A Veteran Of
p. 89 · Read in the full issue
The Islands
Rolf Cambridge, Ap
pearing here as a beardless youth, is really a veteran of the Islands. He has just retired from Bums, Philp, and may soon grow his beard again.
HE was born at Windsor, NSW, in 1901, and went to the Solomons in 1920 to work on Malaita Company’s plantations. In 1927, he took part in the punitive expedition after the massacre of Dis trict Officer Bell and Cadet Lillies, when the armed forces were re inforced by the “Breathless Army” of local traders and recruiters.
In 1933, Rolf transferred to Burns, Philp as plantation inspector for Bougainville. During the war he served as a Coastwatcher, rising to the rank of captain in ANGAU, with “Z” and “M” Special Units.
When they swung from evasive tactics to the offensive, Rolf led a party which landed on Petals Island from a barge. They found only one Japanese sentry there, whom they captured for interrogation.
As the natives feared reprisals, the whole population of 376 was removed to safety behind Allied lines.
A few weeks later, in March, 1945, when the Japanese were preparing to fortify Taiof, the large island which forms Soraken Bay, south of Buka Passage, Rolf was sent to capture the island, and his party of native scouts ambushed the holding force.
This force turned out to be only 11 Japanese, of whom 10 were killed in the action, and the warrant officer in charge was taken prisoner.
Taiof was thereafter held by the Allies, and an observation post was established there to keep watch on Buka Passage and Soraken.
Rolf was mentioned in dispatches for this action.
After the war, Rolf was chief plantation manager for the Production Control Board before rejoining Burns, Philp in the same capacity for the New Guinea area.
In 1951, he transferred to the Robinson River Plantations, on the south coast of Papua.
In 1939, he married Kathleen Howell, and they have two children, Rolf and Janet. Rolf, Sr., now lives
at Wahroonga, NSW.-
Brett Hilder.