When Manus Was

Invaded

How Europeans Escaped

'T'HE following account of how the Europeans escaped from Manus (Admiralty Group, New Guinea Ter ritory) in 1942 has been kindly supplied by Mr. R. F. Armstrong, now Senior Medical Assistant in the NG Administra tion. Mr. Armstrong returned to Manns in May, 1946, as a member of the Civil Administration party led by Mr. E. Taylor (Director of District Services) which took over Manus from ANGAU.

BY Christmas, 1941, all European women, with the exception of missionaries, had been sent to Rabaul for evacua tion to Australia; and three Jap residents, arrested the day Pearl Harbour was at tacked, had also been sent to Rabaul for internment.

Jap planes were frequently over the island; and on January 21, 1942. a plane with German markings was over Lor engau for about half an hour.

By the following day the only Europeans left in Lorengau were Messrs. Vertigan (District Officer), Hamilton (Patrol Offi cer). Armstrong (Senior Medical Assis tant), Taylor (AWA operator) and 26 members of the Ist Independent Company under the command of Lieut. Palmer.

On Sunday, January 25, we were raided three times by sea-planes from an air craft-carrier laving off Pak Island. The first raid, at 7.30 a.m., was centred on the ridge where the wireless station, Admin istration bungalows, and the European Hospital were situated, the Japs paying particular attention to the wireless station.

The second raid, at 12.30 p.m., was again directed on the ridge, and also on build ings on the waterfront. The third raid, at 1 n.m., was mainly on the military encampment situated near the drome.

During the three raids there was only one casualty, a native being killed whilst making for shelter.

Most buildings suffered severely. The European Hosnital disappeared, after a direct hit. The bombing and machine gunning were fairly accurate, the Japs apparently being well aware of their ob jectives.

After a third raid, Lieut. Palmer ordered a scorched earth policy and within a short space of time most of the buildings were ablaze.

As it was anticipated that a landing would follow the air raids, preparations were made for the natty to evacuate to Tingau village, on “No 1 Road”, about 3 miles from Lorengau. The evacuation was being carried out the following day.

As the anticipated landing did not even tuate, patrols visited Lorengau for several days afterwards to sink all small craft, complete the destruction of the few re maining buildings and the copra-shed,

which contained about 300 tons of copra.

The latter was a spectacular blaze and smouldered for five days. To complete their work, the Independent Company set booby-traps on the small jetty, AFTER a week at Tingau. it was de cided to proceed to Bulihat, 5 miles further on from Tingau, and about 500 feet above sea level; and there our main camp remained until our escape on 10th April. Lieut. Palmer took over on behalf of Military Administration, and the civilians, with the exception of Vertigan (who joined the Independent Company) were alloted jobs—Hamilton to Observa tion Post duties, Taylor as wireless opera tor, and Armstrong to RAP duties.

Shortly after arriving at Bulihat, Ham ilton and Armstrong carried out a propa ganda patrol along No. 1 Road, and per suaded the natives, who had stampeded during the raids, to leave their hideouts and return to their villages. Lieut. Pal mer also permitted Armstrong to carry out medical patrols along No. 1 Road, and along the coast as far as Bundralus Cath olic Mission Station.

At frequent intervals, Jap planes flew low over the island; and on one occasion two seaplanes combed the island, finally machine-gunning and bombing what was left of Lorengau.

Towards the end of March, with medical supplies running very low—most of the troops having malaria—and footwear becoming a problem, Lieut. Palmer sig nalled Moresby, requesting that the party be evacuated. A reply was received that an endeavour would be made to contact us with small craft from Madang. A further radio from Moresby advised that it was not possible to contact us, the mes sage concluding: “Make own arrange ments”!

ON the night of 7th April a message was received from Bill Tupling at Pellelun Island, that a Jap force con sisting of 2 cruisers. 2 destroyers, and a transport had passed Pellelun, steering in the direction of Manus. The force entered See Adler .Haven at dawn the following day, and disembarkation of troops com menced, the landing being made on the native hospital beach. Just after the ar rival of the naval force, seaplanes flew over the island and dropped' bombs on Inrim Plantation, apparently mistaking the few buildings for our camp.

Although Lieut. Palmer was suffering from a severe form of tinea, and almost unable to walk, he insisted on leading a patrol in an endeavour to ascertain the strength of the invasion force; but he was too sick to proceed far and had to return to camp. The day after the landing, a Jap party was contacted near Tingau by an Independent Company patrol, which managed to evade the Japs and return safely to camp.

