Coastwatchers - The sometimes forgotten resistance unit!

Discussion in 'War Against Japan' started by spidge, Apr 29, 2007.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Australian Coastwatchers were instrumental in forewarning the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal about imminent attacks by Japanese aircraft based at Rabaul.

    These coastwatchers were organised by Eric Feldt, an officer of the Royal Australian Navy.

    Members of the Australian Coastwatchers, including W. J. Read in northern and Paul Mason in southern Bougainville, Donald Kennedy on New Georgia and Geoffrey Kuper on Santa Isabel were able to relay ahead when Japanese airplane formations were heading for the island, giving the defenders of Guadalcanal time to get airborne and intercept the bombers and fighters.

    LieutenantCommander Hugh A. McKenzie of the Royal Austalian Navy, the Deputy Staff Intelligence Officer for the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, set up a radio station at Henderson Field (on Guadalcanal) to monitor coastwatcher transmissions and relay their warnings to the CAF (Cactus Air Force)

    Several coastwatchers were stationed at various points around Guadalcanal, including Martin Clemens who was also a local official for the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, Leif Schroeder, Donald McFarlan, Ken Hay and Ashton Rhodes. These coastwatchers, with help from native Solomon Islanders, helped rescue and return several allied pilots during the campaign.

    Admiral Bull Halsey would later say the coastwatchers, "saved Guadalcanal" and Guadalcanal saved the Pacific.


     
  2. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Solomon Islands to honour scouts and coastwatchers’ service in WW2

    The first memorial to honour Solomon Islands World War II scouts and coast watchers is being unveiled in Honiara this Sunday, the 69th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Guadalcanal.
    Spokesperson, Bruce Saunders, says the Pride of Our Nation memorial was commissioned by a local trust to ensure the war service and bravery of Solomon Islanders was remembered and to engender national pride.
    He says the scouts kept the coast watchers safe and also gathered information on the enemy’s movement.
    “Which they could feed back to the coastwatcher who could then pass it on through their intelligence system back to Australia and gain vital information so it was major, as the US Navy Commander Halsey said, if it wasn’t for the coast watchers and scouts there wouldn’t have been Guadalcanal and without Guadalcanal there’d have been no success in the Pacific.”
    The monument will be sited at Point Cruz in Honiara. And thats the news.
     
  3. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

  4. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Programme from the opening of the Coast Watchers Memorial - Honiara Sunday 7 Aug 2011.

    Photos to follow>>>>>>
     

    Attached Files:

  5. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Monday, 08 August 2011 06:39

    A monument dedicated for scouts and coast watchers of the World II was officially unveiled at the Commonwealth Street yesterday.

    Governor General Sir Frank Kabui the guest of Honour unveiled the memory statue.

    Three local scouts who served during the World War II Alesasa Bisili, Thomas Titiulu and Edward Lulumani also witnessed the ceremony.


    [​IMG]

    Designed and built by local artists Frank Haiku the monument features two local and two allied force scouts and coast watchers working together during the battle in May 1942 on the ground of Guadalcanal.

    The tallest statue was a coast watcher wearing caps and looking ahead using binoculars on the lookout for their enemies.

    The other finger resembles a local holding a bush knife with his finger pointing to the sea.

    The other finger is an allied officer at his side in uniform and with a riffle slung across his back peers through the binoculars to where his eyes are being directed.

    At their feet, squatting radio operator calls in position of the enemies-the coast watchers and Solomon Islands scout in action.

    Taking up their position on a base two to three meters high on the seaward end of the commonwealth street in the Point Cruz section the cement-and wire-mess soldiers will forever reprises the pivotal role the coast watchers and scouts played.

    Speaking during the unveiling ceremony Chairman of the Solomon Islands Coast watchers trust board Sir Peter Kenilorea said the unveiling of the monument was a long-overdue tribute to the bravery of our people.

    It is the first national monument for the country and applies the title 'Pride of our Nation'.

    He said the memorial will become part of other memorials in Honiara that are dedicated to the bravery, courage and tenacity of the many young men, women who fought for their respective countries.

