Evans' Camera Recaptures

The Kennedy Isles'

When the British Solomon Islands begins to enjoy a growing influx of ourists (and this has been predicted by the BSIP Chamber of Commerce— ;ee p. 147) the small islands in these pictures should be a "must" for every \merican. These are all the islands that matter in the saga of President Cennedy —as seen through the viewfinder of ex-coastwatcher Reg Evans' own :amera when he revisited the scene in May with US TV man Jack Paar. ■vans and Paar are seen together in Sydney in the top picture. The island t the top left is Kasolo, which Kennedy named Plum Pudding Island be ause of its shape. Kennedy and his men first swam to this island when TlO9 was rammed in Blackett Strait. The strait is seen in the centre licture, photographed from the beach at Plum Pudding Island with Kolom •angara silhouetted in the background. Evans had his coastwatching station >n Kolombangara, on the second hill seen from the right, when he saw the ire on the rammed PT boat. The two islands together in the picture at 3wer left were next to play their part in the rescue. The lefthand island > Naru, the righthand one is Olasana. Kennedy and his men swam from ium Pudding Island to Olasana, and Kennedy and a companion later swam rom Olasana to Naru, to see if it was free from Japs. Evans' scouts at his stage located Kennedy and his party, and after messages were passed hey later paddled Kennedy, hidden beneath some palms, to Gomu Island ower right) where Evans by this time had established a new coastwatching tation. Evans gave Kennedy a cup of tea on Gomu and arranged for -ennedy s party to be picked up. The entire rescue, from the time of the rash until the men were returned to base, took a week.