NATIVE BRAVERY AT FINSCHHAFEN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 25, 19 November 1943, Page 3

NATIVE BRAVERY AT FINSCHHAFEN

DISTINGUISHED ACTS OF SERVICE A iialiv. iii dived under (ice into deep water to ri'si'iic ;i wound- ;• ! Aif-'l raiian niTi-vr <■ 1 > i : '>s in landing l-'i nsch ha fen. The act ol bravery Iks-, be -n reported officially. The in - .ro :•> ::I Waidd. ol' T;»r,ii I.siii:ir\ v. ho had been : I i;inre! nl Milne Bay,. ;in:i who volunteered !'•)!• the )-'i nsehhafen job. As iii" frii ?' t wir; ainnd io beach. an A 1,1 \ captain in front oi' \va> sevcro'v wounded .by nia.aiine j*un Hre nd IV! I into deep waliT. Waahi iui media i ely dived overboard and. .-till under fire, liol ihe y,'.h:;: led oii'icer io the >Haen. iy : w.i IT. V hin: u'l. i Miei! iea i aid an i ved. 'i he oii'ieer di'.v. ia!e/. :iee oi' lie' i ; ,lp!Ki:' i,■ i ;o!; ;• y lia■;a !io; i j-iho have tiisl inui; A-hed them -e i'.cs in this operaLion. ( inc. pari \ in!i 11 ra L i iu; aider I Sic* Innsiii'ii , threw t;renadc> ii>Vo a Jap. : |;• w.i and ;> -eiip:ed :i. The v iaUT kii le;i Japs who aileinpied l.niela'ke it. Papuan ! n fan try "!)oy.s" are amazingly effective v.ork. They work round the Hanks and obtain inlouna[ ion oi' Jap s'ren!iS.h and d ispo-\I ions, and iind and kili Jap snipers. These I'apuans are -cheerlnl. likea!)!e people. They are armed with riiles. Trusted se ru.cn nts art' issued wilh Owen guns and grenades. Their activities arc beuiii direct-c-d by a veteran soldier ol' two wars, who has had years oi' peace-lime experience ol' these parts. Xa lives have been avoiding the Japsl, and there is no evidence of their assisting the enemy, excepl when forced, ill is estimated there are. near;;' 2.1.0(10 natives between J-'i nsehhafen and Lac. These are described as intelligent, and many of them have been partly educated. A great number worked on goidlields before the war. "Japan all time, all lime to die." was a cheerful native message relayed back by "bu.sli talk."