War veteran

Vouza Is off to the States

From Gabrielle Lawson, in Honiara Sgt-Major Jacob Vouza lives today in a small village called Raroni, about 20 miles from Honiara. A Headman and an

honorary sub-inspector in the

Solomons Constabulary, he shares a small thatched roof timber house with his wife and

family.

There are many photographs on the walls—some signed by American generals and others taken during his visit to Britain when he represented his people at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. Soon we can expect there will be more photographs on the walls, of Vouza taken in America, for he has been invited to reunions of the First Marine Division Asso ciation at Anaheim, California, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in August.

He has just received his visa from the American Consulate in Suva.

Vouza’s visit to America is being paid for by the marines themselves.

The decision to invite him was taken unanimously at a meeting of the association’s directors in Washington.

It followed a visit to Guadalcanal by veteran marines for the 25th anni versary of their landing last August 7. The marines discovered then that it had been one of Vouza’s dreams to go to America.

Tortured

Sgt-Major Vouza came to promin ence in the Pacific War. Born in 1900, he had joined the Solomon Islands Armed Constabulary in 1916 and retired with the rank of Sgt- Major in 1940. He decided he could use his police training to act as a scout in support of the pitiful de fence given these islands when Japan came into the war, so he offered his services to the BSIP Defence Force.

He did much good work behind the lines, but was finally captured, tied to a tree and tortured by the Japanese in an effort to get him to reveal the position of American troops in the area.

He refused to help and eventually was left for dead. (He still has the

scars of the bayonet thrusts on his face and body.) He escaped and crawled to the American lines, where he insisted on making a full report before he re ceived medical attention. His in formation enabled the Americans to destroy a large Japanese force. He explained later he had not given in formation to the Japanese because it was “better for one man to die than a large number.”

For his work as a scout he was awarded the George Medal and the American Silver Star, In 1957, he was awarded the MBE for loyal government service, having among other things been president of the Guadalcanal Council and the BSIP Advisory Council—both for long periods.

Vouza has always been sought out by American visitors to the Solomons.

A few years ago a visit by US tele vision personality Jack Paar resulted in Vouza receiving the unusual gift of a set of false teeth. He had often expressed the wish to own a set, as his natural teeth had long since gone, but he never had enough money to pay for new ones.

When the Marine Corps repre sentatives attended the 25th anni versary last year they presented Vouza with a marine cap, which no doubt he will wear when he attends the American reunions. He still has his own army uniform and his con stabulary dress uniform of black lap lap and white jacket with braid and silver buttons, sword and his array of medals. He will be an impressive figure at the American reunions.

Vouza.

Photo: Ted Marriott