VOUZA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 39, 11 January 1944, Page 5

VOUZA

STORY OF GREAT GALLANTRY

S( )L< )MON IS LA NDEI IS

LOYALTY

We. bring you now the story of Vouza,. the Solomon Island native policeman ... a story which has been described as a supreme example of courage and loyalty, Avhicli is beyond words. In the years before the war Vouza was a police, boy at 1 ulagi, and recently Hector MacQuarrie,, under whom he served, has told some stories of Youza which showed the manner of man he is. "Vouza is about six feet in height," said MacQuarrie, "with bright, bronze, gleaming hair,, quite soft in texture, but standing straight up in a perfect Solomon Islands coiffure. His physique Avas more than superb, but his great strength was hidden by a grace. His lace Avas tremendously attractive,, perhaps in the same. Avay that the face of a AAoman, past lier prime, remains attractive because of the spirit behind'it. His mouth was large and generous . . i his forehead —broad and good. -He has ahvays remained, my friend, one of the very few friends a man makes in his Avhole life. But that was in the days of peace. When Avar came to the Solomons . . . when Tulagi and Guadalcanar were blasted Avifri Japanese bombs . . . and Avhen the invaders came, Vouza was sorely troubled. He did not like the Japanese ... he had seen them spying their way through Island lagoons long before the Avar. He had heard the Japanese boast that Japan had a king better than the King of England,, and that their Japanese king would come one day and take over the Solomon Islands. Vouza had been shocked then . . . now he didn't know what Avas going to happen next. What he. did in those months after the Japanese landed Ave do not know . . . but, Ave do knoAV Avken the Americans landed on the Island, Vouza Avas waiti«g for them . . . waiting to join them in driving the Japanese into the sea.

He knew the jungle like he knew the palm ol' his own hand ... lie knew where the Japanese were, and he went, out alone to gather information . . . Somehow . . . we don't know how . . . he was trapped . . . somehow he fell into Japanese hands. They asked him his name raid what he was doing . . . They asked, him where the Americans were . . . Vouza refused |to talk. They offered him bribes to tell y/hat he knew . . . they promised him much . • • but this native policeman, who owed his allegiance t ) the British flag, refused to say one word. As promises and bribes did n °t move him, they commenced to threaten. Threats did not move him, and so they tied him to a tree anlcli left him there. Then they came back armed,, this time, with bayonets. Vouza saw the bayonets and lie knew Avhat was in store . . . but he knew, too, that he could not break faith. I.n that little jungle clearing there was to be written,, in the hour which followed, a story ot sublime heroism "which will live, in the records of war . . . the story o" a native policeman who kept the l'r>ith.

They gaA*e him a last chance to speak, and when he remained silent, they drove a bayonet through his aim. Vouza clenched his teeth and strained at the ropes which bound him to the tree. But his lips remained closed. There came another bayonet thrust —this time through his face, but no cry and no Avord escaped the. grim-set jaAvs of the native policeman completely at the mercy of the Japanese savages avlio r.'nged. him round. It was not a pretty scene . . . Vouza, with the. bayonet wounds draining his body of strength,, stood firmly against the tree . . . in his eyes a burning hatred and a burning defiance., but Ik did not speak. Then the Japanese officer shouted his last command. Another soldier came forward,, and Avithout hesitation.,'drove his bayonet to the hilt through Vouza's body . . . and then they went away—leaving him for dead. But Vouza did not die . . . although he Avas near the end of his strength when, as night fell, he. slipped from his bonds and found h.mself free. The American line was a long

way away, but Vouza had information which he kuew the Americans wanted. His strength was almo.v. gone . . . life was a'most" gone . . . but lie. steadied-himieii against a tree, marshalled every ounce of will and spirit which he could command, and set out in the di/ectlon

where he knew the Americans were. Jive.ry j r ard was agony . . . hut he pushed on, crawling,, walking, staggering from tree to tree . . . oa through the jungle, and on through the night, while the three bayonet wounds drained his body of its last remaining vestige of strength. In the American lines a sentry heard hi in coming . . . he snapped out a challenge and stood with rifle poised . . . And then, but of the jungle came Vouza crawling on his hands and knees and on the. ulti-»' mate point of collapse. Gently they lifted him and carried him in. They were taking him to l a doctor, but Vouza said,. "No,, take me to an officer ... I must tell him what 1 know . . . the doctor, he can wait.'"

So it w;is . . . the unquenclvabie. spirit, •which liad° carried him through, sustained him while he whispered, through clenched -teeth, all the information about the .Japanese lines which he had been able to secure, and then lie collapsed. The doctors took him into their cra-e . . . with gentle hands ;tncl ' expert skill they nursed him . . . they nursed him back to life an'ti- ■ back to strength. Then there came another day ... a day unique 'in the whole records of wai-„ because on that day Vouza,> the native policeman, received, the: tributes of His Majesty the King, and of President Roosevelt. On that day Vouza received the Cieorgev Medal and the American Silver Star. The George Medal was created by His Majesty, the King, to honour supreme heroism., and it ire©**-* y bestowed. " • The American Silver Star ex-> presses the. tribute of the people of America for supreme gallantry in action . .. • and there was none who did, not agree that Vouza, Uic Solomon island policeman, had earn--i them both . Loyalty—complete and unqUfcitloning—was ot' nis very being. ■ : A