US Memorial to Heroes of Tarawa

This photograph shows the Tarawa memorial, as it has come to be known, as it appears to-day dwarfed by young coconuts—old photo graphs showed it in a bare setting, after Betio atoll had been denuded of trees during the American reoccupation.

The inscription reads: “In memory of 22 British subjects murdered by the Japanese at Betio on 15th October 1942.

Standing unarmed to their posts, they matched brutality with gallantry and met death with fortitude.”

Those murdered were a missionary, a wireless officer, a hospital dispenser, a retired sea captain, and 17 New Zealand coastwatchers who had been stationed on various Gilbertese atolls.

Photo by Jack Thornton.