FACING DEATH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25142, 5 February 1943, Page 6

FACING DEATH

PLIGHT OF MISSIONARIES THE OVER BEARING JAPANESE (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Feb. 4. Many tales of the treatment given by the Japanese to the inhabitants of Guadalcanar in the early days of the occupation are told by evacuated missionaries. Father Bougaro, who is connected with the Roman Catholic mission on the island, has arrived in New Zealand with Father Coicaud and three Marist brothers and three Marist sisters. * Father Coicaud described the scene when two priests and three Marist brothers were manacled and helpless on the earthen floor of the headquarters of the school and mission at Marau Sound on Guadalcanar. Seated on chairs in front were the overlording Japanese, threatening them. A machine gun was trained on the missionaries, as well as rifles, and the Japanese commander stood swishing his sword just above their heads. Death did not seem far away. The Japanese searched through the mission looking for a nonexistent radio set and also for loot, and they stole anything of value they could find. The missionaries think that the Japanese interpreter, who spoke English, saved their lives. They later heard of the wanton murder of two priests and two sisters at a station 40 miles away. The day of the Japanese arrival was August 5, two days before the Americans made their assault on the island. The Japanese suspected the missionaries of having a secret radio set which had called the Americans. Shortly after the Americans landed the missionaries found one morning fhat the Japanese had gone, and later heard that all this party of the enemy had been dealt with by the United States forces. Death had come to them.