MISSION RESCUE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 8 January 1944, Page 3

MISSION RESCUE

SAVED ByXbORIGINES INTERESTING SIDELIGHT ON WAR How a sentence of banishment from a mission station imposed on five unruly aborigines led to the swift rescue of a R.A.A.F. Beaufighter crew is one of the many remarkable stories that have come from the north-west of Australia in this war. Principal characters in the story, which easily could have been a tragedy, were Wing-Commander F. W. B. Mann, Flight-Sergeant Ray Harben, and Kolinio N. Saukuru, whose word is law among the natives for hundreds of miles along the north-west coast of Australia. Although his word is law, Kolinio is not a police officer, a cattle man, or an officer of one of the services. He is a Fijian and a missionary, an ordained minister of the Methodist Church —the Rev. Kolinio N. Saukuru. Affectionately known as Kol, he has charge of the Methodist Mission at Millingimbi, a speck of an island of the Crocodile Group, just off the coast of Arnhem Land. The five natives to whom I referred earlier incurred Kol’s displeasurethrough many petty misdemeanours, and, as repeated warnings failed to have any effect, Kol told them to “go walkabout” for a while to ponder over their sins. This was rather tough punishment for the natives, who had become accustom-, ed to the easy manner of obtaining their food at the mission, and now would be forced to live off the land. But KoJ’s word was law, and off they went to* the mainland where they struck out into the bush. While all this was going on WingCommander Mann was preparing to lead a Beaufighter unit in a strike against Taberfane, in the Japanese-held Aroe Islands, Just before reaching the target he strafed and left a Japanese petrol barge in flames, but when over the target an anti-aircraft shell blew an 18-inch hole in his starboard wing and shot away several feet of the wing’s under-surface. Wing-Commander Mann, however, was able to drop his bombs over the target. Anti-aircraft fire was terrific, and a second shell went through the fuselage, cutting some of the petrol lines and causing the port engine to starve. FORCED LANDING With its badly damaged wing the aircraft was almost impossible to control. The pilot had to hold his control column hard to port in an attempt to keep the Beaufighter straight. The strain on his arm became unbearable, so with the assistance of the observer he tied the control column to the reflector gun sight with the lanyard of a pistol, thus relieving the strain on his arm. However, something like 400 miles of sea had to be covered to reach the Australian coast, and there seemed little chance that the aircraft could make the distance, especially as the port engine kept cutting out. It went dead altogether just as land was sighted, but the other engine kept going until the aircraft was over the coast, and then it, too, cut out. There was only one thing to do — ditch the Beaufighter in a swamp. This was done without mishap to either pilot or observer, who inflated their dinghy, loaded it with water and emergency rations, and paddled ashore, to be greeted by the natives who had been sent walkabout from the Millingimbi Mission. These boys had joined about 15 other members of their tribe on the mainland, and by some queer trick of fate had arrived at »the swamp just as the aircraft was crash-landed. Wing-Commander Mann called for the No. 1 boy, and when he stepped forward he decorated him with his Mae West life-saving jacket. The No. 2 boy was decorated with the observer’s Mae West, and they pranced about proudly in their badges of office. With promises of plenty of tucker and tobacco at Millingimbi spurring them along, they set out on 45 miles of 1 native trails to the island. Alone th£ airmen might never have reached Millingimbi, but the blacks knew all 1 the tracks, and five of them formed the, escort, the leading man always wearing a Mae West to show his authority. When the leading guide was changed the relieving man took over the Mae West. CROCODILES MAKE TROUBLE First trouble was struck at Blyth River, a crocodile-infested stream about 100 yards wide. A large crocodile was visible a short distance away, and nothing would scare him off. So when the airmen had crossed safely in their dinghy, Wing-Commander Mann stood guard with two revolvers while the natives swam across. They camped for the night at a native camp, where they fed their guides from the emergency rations, and gave them a share of their meagre supply of cigarettes. The airmen slept in the dinghy, and the aborigines lit fires around them to keep off the mosquitoes. After having walked for two and ahalf hours through very rough country on the second day, they heard a shot. The airmen fired their revolvers twice

to attract attention, and soon heard an answering shot. It was from the rescue party sent out from Millingimbi in search of them, and after a series of similar signals the two parties met. The rescue party was led by Kolinio, and I will go back a little to tell his part in the affair. SPOTTED FROM AIR Across from Taberfane Wing-Com-i mander Mann had been followed by an- | other Beaufighter, piloted by Flightj Lieutenant J. H. Gordon, who flew around the ditched aircraft until he saw that the occupants were safe, and, after having carefully noted the location of the swamp, flew to Millingimbi Mission for help. He picked up Kol and flew him back to the scene. Kol had flown only once before and f.e dis- ; liked it, but he did not hesitate to make the trip. Having obtained his landmarks, he was returned to Millingimbi, arid set out immediately with the rescue party making a remarkably quick journey through some of the roughest country in the north-west of Australia. By the time he reached the airmen Flight-Sergeant Harben’s feet had become so badly blistered and he was so stiff and sore than it was decided to carry him. A stretcher was improvised, and some of Kol’s men acted as bearers SALT WATER “NECTAR” When the coast was reached the airmen refreshed themselves with a plunge, and so deficient in salt were they through perspiration that 'each drank a pint of salt water, and dej dared it tasted like nectar. Then foli lowed a three hours’ voyage by native [ sailing canoe to the safety of Milling- ! imbi, whence the airmen were flown I back to their station the following day. Having heard the story, reports a Melbourne “Argus” correspondent, I was anxious to meet Kol. so two days later I w’as taken across to see him. He is one of the biggest men I have ever met—inches over 6ft and built in proportion. He has the strength of two ordinary men, and commands the respect of white men and native alike. Kol was educated for the ministry at the Methodist Missionary College in Fiji. About 10 years ago a call vent from headquarters in Sydney for a Fijian missionary for the north-west of Australia, and Kol volunteered. Since then he has done wonderful work among the aborigines, and one of the secrets of his hold over them is that he can outdo them in every one of their pursuits. He can spear fish and game better than the best of the natives. He is twice as strong as any of them, is a better tracker and runner, and he can swim faster and farther than anyone on the coast. Final chapter of this story is the formal reinstatement of the five delinquents who had been told to go walkabout. But that was not their only reward for their good work in leading the airmen to safety. They were loaded with bully beef, tinned stew, biscuits. and a whole case of tinned fruit, something they had not previously tasted. and sent to the mainland to have a thanksgiving feast with the other members of the tribe who had helped in the rescue. They are now the proudest natives along the coast, and, what is more significant is that #iey guarded the damaged machine, and spread the news among their fellows of the rewards to be expected from similar rescue operations.