank). I hear you are with the natives. If you care to join me I can arrange it. I have plenty of food and a small supply of medicine, and as soon as the north-west season is over I plan to reach Port Moresby by canoe. If you care to come along I can take you. I have had no news since February. Have you? Cheerio, and the best of gdod luck.” The airmen said they knew the writer was an Australian by his “Cheerio.” Private Stokie said the .natives had reported to him that the Japanese at Rabaul were terrified by Allied air raids. When our bombers appeared they ran for the bush.