Rabaul Mystery

Why Did RAAF Leave on Jan. 21, 1942, While 300 Civilians Were Sacrificed?

ON Wednesday, January 21, 1942, 40 hours before the Japs occupied Rabaul, I was motoring from Keravat, via Toma, to Kokopo. Near Toma, we met a RAAF convoy, that was held up pending the arrival of petrol supplies. We helped the RAAF men, and talked to them.

“We were surprised to find that the column was bound for Put-Put, over on the south-east coast. They were sur prised to learn that we did not know that the Japs were expected in Rabaul on Friday morning. They had lost all their planes—there was nothing more they could do —so they were on their way out.

“When we got to Kokopo we met other people, who also had the story that the Japs were expected on Friday, and that a big Jap convoy was near. We asked why the shipping still in the harbour was not being used for the evacuation of civilians, but no one had any informa tion or any instructions—it was all con fusion.”

This important sidelight on pre invasion events in Rabaul was given to the “PIM” by Mrs. Kathleen Bignell, MBE, who was captured by the Japanese in Rabaul and sent to Japan, where she was liberated last August after three years as POW. Having seen much of what occurred in and around Rabaul in the terrible days between January 21 and 24, 1942, Mrs. Bignell heartily supports the public demand for an official inquiry into the circumstances, so that we may know who was responsible for the stupid and needless sacrifice of nearly 300 non combatant civilians.