In view of the futility of hanging on any longer, Lieut. Palmer decided that we cross the island to Putusi, and en deavour to reach the mainland some 350 miles away, by the 12-ton schooner “Edith”, which had been hidden at Ndrova Island for such an emergency, and by the Seventh Day Mission launch “Fidelis” which was laying at Putusi.

Bulihat was evacuated without incident on 11th April, and late afternoon the following day we arrived at Putusi. At dusk, Lieut. Palmer set out by canoe for Ndrova Island, arranging to pick us up at Tawi Island the following morning.

The natives informed us that each night since Lorengau was occupied, a Jap des troyer had lain off Ndrova Island and played its searchlight along the shore.

Fortunately for us, the night we were at Putusi, the destroyer did not appear.

IT was with reluctance that we said fare well to the little band of loyal natives who had stood by us ever since the

bombing of Lorengau, and shortly after dawn on 13th April, 19 of us boarded a small pinnace to keep our rendezvous with Lieut. Palmer.

The remaining 10, with Vertigan in command, boarded the “Fidelis” and de parted for Madang—a hazardous under taking.

To our relief, the “Edith” arrived on time, having on board a small crew of natives. We headed for Mbuke Island and arrived 5 p.m.; but owing to the maze of reef surrounding the island, we were compelled to anchor for the night. At dawn the following day, we set out for

Bagabag Island with Taylor, Hamilton, and Armstrong as navigators and watch keepers.

The only amusing incident of the jour ney was when Lieut. Palmer warned all hands that no matches were to be struck lest our position be given away to a watching enemy—and his attention was drawn to the exhaust of the “Edith”, belching sparks about 20 feet in the air!

Bagabag was reached at noon on 15th April, and radio instructions were re ceived from Moresby to avoid Madang and proceed to Bogadjim. We left Baga bag at 7 p.m. and arrived Bogadjim at 7 a.m. on 16th April—having made the journey from Putusi to Bogadjim in 3 days without having sighted any Jap air or surface craft—truly an act of Provi dence. A few hours after our arrival at Bogadjim, the “Pidelis” hove in sight, she also having made an uneventful cross ing Our safe arrival on the mainland was tinged with regret by the knowledge that there were still some Europeans in the 'Western Islands whom it was impossible to have brought to Manus to join us. (The Western islands party subsequently made a lucky escape and reached Aus tralia safely).

Radio advice having been received from Moresby that the party was to proceed to Ramu Base Camp, we split up into 3 sec tions: and, on 17th April, the long hike commenced. Lieut. Palmer was a cot case, and had to be carried from Bogadjim to Mount Hagen.

On 26th April we arrived at Kainantu, thankful for the chance of a spell, and fully appreciating Bill Brechin’s hospi tality.

Instructions having been received from Moresby that we proceed to Mt. Hagen for evacuation to Australia, the party again split up into 3 sections, the first two being the Independent Company, and

the third comprising Hamilton, Taylor, Armstrong, Kenward, and Rodgers—the latter two having been at Kainantu for some time after getting away from Mad ang.

The first party, under Lieut. Palmer, set out on the final leg of the journey on 2nd May: the second party, under Vertigan, left the following day; and the civilian party on sth May.

Passing through grand scenery in the hinterland of New Guinea, we finally ar rived at Hagen on 16th May, there to find a number of evacuees from Madang, who had been at Hagen about two months, awaiting transport to Australia.

The day prior to our arrival at Hagen, a message was received from Mr. Oakley (former District Officer, Madang) to get to Hagen as quickly as possible, as planes were arriving to take all evacuees to Horne Island. The wonderful work of the civilian pilots, flying antiquated planes, who successfully transported all the evac uees without a single loss, and the out standing organising ability of Father Glover, is now history.

On 18th May our party left Hagen and arrived at Thursday Island late in the afternoon; and, with other evacuees and troops, boarded the overcrowded small coaster “Wandana”, whose peace-time run was from Brisbane to the Gulf of Carpentaria. That night we sailed for Cairns and arrived on 22nd May after an uneventful passage. We left Cairns by train on 26th May and arrived in Sydney on 29th May, all in reasonably good health.

Mr. S. Elliot-Smith, who recently held the position of Superintendent of Police in Port Moresby, has arrived in Australia on extended leave, which he will spend in South Australia. He held a prominent position in ANGAU in the “black years.”