Terror On Tarawa

Life of the Mission Sisters Under Jap Domination

'THIS is the story of Sisters of the Sacred Heart Mission who were in the Gilbert Islands throughout the Japanese occupation. It is condensed from the “Catholic Mission Magazine” for June. [N November, 1941, the British Govern ment had ordered all European women to evacuate. The Sisters, leaving their work at the Sacred Heart Mission in the hands of chosen natives, arrived at Betio just as the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour. 4 * ■ As the nuns awaited transportation to Australia, two warships appeared off Betio mi December 9, blinking signals that were in no way meant to offer reassurance to the Sisters. The Japanese had arrived!

Natives fled in confusion, leaving their Delongings behind. From the convent, the Bisters heard loud noises—Japanese troops oreaking doors in the distance. Waiting in fear, the Sisters tried to remain as Dalm as possible.

The dreaded moment finally arrived, when one of the buck-toothed, little yellow men walked into the convent after send ing the rays of his flashlight over the building.

“We are the Japanese Navy,” he an nounced in very broken, but imperious English.

Then he asked questions with some dif ficulty. Unfolding a Japanese flag, he said: “We rule here now. English get out. French get out. Outside,” finished the soldier. “All of you!”

The nuns went outside and were lined up. Jap soldiers with fixed bayonets sur rounded them.

“Then,” said Sister Oliva, one of .the missionary nuns, “we were marched down the road to an unknown destination.” rE Sisters eventually found them selves confronted by a Japanese ad miral. His face was sullen, his man ner abrupt, hatred shining in his slanted eyes. He sat in the small room as though he were emperor.

“Sit on the floor!” he fairly screamed.

“Guards form around them.”

The Jap soldiers, their ever-present bayonets ready, encircled the nuns.

“If you no obey me,” said the admiral eyeing every nun in the room, “I’ll kill you!”

Meanwhile Jap soldiers were busy, ran sacking the native homes and stealing everything of value. This done, they hoisted their flag and departed.

But before leaving, they told the nuns they might return to their home. The Sisters, feeling somewhat relieved, left, still wondering what was to be done to them.

One ship had been burned in the har bour, another seized. All smaller craft received the same treatment. All of the white women and some of the white men had) managed to escape just in time.

Feverishly they had mended a small launch and made their way by sea to another island.

Later, this same launch was returned to Tarawa by faithful natives and figured in an escape for five Sisters previously evacuated from the South Gilberts to their respective islands. .

“This was a very treacherous voyage,” said Sister Oliva. “Not only did the Sisters have to cope with the heavy seas as they travelled more than 100 miles by night, but they also were in constant danger of being spotted by Japanese planes that patrolled the area.”

The Gilbertese are very adept at build

ing outrigger canoes, and are proud of their workmanship. One of these little craft was to figure in a thrilling escape for four other Sistera of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

“Then came the real scare. Out at sea they spotted lights on a ship, believed

to be a jap submarine on patrol. The native canoe crew, fearful of the conse quences should the Japs overtake the Sisters trying to escape, made them hide inside the craft. This canoe is about two feet wide! You can imagine how diffi cult it was for them to lie there out of

sight—and one of the Sisters making the journey was over 70 years old!

“IN September* 1942,” said Sister Oliva, X “we in Betio saw the Japs come in and take possession for good. They told us in no uncertain terms we had to get out as soon as possible. We moved to another mission station seven miles along the island.

“More and more Japs troops moved into Betio. They took over the church and the house in which the Bishop and priests had lived. Bishop Octave Te rienne, Father Viallon and 80-year-old Brother Conrad Weber, one of the first missionaries ever in the Gilberts, found themselves confined to the convent.

“Meanwhile, a Jap ship combed all the islands and brought in every white man to be found—two of them. Upon arrival, the men were tied to coconut trees for several days and nights. The Japs gave them a little rice and water —plus plenty of ill-treatment!

“Apparently the commanding officer

had orders to collect the missionaries, too.

But it could have been only prayer to God that saved us all. A few weeks later, on October 15, the Americans made their first raid on Tarawa.”

But if there was joy, it dwindled into sorrow. Immediately afterward, the Japs murdered all the European men and burned their bodies in futile retaliation.

Little more than a week later, the mis sionaries were carried to Makin Island.

Fortunately, however, one priest—Father Grandgeorge—remained free.

“All of us lived in fear,” said Sister Oliva, “wondering who would be the next victim. But things finally quieted down, except for a house-to-house search by Jap soldiers seeking radios. On one occa sion they made raids, stealing whatever struck their fancy.”

IN April, 1943, the invaders ordered the Sisters to move again. Once more they left, this time for a mission station 30 miles away.

“We took everything,” recalled Sister Oliva, “Including furniture, on small boats and canoes.

“We asked the Japs if some of the Sisters could go across to the nearest atoll, Abaiang. They consented, so only three Sisters remained on Tarawa. There were no Japs at Abaiang at the time, but soon afterwards five were sent there.

They took up their abode next to the nuns and proved good neighbours. Later these were replaced by others who de finitely were very nasty in their attitude.’

Tarawa became a good bombing target for American planes in September, 1943, a huge raid spreading devastation on the Jap forces. The Nips began to grow sus picious of everything and everybody.

They had two outposts on the atoll, one ten miles north of the mission station another 15 miles to the south. During October and November, the Japs patrolled the island with great vigilance.

Then came the definite threat of an American invasion. Big planes swooped over Tarawa often, plastering Jap instal lations. The Japs, who had seen their strongholds seized by the United States Marines many times before, knew now that these were signs of invasion.

Meanwhile, on Abaiang the five Jap neighbours plotted to murder the mis sionaries. A native boy with just a little knowledge of the Japanese language acci dentally overheard the conversation. The native rushed to a priest who ordered the missionaries to leave at once in

canoes. They would head for Tarawa, where, by this time, numerous American planes buzzed overhead.

As the Americans arrived in force on November 22, the Jap soldiers at the out posts gathered for a last stand. Three days they waited for the Marines, ready to spray them with machine guns and rifle fire.

The missionaries moved to the next village in order to be out of the way of the terrific battle. The Japs began flee ing, carrying five priests as captives.

“We returned,” said Sister Oliva, “the next morning just in time to welcome the United States Marines. It was the hap piest day of our lives!”