ON BOUGAINVILLE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 73, 16 May 1944, Page 7

ON BOUGAINVILLE

GISBORNE OFFICER'S ADVENTURE DROPPED GRENADES ON JAP HAIRDRESSER (Official War Correspondent N.Z.E.F.) Bougainville, May 6. Gate-crashing the private lines of Japanese soldiers on Bougainville with results most embarrassing to the hosts and most satisfying to the guests is one of the gentle arts of warfare fondly adopted and perfectly practised by the Fijian troops forming part of. the Allied forces on this island. Few men have the inclination, and fewer still the opportunity, to enjoy a grandstand view of a nonchalant enemy going about his domestic camp tasks in some jungle hide-out while the blaze of war burns on around him; but in the Fijian Military Force are men part of whose normal duties: is to share in just such sights, to observe the enemy at close quarters, take stock of him, hit him quick and hard, and move off' to fresh pastures. For four months now the Fijians have harassed the Jap along the rugged mountain trails between the Allied perimeter on Empress Augusta Bay and the East coast of Bougainville, and now that vain enemy attacks, on the perimeter have been smashed the job is being carried on among retreating enemy parties putting as much distance between themselves and the perimeter as they can in the shortest possible time. Every day patrols of Fijians prowl well beyond the perimeter limits, returning with a- variety of experiences to add to the store of choice stories met in. the jungle fastnesses. Not long ago a Gisborne officer, Lieutenant Tom Cranswick, had the unique enjoyment of peering into a hollow where Japanese soldiers were preening themselves in a makeshift hairdressing saloon. Lieut. Cranswick had watched a number of Japs move from a trail to a sheltered hollow, and following them with one native soldier, he settled himself just, below an enemy machine gun post and looked over to three open roofed huts where the party of twenty Japs had rested. There, to his surprise, the enemy had made themselves comfortably at home. One was having his hair cut; others waiting their turn or reclining at their ease. What, impressed Lieut. Cranswick was the professional skill of the hairdresser. Each clip of his customer's hair was followed by a neat flourish of the right arm and wrist, and an eager snapping of. the scissor blades as they seemed to sum up the citation in preparation for an attack on the next comb full. [ Though the sight was pleasing and peaceful, Lieut. Cranswick had no wish to get his hair cut himself that day. He called up a few more of his patrol. Out* came the handy grenades, and in they were thrown among the startled enemy. The Fijians did not observe the They were operating as a small party in the midst, of several hundred enemy and they figured their success sufficient for the time being. A withdrawal under fire cost no casualties. They are still wondering just where the scissors went in the hairdresser's linal flourish. Lieut. P. Lobendalin, one of the many Fijian, native officers in the force, had a somewhat similar experience only a day or two ago. From high ground overlooking enemy positions, Lieut. Lobendahn saw a Japanese directly below him, sitting in the mouth of a tunnel munching some food. This was an open invitation' that Lieut. Lobendahn had no intention of declining. He pulled out a 'four-second grenade, held it till two seconds, of the fuse had burned, and dropped it gently and neatly on to the lap of the oblivious enemy. The Jap had time just to get his scream started. This incident occurred during a Fijian attack on a hill position, and seven Japs Avere in the tunnel where Lieut. Lobendahn had found his victim. Another of his party threw in a seven-second grenade which a lesourceful Jap threw back before it exploded,. The Fijian, not to be outdone, hurled it back again, where it did its appointed task. The remainder of the Japanese got out of a second exit to the tunnel, but were killed as they tried to get away. Three enemy swords, fine threefoot long weapons, wre the Fijians reward in this one tunnel. One was lost when the patrol crossed a flooded river on the way home, but the others are back at camp headquarters as prized possessions.