Last United States Troops Leave Bsi

From Our Own Correspondent

Honiara, May 30.

LAST American troops on Guadalcanal departed on May 25 by a service Sky master for Kwajalein. No American troops now remain in the BSIP.

The day before their departure, a small, undramatic but oddly moving ceremony was held at Camp Guadal when the

United States flag, which has flown over Guadalcanal for eight years, was hauled down for the last time. Government officials and private residents were in vited by the officer commanding the American detachment to be present.

The Chief Magistrate (Mr. W. T.

Charles) represented the Resident Com missioner, who was absent on tour, and heads of Government Departments at tended as official Government representa tives. About 100 European residents and 300 Solomon Islanders were also present.

The handful of troops remaining at Camp Guadal fell in behind the flagstaff at 5 p.m. A few minutes later, a guard of honour of the BSIP Armed Constabu lary, with the police band of buglers, was mounted to the right of the flagstaff, their red sashes bright in the evening light.

The official party was escorted to a posi tion on the left of the flagstaff and resi dents watched from a grassy slope. The flag was slowly lowered, and many thought of the days when thousands of American troops were actively engaged on Guadalcanal. The American detachment on parade was keenly conscious of the ending of a chapter. The flag will be presented to the Marine Corps Unit which already holds the first Stars and Stripes to fly over the Solomons, hoisted by them at their beachhead on the day of the first landing in August, 1942.

AFTER the flag had been hauled down and folded away, the parade was dis missed and the OC Camp Guadal en tertained official guests till 6 p.m.

The departing American 1 ' detachment has fully co-operated with the BSIP Gov ernment, and their personal charm and friendliness has earned them many friends who were sad to see them go.