Four Murdered

Missionaries

Story of Their Heroism

THE whole of the civilised world has heard of the brutal murder, at Rauvatu Mission, on Guadalcanal, in September, 1942, of four Solomon Islands mission aries—two priests of the Marist order (Fathers Duhamel and Engberink) and two nuns (Sisters Odilia and Sylvia).

But few know of the exact circum stances of the murder. Actually, the Japs killed them, in cold blood, because they would not assist the Japs against the United States Marines. Here is the story, as told by a Roman Catholic padre, in a letter to the Australian Journal “Catholic Missions”: “The Reconnaissance Troop had extended its patrols eastward beyond the Bokokimbo River (Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands). Stories had come to us of the heroism of the martyred priests and Sisters of the Marist Order and of the malicious and wanton destruction wrought at the Ruavatu Mission.

“With a small detail of three men, I left our bivouac area to proceed by a Navy tank lighter to Rauvatu Mission.

The whole afternoon of March 5, 1943, was spent in the sad work of sorting out the debris covering, to a foot in depth, the floors of the rooms of the priests and Sisters. Every religious article and all personal mementos had been systematic ally and wantonly torn, to be cast in shreds to the floors. Only a few standard books remained intact. , . .

“Ere long I Famed of the heroism of these missionaries. Knowing the arrival of the enemy was imminent, the priests had sent the natives into the hills. They themselves refused all pleas to retreat.

They were to stay. I read a letter writ ten to Father Engberink warning him of possible results, yet they stayed on.

Their capture, of course, was a foregone conclusion, and with them were taken two native boys, who continued the story for me. The enemy had demanded that one go to the Marines, then at Lunga Point, to paint a vivid picture of an irresistible army advancing on them and that departure from the island was their only salvation from complete annihila tion. One priest was to be held as host age, with the two Sisters.

“That order was refused. At that they were bound and starved for a week. As though starvation could break the will of such as these!

“They were then taken five miles up the beach towards the Lunga Point, and again the demand was made. Again the refusal.

“And there on that beach the priests and Sisters died as only heroes can, martyrs to their God and their coun try. A little way from the beach, buried in a native house, we found their broken bodies.”