Massacre of Missionaries

Tragic Rabaul

Massacre of Missionaries in 1904

By M. R. Hunter

THE history of Rabaul is a story stained with blood. There has been tragedy there ever since the Germans estab lished their capital there 60 years ago— the slave conditions which the German occupation forced on the natives, the murders and reprisals which followed, the massacre of missionaries, earthquakes and eruptions, and, finally, occupation of the place by the Japanese.

In the early days, there was no word meaning “gratitude” in all the dialects of New Guinea and the Solomons. The natives lived to slay. A human head was to them what a pearl is to an oyster fisher.

A brave band of French missionaries, on September 29, 1882, landed at Matu pit, a small island in the neighbourhood of what is now Rabaul, and began work among these people. Their beginnings were beset with difficulties—sickness, lack of medicines, no houses, native foods (coarse and insufficient), no knowledge of the country, customs or languages— truly a heroic band. Sickness and deaths eventually conquered them; and it was not until 1889 that Dr. Couppe was ap pointed Vicar Apostolic of the RC Mission there, and is now recognised as its founder.

In August, 1904, three years after the massacre by natives of the missionaries, Chalmers and Tomkin, and 10 native converts of the LMS Mission in Papua, a similar crime was perpetrated in the vicinity of Rabaul.

Early in the morning, and in the space of a few minutes, ten missionaries (five priests and five nuns) fell under the weapons of the savages they had be friended and to whom they had given many proofs of love.

The massacre occurred on the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady’s Assumption.

The Vicar Apostolic had been invited to attend and bless a new church. Elaborate preparations had been made for the solemn service, but it was turned into a day of mourning. Here is the story of what happened on that August morning.

A native named To Maria, who had been rescued from death by the Mission brothers some time previously, and was implicitly trusted by both priests and sisters, was responsible for the gruesome affair. As “shoot boy” for the Mission, To was able to procure a gun and am munition at any time. He was a boastful individual, and had many admirers among the belles of nearby villages.

This native To was already married and, when he brought a second wife to the Mission station, she was ordered off and he was soundly rebuked. That night, he openly boasted that he would soon be come chief of the Bainings, and live un disturbed with as many wives as he wished. In his shooting trips, he had contacted the chiefs of other villages, and at their frequent meetings he had con spired , with them to wipe out all the missionaries.

On his return from shooting, on the morning of the massacre, To went straight to the house of the priests, and shot a priest—its only occupant—in the chest. A sister, who was bringing some washing to the house, hearing the shot, and shortly afterwards seeing the priest stagger and collapse in the doorway, fled to the nuns’ house and barricaded it as best she could. To Maria followed her and, with an axe, split open the door and killed her.

Three other priests, who were working on the new church, were killed forthwith,

as well as a sister, who was returning from a village, where she had been dis pensing medical relief to the natives.

Three other sisters were afterwards murdered in their home, and another priest was slain by his house-boy. The houses were then plundered, also the Tabernacle, and the Sacred Hosts strewn over the floor.

Thus, in a few minutes, the Mission lost nearly all its members. But their deaths, which caused a sensation throughout the world, did not break the Mission. At the time of the Japanese invasion the Vicariate of Rabaul was one of the most flourishing missions of the South Pacific, with well over 50,000 native adherents.

Miss Patricia Sinclair, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Sinclair, residents of Papua for 30 years, and who was on Amalga

mated Wireless staff, Port Moresby, until the evacuation, has been a member of the Australian Women’s Army, in Victoria, for five months. Mr. Sinclair, who died seven years ago, was the owner of Orokolo and Nomu plantations.

Squadron Leader Clive Brewster, RAAF, formerly of Fiji, who has been Air Liaison Officer attached to the United States Forces in Australia, has reverted to the RAAF as Senior Administrative Staff Officer, RAAF Command, Allied Air Forces. His promotion to the rank of Wing Commander has been recommended.

Lieutenant A. G. W. Thomas, RANR, has been killed in action. As popular Cap tain "Bill” Thomas, he was well known in New Guinea as master of the S.S.

“Muliama.” His wife lives at Beechworth, near Pymble, Sydney.