Dodging Japs

How a Party Escaped on Guadalcanal

REV. Leslie Stibbard, of the Melanesian Mission, who has been hi charge of the native school at Maravovo (Guadalcanal) for some years, recently escaped from enemy-occupied territory in the Solomons. He arrived in Sydney with only the clothes he wore—a slouch hat, a khaki shirt and a pair of US Army dungarees—but with an interesting tale to tell. The story of his escape—reprinted from the official journal of the Melane sian Mission —appears below.

After the occupation of the airfield on the island of Guadalcanal by our Allies, and after the remnants of the enemy force previously holding the position had been driven back into the jungle, the situation so far as the mission school at Maravovo was concerned, became par ticularly dangerous. The retreating enemy were cut-off from food supplies and, as a result, all native food gardens in the area of the retreat were raided.

It was obvious that the school, with its many acres of excellent gardens, would suffer a similar fate when the Jap marauders were compelled to widen their search for food.

It was known also that the enemy, who previously had tolerated the natives, were now shooting down all unfortunate enough to cross their path. As a precau tion against surprise, houses were built in the bush some two or three miles back in the jungle. Meanwhile, a careful watch was kept by the school-boys detailed to observation posts overlooking the ap proaches to the school. Small parties of Japs were seen, but it was not until the end of August that the school was occu pied and inhabited by the enemy.

Within a few hours the inevitable hap pened. A large force of USA dive-bomb ers and fighters bombed and straffed the enemy positions in the school and grounds. All this was witnessed from an observation post established by the school-boys on a ridge 1,000 feet high, upon the lower slopes of which were the temporary “jungle residences.”

It might still have been possible to evade the Jap forces and to have existed in the jungle for a few more weeks, but an enemy outpost was stationed in such a position near the school gardens that it would have been suicidal to approach.

Thus the native boys and Mr. Leslie Stib bard were cut off from their main sup ply of food and the necessity of seeking help arose. It was decided that a party of 15 should attempt to gain contact with

the Allied forces by travelling from the south side to the west side of the island through dense bush or jungle. The first two days of the journey were relatively simple, but the six days which followed, before reaching the safety of the Ameri can camp, were a nightmare. A few highlights of the journey are of interest.

The first day the party of 15, led by Mr. Stibbard, set out in torrential rain down a rapid-flowing river. The going was very bad because of hidden boulders.

After two hours’ scrambling down-river the party made for high land. The nar row track was wet and slippery and was the cause of frequent spills. The night was spent in a small native hut not far from the beach, mostly in trying to dry clothes and there was little sleep because of the roof leaking.

The' second day a start was made at daybreak in heavy rain. The jungle was mountainous now, and travelling was slow. A party of natives fleeing from their villages was met. They had halted to give rest to a native woman who had just given birth to a child. After some eight hours’ hard travelling a distance of only eight to ten miles had been covered.

Camp was made on the wet ground.

The third day found all smiling because a track had been found which would obviate the necessity of further cutting through the bush. Progress was made over a range of hills and a drop down to a large river, which proved incredibly difficult to negotiate because of the swift current and the size of the boulders.

There was still much rain and all were beginning to feel the strain of the hard going.

The fourth day proved much better and progress was continued down-river.

At noon the river was left for the jungle in an endeavour to reach a native vil lage known to some of the boys, and there was much excitement when the place was found. The school-boys were exhausted and much in need of food.

After a short rest the village was left behind, with much regret. Again the party had to hack its way through the jungle and progress was continued slowly for several hours. Again the night was spent in the bush with light covering— everyone being too tired to care much about anything but the need for food and sleep.

The fifth day brought hearty cheers.

It looked as though a distant gap in the mountain range led out to the goal, and so all speed was made. But, alas, within a few miles of the beach the party just escaped observation by a party of the enemy, and so doubled back and made for a village, only to find it occupied by a few Japs. The party of school-boys,

with Mr. Stibbard, seemed trapped, but hid in the bush until dark, when the least sound seemed to carry for miles. Skirt ing a third party of the enemy, seated around a fire, the lads pushed on, even tually resting for a time, waiting for day light. All were very hungry and almost done up. The rain was terrific.

On the sixth day it was decided to move off early, lest the Japs spotted the party, and a native village was avoided as likely to hold enemy troops. The “lawyer” vine was particularly trying, most of the party being cut about. At last the coast was reached and several narrow escapes were had in avoiding small parties of the enemy. It was then decided to send two lads and the head master forward as a “spearhead,” or scouting party, along a track which had, obviously, been cut for a purpose.

There were many indications of enemy presence and cigarette packets were found around. At one stage the party was hailed by a Japanese sentry, but ducked smartly and ran for it—hiding in the grass while fully-armed Japs passed by. The lads were hungry and thirsty, and lay until dark, when a move was made through the bush. Coconuts and some sugar-cane was a welcome find. .

Again the coast was found, but the whole of the seventh day was spent in hiding. On the eighth day there was much shooting, and so the party had to move even more cautiously, but after evading enemy sentries, they at last came to barbed wire entaglements, through which safety was reached. All were “done up,” starving and much-scarred.

The native lads, with their white leader, found refuge with American friends, of whose hospitality and great kindness Mr. Stibbard speaks enthusias tically. He tells many interesting experi ences of his stay as the guest of Ameri can officers. The lads were eventually sent off to places of safety and Mr. Stib bard taken to a SW Pacific port as the guest of American Naval officers, and then later to Australia.

A former Fiji resident, Private Jack Johnson, was killed in action on Novem ber 11 while serving with the AIF in New Guinea. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs.

J. T. Johnson, of Suva, and, before he left for Australia some years ago was on the staff of Morris, Hedstrom Ltd. He enlisted in the AIF in 1939 and served m the Syrian campaign. He returned to Australia and fought in the campaign across the Owen Stanley Range, in Papua, and reached Buna, where he was killed. He was a keen fisherman, yachts man and footballer, and had many friends in Fiji.