Lifts Veil On Secrets Of Solomons Campaign

Northern Advocate, 22 August 1945, Page 4

Lifts Veil On Secrets Of Solomons Campaign

(Special.) KAITAIA. This Day. Cf the ,2000 Solomon Islanders on the island of Vella Lavella, not one had been lost through enemy action during the period of Japanese occupation, Rev. A. W. E. Silvester, Methodist missionary, who for seven months lived in the bush under the nose of the invader, stated in Kaitaia. During that time, 164 men from an Alli.ed naval vessel, sunk in the battle of Kuia Gulf on July 5, 1943, were, evacuated by the natives; 254 other army, navy and air force personnel trapped in the area were liberated; and 35 Chinese women and children were also taken to safety—snatched from under the very eyes of the Japanese by native canoes. Mr Silvester, who is touring New Zealand to stimulate interest in foreign mission work and, in particular, the rehabilitation of the islanders, who, in his own words, made such a real contribution to the safety of New Zealand, spent the week-end in the Far North and on Sunday addressed church services at Kaitaia. Oruru and Mangonui. With Japan’s surrender last Wednesday, a corner of the veil of secrecy which had formerly cloaked his activities on Vella Lavella could be lifted, Mr Silvester told a “Northern Advocate” representative.

Loyally of Native

Modest as to his own share in the Allied cause, he paid the highest possible tribute to the Papuan natives who peopled the area, praising them J'or their loyally, cheerfulness and. resource. Mission training and education was, he claimed, responsible for this loyalty, and the discipline and co-operation shewn had been achieved mainly by the. fact l hat members of the mission stall stayed with their people and shared with them the hazards of the occupation period. An elusive policy was pursued by the natives under mission guidance. When the Japs moved in. the islanders moved out. back into the bush. And so it was that the enemy captured very few prisoners, all of whom, by their initiative and bush-craft, escaped to continue the tasks allotted them by the Allied High Command, and many other acts of voluntary assistance. Cc-operation with the Japs was strictly forbidden —not: that it would have been given even under pressure. Hatred of the Japanese did not eftter the native mind, but the islanders’ spirit of justice was outraged by the manner in which Ihe war was started and waged, and. for the rest, the Jap was an enemy of the Commonwealth and Empire.

Mr. Silvester had been seven years in the Solomons when the islands were in vaded in January. 1542. His family was evacuated to New Zealand, and the mission staff commenced immediate co operation with the district officer. Indentured labour was also evacuated, leaving with the islanders themselves only Mr. .Silvester, Rev. J. K. Metcalfe and Sister Merle Farland. ol Auckland.

From the head station at Munda, New Georgia, the mission continued its work of medical, spiritual, educational and industrial education, but in August, 1942. Mr Silvester found himself unable, through enemy advances, 1o leave Vella Lavella. From here he supervised the patrol and coast-guarding work carried out by the islanders until March. 1943, when information of an approaching Jap force forced him to vacate the mission station.

Leap for Liberty

It was on a Sunday evening, said Mr. Silvester, that his head teacher advised him of a Jap landing-craft headed for the nation. With the remainder of the staff, he took what could be carried into the bush, but sent two boys back for essential gear which had been overlooked Ho heard rifle-fire and subsequently ascertained that this came from Japanese firing upon natives seen to be escaping through the trees, and one of the men, David Davy, was captured. This man was held prisoner throughout the night and next morning' performed the feat of heroism which made him famous throughout the colony. Jumping over an 80-foot cliff he escaped under heavy rifle-fire and made his way back to his own people, bringing with him valuable informal ion. Trees broke his fall, but he spent three weeks in hospital. Living with the islanders in the bush, Mr. Silvester continued his work of liaison ancl information for the Allies, and in July, 1943. assisted an advance party which slipped in to the island by P.T. boat to select and survey an advance air strip. The following August the main United States Army and marine landing lerce commenced occupation, ancl built the airfield, the New Zealanders moving in on September 0 to clear out the remaining enemy. It was only when he could feel that, his people were safe from further invasion that Mr. Silvester decided to return to New Zealand, and was evacuated by ailon October 20.

It. had been his privilege to see the islanders at their best under adverse conditions, which proved that the mission activities had been more than worthwhile. said Mr. Silvester, who commented that during the whole period not one scrap of information relating to the Allied activities had reached enemy hands from • the native people, -