Solomon Islanders

Decorated

Simultaneously with the Birthday Honours two, awards to Solomon Island men were announced.

The Solomon Island Chief, Ngatu, who gave invaluable help to Major Kennedy

at the time when he was organising re sistance against the Japanese during their occupation of the Northern Solo mons, received the BEM. Although Ngatu is over 60 vears old, he set a fine example to his people by travelling constantly around the area of operations, disregard ing completely considerations of per sonal safety. The work done by Ngatu included the posting of sentries on roads and channels accessible to the enemy, the provision of canoes and crews for recon naissance parties, the supply and trans port of native food for the garrison under Major Kennedy, and the establishment of a native Court to try offences against law and order.

Corporal Billy Bennett was awarded the Military Medal for bravery during the time when he was a member of the BSI Defence Force. He was another member of Major Kennedy’s party on New Georgia.

He took part in all but one of the actions fought against enemy patrols during a period of 15 months. He showed re peated gallantry in attacks on armed barges.

On one occasion when an action was fought in darkness, firing from one of the barges ceased, and Corporal Bennett was among the first three to set foot aboard, although it was impossible to tell in the unlighted interior whether there were any wounded Japanese still lurking there with rifles or hand grenades.

He was equally at home on land. After the Allied invasion of New Georgia, Cor poral Bennett found a Japanese recon naissance party which had managed to evade capture by a United States Army platoon. He led a group of three native scouts into position, and without casual ties to his own party, successfully exter minated the enemy, who were armed equally as well as his own men.