"Tulagi Pete"

None Other Than M. I. Harper, of Mandoliana, BSI

MANY Solomon Islands people must have read, with interest and plea sure, the following paragraph in John Fairfax’s graphic description of the landing in the Treasury Islands, pub lished in “Sydney Morning Herald” of October 30; — “In the leading gunboat was Pilot- Warrant-Officer M. I. Harper, known as Tulagi Pete, who also led the attack on Guadalcanal and Rendova. He has been decorated twice by the Americans.

He is from the Australian Navy.”

This, of course, is none other than our old friend Major Harper, naval reservist • Major” is a Christian name, not a title), who had his home on Mandoliana Island, near Tulagi, and who wandered all up and down the Solomon group, trading and recruiting.

He has many outstanding qualities, of which practical patriotism is not the least. In June, 1934, the “PIM” told how Mr. Harper searched and found on Man doliana the forgotten graves of three British bluejackets and one officer, who had been treacherously murdered by natives in 1880, and how he nagged the British Admiraltv into supplying him with an inscribed brass plate, which he inserted into the concrete cover he built over the graves, at his own expense.

When the Japs came into the Pacific, Mr. Harper disappeared into the blue.

It comes as no surprise to learn that his extraordinary worth had been discovered by the Americans, and that they have used him so effectively. Two decora tions! Knowing Mr. Harper, we can be sure that they were thoroughly well deserved.