AVOIDED CAPTURE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25941, 6 September 1945, Page 5

AVOIDED CAPTURE

JAPANESE ON GREEN ISLAND HID FOR EIGHTEEN MONTHS (R.N.Z.A.F. Official War Correspondent) BOUGAINVILLE. Aug. 29. Green Island has produced a true mystery story. Three Japanese have lived there undetected all through the occupation by the Third New Zealand Division, by the Americans, and by the R.N.Z.A.F., and, judged by the appearance of the one brought to Bougainville for interrogation, they lived quite well. Many servicemen have been all over Nissan the islet of the Green Island group where the Japanese hid. It could be covered by foot in a day. Many members of the R.N.Z.A.F. who served there simply cannot believe the story, but the facts prove that the three Japanese lived on Nissan until found by natives a few weeks ago. One was killed, one wounded, and the third captured uninjured and brought to Bougainville. -The three elusive Japanese were remnants of the enemj’ force that occupied the Green Island group. They have been in hiding for 18 months, since the New Zealand Division occupied Nissan on February 15, 1944. The Japanese who was brought to Bougainville is of short build and his muscles are well developed. He obviously suffered no ill effects. He was clad in an American khaki singlet and what appeared to be New Zealand army trousers, supported by an American belt. He wore no boots. He answered the . interrogator In pidgin Japanese and pidgin English but the interpreter was able to translate satisfactorily. He and his companions lived throughout the occupation of Nissan by fishing and stealing food from various camps. It was the disappearance of their food that caused the natives to suspect the presence of thieves. A search was immediately organised by the combined “ black watch ” forces of the Allied Intelligence Bureau and the Australian and New Guinea Administration Unit (Angau).. The three Japanese were found fishing off a small atoll. The natives carried rifles, but wished to capture the* enemy, and not kill him. One Japanese "turned and threw a grenade at his pursuers, but he had not tapped it to release the mechanism, and although it hit a native on the back it did no damage. The native was able to catch the Japanese and disarm him. He had a pistol, for which he carried improvised carbine ammunition, and also carried a knife. The other two Japanese were rounded up later in a search in which all the available Europeans took part. One Japanese was killed and the other wounded. How the three had evaded capture for 18 months is inexplicable, but ain important medical fact has come out of the mystery. The Japanese who was brought to Bougainville had no skin diseases. He was stripped and subjected to close examination, but parasites had not affected him. The obvious conclusion is that the Japanese can adapt himself to tropi'al conditions far better than the white man. The capture of the three Japanese terminates the action begun by the New Zealand Division in February, 1944_the so-called Sons of Heaven have been completely cleared from the Green Island group.