Lucky Escapes

How Three G. and E. Colony Officers Reached Suva

THE luck of the Bevington family should be written into the annals of the Central Pacific. Mr. E. R.

Bevington was Administrative Officer in the Central Gilbert Islands, and he resided at Tarawa with his young wife and two very young children. It was feared that when the Japs occupied Tarawa on December 9, the Bevington family were taken prisoners, along with other Europeans.

It later was learned that, only a couple of days before Japan struck, the women and children, including Mrs. Bevington and her two infants, were evacuated from Tarawa on the mission schooner, “John Williams”.

On December 9 or 10, Mr. Bevington was on the little Government patrol vessel, “Kiakia”, heading back from an outer island to Tarawa, and ignorant of the Jap attack on Tarawa. Fortunately, British headquarters somewhere were alert, and recognised “Kiakia’s” danger.

A warning was broadcast and, by great good luck, “Kiakia” picked it up, and altered course. Next day, a further mes sage was picked up, and “Kiakia” was headed south, for Suva.

Captain G. J. Webster and Mr. Bev ington had a “sticky” trip. They were short of motor fuel and very short of water; but, by careful economy, and sailing part of the way, they made Suva without accident.

Meanwhile, the women from Tarawa had reached Suva, quite ignorant of the Jap landing at Tarawa. They realised,

then, that probably they would not see their husbands for many a long day.

But Mrs. Bevington received a hint that she might be “lucky”.

She was lucky. Two days later the “Kiakia” arrived.

The very next day, a south-bound ship came in. Sir Harry Luke bundled the Bevington family aboard, and they are now enjoying a three-months’ furlough in New Zealand. It was easy to take, after 4£ years’ continuous service in the Gilberts.

A short time after the Bevingtons arrived in Auckland, there was a knock on their flat door—and there was Mr.

D C. I. Wernham, who they thought had been chopped off at his post (Ad ministrative Officer) at Funafuti. Ellice Islands. He, also, had had extraordin ary luck—he had been able to get away, at the last moment, on the Roman Catholic mission schooner, “Santa Tere tia”, which had escaped from the Gil berts.

Up to the present, as far as is known, Messrs. Bevington and Wernham, and Captain Webster of the “Kiakia”, are the only male officials of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Administration who have escaped.

A young woman of 22, who writes a lively, entertaining letter—Miss Marjorie McLeod, of 9814-87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada wants to correspond with a young man or woman resident of the Pacific Islands. An Australian air man gave her a copy of the “PIM”, from which she has decided that there is a colourful world south of the equator which she would like to know better.