Honiara : 2 August 2017
Letter to the Editors, Island Sun and Solomon Star newspapers.
‘Lest we Forget’
‘Bloody Ridge’ the site of one of the major battle sites during the six month long battle of Guadalcanal in World War 11 will be declared a national park next week.
It is recorded that about 1000 soldiers died on Bloody Ridge adjacent to Henderson Field airport, the key prize during the fighting.
From his book, ‘Where the Sun Stood Still,’ Don Richards gave an account of the Bloody Ridge encounter.
This is what he had to say:-
“For six months two determined foes were locked in a fierce and bloody battle for Guadalcanal.
‘Where the Sun Stood still,” gives the reader an accurate and detailed account of the U.S., Allied Pacific Island and Japanese involvement in the battle.
For the U.S. Marine Corps First Division, with Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Allied support this would be America’s first ground offensive and Japan’s last.
“The marines took and fought against almost insurmountable odds to keep what is known as Henderson Airfield and its surrounding territory.
“The losses on both sides were tremendous with approximately 7, 100 causalities for the U.S. and
38,000 for the Japanese.
“Many personal stories of individual heroism abound.”
One of those heroes was Sir Jacob Vouza, KBE, GM, CPM, and awarded numerous other decorations, including the US Silver Star and the Legion of Merit.
Jacob Vouza was a member of the Solomon Islands Police and, in this 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal, I would appeal for Sir Jacob’s name and service recorded to be included in the historical record of the RSIPF and full details included in the RSIPF’s website.