    He said scouts have played a critical role aiding and supporting the Coastwatchers who efforts were critical to the success if the Guadalcanal Campaign-which became the turning, point in the Pacific war.

    A street party was also organized to mark the unveiling of the monument later in the day.
    By Charles Kadamana
    Monument for scouts, coast watchers unveiled
     
  6. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Saturday, 06 August 2011 12:03
    TOMORROW in 1942, Guadalcanal witnessed one of the bloodiest moments of World War II when Marines landed.
    To honour the service and bravery of Solomon Islands Wartime Scouts & Coastwatchers, during the battle, activities are planned for tomorrow including the remarkable unveiling of a monument. Three local wartime veterans will be participating in tomorrow’s must see event.

    “Many of these brave souls have passed on but we are very fortunate to have Mr Alesasa Bisili who is from Munda, Western province, Mr Thomas Titiulu from Hadja, Ulawa - Makira province as well as one hundred year old Edward Lulumani from Kwaio in Malaita province who will be participating in the official unveiling ceremony of the monument.,” Spokesperson Bruce Saunders said.

    Mr Saunders said Linda Kuper the wife of the late Doctor Geoffrey Kuper who was right by his side throughout his role as a Solomon Island Coastwatcher while he was based in Isabel, is unable to travel to Honiara and participate in the unveiling of the “Pride of Our Nation” Monument.

    “She instead asked that we convey her message ‘that she is very pleased to hear that finally the efforts of the Solomon Island Scouts and Coastwatchers are being acknowledged though she is sad that her husband is not here to witness it for himself”.

    The unveiling of the monument will be made by the Governor General Sir Frank Kabui.

    The memorial was commissioned by a local trust to ensure the war service and bravery of Solomon Islanders is remembered by future generations, and to develop national pride.

    The trust commissioned renowned Solomon Islands artist Frank Haiku to design and craft the war memorial statue.

    Work has been completed and the site is expected to be covered awaiting the moment of disclosure tomorrow.

    The official ceremony at 9am will be followed by an afternoon of entertainment in Honiara’s Commonwealth Street, Point Cruz.

    All Honiara residents and visitors are invited to attend the unveiling and afternoon entertainment.

    Families are invited to come and enjoy the program.
    Solomon Star News, Solomon Islands leading newspaper
     
  7. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Photos from the Coast Watchers Memorial Service Honiara (Including 3 of the surviving Coast watchers)

    All information and content apolitical
     

    Attached Files:

  8. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Article from the current Solomons magazine (Solomon Airlines) about the Solomon Island Costwatchers and an interview with a surviving coastwatcherGeorge Titiulu.
     

    Attached Files:

  9. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, pay they respects at the Coast Watcher and Solomon Scouts Memorial in Honiara
    [​IMG]
     
  10. adam elliott

    adam elliott Junior Member

    The memorial in Honiara is good and the battle of Guadalcanal was undoubtedly one of the critical battles of 1942 which settled the outcome of the war. It is a shame though that the history being popularized now in the Solomons glosses over some of the reality. Not all Solomon Islanders were involved as scouts, the vast majority were in organized labour units overseen by members of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate Defence Force. Surely those who worked hard should have their contribution recognized properly for their grandchildren. It also highlight the extraordinary work of the scouts. Another point being missed is that not all Solomon Islanders supported the allied cause, to them this was a foreign war and their loyalties were motivated by their own considerations. Communities on the north west end of Guadalcanal were not supportive of coastwatcher Snowy Rhoades and Shortland Islanders also had their own sense of loyalty. There are many many other stories that detail a much more colourful history that is being popularised in the current memorialisation on Commonwealth Avenue.
     
  11. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Spider

    mention should also be made of the Air Force personnel who dropped and picked up the coast watchers - sometimes under duress - such as my old friend Wing Commander Peter Walker A.F.C. who landed his Short Sunderland to pick up a watcher - who was very late - when a member of the crew reported that they were being observed by a Japanese Submarine.....and Character that he was - Peter then suggested that they finish their tea and take off - as he thought that the submarines torpedoes didn't do so well in the air .....
    the watcher was picked up later when the sub took off.....
    Cheers
     

Share This Page