Gilberts Port Thoroughly Looted

Butaritari And The Japanese

rE story of how Tarawa, in the Gil bert Islands, was occupied by the Japanese in December, 1941, has been told more than once in the “PIM”but we have had to await letters from Butaritari, following the recovery of that atoll by the Americans in November last to learn how the Japanese came to the northern port.

Japanese marines landed at Butaritari at 4 a.m. on December 10, 1941—only three days after Pearl Harbour. They met with no resistance, of course—the township consisted of less than a dozen white men, a few families of Euronesians (mostly the descendants of Germans who had married Marshall Islanders, and whom the Japs had chased out of the Marshalls during the previous 20 years) some Chinese traders, the Japanese staff of the Japanese trading firm established there, and about 1,600 Gilbertese. The Europeans included a British administra tive officer and a radio officer.

The largest store there was that of On Chong & Co. (a branch of W. R. Carpen ter & Co., Ltd., Sydney). The Japs took possession of the store and its contents, as barracks for their troops. When the Chinese manager protested, they said: “This is an English company and, there fore, all its assets are subject to confis cation.” Some of the merchandise was used by the occupying troops; the bal ance, including copra, launches, workshop equipment, etc., was packed up and ship ped to Japan.

The Japanese firm in Butaritari evi dently had acted as “intelligence.” When the Japs arrived, they knew exactly where to go and what they wanted. They sacked the little port very thoroughly, and everything that was not needed by the occupying troops was carried off. The British officials and one or two others were made prisoners and taken away—no one knows where—and the Chinese and some of the Euronesians were imprisoned.

But they were turned loose, after a week, and left to shift for themselves. They spent two years of misery and privation.

The natural food resources of these atolls do not extend much beyond coconuts and fish.

The delight with which these people welcomed the Americans, in November last, is beyond description. The Japs had looted and ravaged and destroyed; the American bombardment smashed most of the remaining buildings; but the Butaritari folk were so glad to see the end of the invasion that they were pre pared to endure almost anything.

One report says that “the newly arrived administrative officer, Mr. Col lins, is working with the American com mander in caring for the people, restor ing order, and getting them working again.” This probably is Mr. D. Collins, of the Fiji Public Service, who joined the staff of the Gilbert and Ellice Colony in 1941, and returned to Fiji, in 1942, when the enemy occupied Ocean Island.

Incidentally, there still is no word of what has happened at Ocean Island, 200 miles west of the Gilberts, and head quarters of the Gilbert and Ellice Colony.

It was believed to be occupied by Japan ese in 1943; but, if they have remained there, while the Americans have occupied the Gilberts and Marshalls, and begun to hammer the Carolines, they now are clearly “out on the end of a bough.”

Bishop And Two Priests

Missing In Gilberts

NEWS received from the Gilbert Islands by the Roman Catholic Mis sion headquarters in Sydney, indi cate that practically all of their mission aries in that Group are safe. There is, however, uncertainty as to the where abouts of Bishop Terrienne and two of his priests. It is assumed that they are prisoners of the Japanese, either in the Carolines or in Japan itself.

During the two years of the Japanese occupation, one Sister and one priest died —both from natural causes.