In The Solomons

Historic Mission Island

A PROMINENT part in the 50th anni versary celebrations of the Methodist Mission on Vella Lavella, British Solo mons, in November-December, was taken by the Rev. and Mrs. A. A. Bensley (now living in retirement at Tauranga, New Zealand) who were missionaries at Vella Lavella between 1922 and 1935. They were succeeded by the Rev, A. W. E. Silvester, who stuck to his post during the Jap anese invasion and, for his courage in rescuing Allied sailors and airmen, re ceived the highest US civil decoration At the celebrations it was recalled that a Fijian teacher, Ratu Aporosa. was established at Vella Lavella in 1904, fol lowing the first Christian service con ducted there by the late Rev. J. F. Goldie in March, 1904. The Rev. R. C. Nichol son, appointed in 1907, continued the pioneeing work at Vella Lavella. The cen tral feature of this Mission jubilee was the opening of a new church at Bilua (at the southern end of the island, where Mission headquarters are situated).

Messages were received from Mrs.

Nicholson (widow of the first resident white missionary there), the Rev. A. W.

E. Silvester (now living in New Zealand), Dr. A. G, Rutter (of London, for several years the mission medical officer in BSD, and Sister Winifred Poole (of NZ. w r ho was stationed there for some years).

All mission buildings on Vella Lavella

were demolished by bombing and subse quent land operations in 1942-43. Ameri can troops landed there in August, 1943, and a New Zealand brigade arrived in mid-September to mop up 800 Japs hold ing areas at the north of the island. On the night of October 6-7, many of the

Japs were evacuated after two weeks skirmishing under difficult jungle cox tions. Vella Lavella was occupied by New Zealanders for some months, w a fighter strip was built by the Am cans for use in their offensive agai

Jap-held Bougainville.-

A.J.S.