On 7 August this year the Solomon Islands will celebrate 43 years Independence as a sovereign country although celebration events this year are most likely to be muted because of the ongoing measures to keep Covid-19 at bay.
I am quite sure; however, special recognition on the day will be given to all those who fought and died on Solomon Island’s soil during what we now know to have been the great Battle of Guadalcanal.
It was on the 7 August 1942, United States Marines landed on Guadalcanal, Tulagi and Florida in an operation code named Watchtower by American forces.
On that day, 7 August 1942, began the first major land offensive by allied forces against the Empire of Japan
The Japanese Imperial Forces that had occupied all three islands, but eventually were forced to withdraw after fierce fighting in major land battles, seven large naval battles (five nighttime surface actions and two carrier battles), and almost daily aerial battles which culminated in the decisive naval battles centered around Savo Island, during which amongst other ships, HMAS Canberra was sunk costing some 193 lives.
In early November, with the defeat of the last Japanese attempt to bombard Henderson Field from the sea and to land enough troops to retake it, the Japanese abandoned their efforts to retake Guadalcanal, and withdrew their remaining forces.
In 1997 and 1998 on the anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal several elderly veterans returned to Honiara to take part in the remembrance acts that took place at the US memorial site and at the memorial in honour of the Japanese soldiers that had perished during the heavy fighting.
I was privileged during those years to welcome one of the former US marines, the late Wilbur Bewley who was generally accompanied to Rove by the late military historian John Innes.
Wilbur always made a point of pausing for a few moments in paying silent respects in front of the large portrait of the late Sir Jacob Vouza, KBE, GM, MBE, CPM, whose portrait I had displayed in the reception area of the police headquarters.
On the 55th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal I was honoured to play host to Brigadier General. U.S. Marine Corps, (Res) Jay Hubbard who delighted in watching a Retreat Ceremony by the RSIP Band and who later attended the Independence Day garden party held by the then Governor General at Government House.
Brigadier General Hubbard asked me to introduce him to the then Japanese Ambassador, also at the garden party, which I did.
The act of remembrance of all those who died fighting on Guadalcanal was also carried out (during 1997/8) at a short service on the 7 August at the site of the memorial site in honour of Sir Jacob Vouza at Rove and always attended by Sir Jacob’s son, David, then a local MP, and by the then US Ambassador based in Port Moresby and the US Defence Attache in Canberra,
This year as in all years since my service in the Solomons, I will offer my silent wish for the continued peaceful progress of the Solomon Islands, but especially think this time around of the two, young Christian youths who most recently died from injuries they received by an unexploaded WWII bomb that was set off while the pair where taking part in a church event.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
