whole of Bougainville in fits and starts

starts.

The District Officer at Kieta took a party out by sea, and Jack Read was left in charge of the whole dis trict, besides being a Coastwatcher in a civilian capacity. He had a small force of police boys, and a section of 26 AIF Commandos, under a good, but locally inexperi enced, young lieutenant. When it was realised that the Coastwatchers would remain on duty despite the Japanese occupation of the area, it was decided to give them Service rank to avoid them being classed as spies. About this time ANGAU was being formed, and Read was given sergeant’s rank in it, but he very