ESCAPE FROM JAPANESE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 October 1942, Page 3

ESCAPE FROM JAPANESE

CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES IN SOLOMONS’.

HUNTED FOR EIGHT WEEKS IN JUNGLE. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, October 22. After being hunted by the Japanese for eight weeks in the Guadalcanal’ jungle, 14 Roman Catholic missionaries—seven priests and seven nuns have been rescued and evacuated from the Solomons. They include two Australians and a New Zealander, Father D. Scanlon, of Miramar, Wellington. The missionaries are all members of the Marist Order, the leader being the Bishop oi the South Solomons, the Rt. Rev. J. M. Aubin. , , , „ A spokesman for the party told a “Sydney Morning Herald” war correspondent that until the United States occupation of the islands'the Japanese treated the missionaries m a friendly way. But, fearing atrocities the parly took to the jungle on the eighth day of the American attack. Christian natives gave the missionaries every assistance, and refused to lead the Japanese t them. One native who misdirected enemy soldiers was shot. Two of the sisters gave first aid to a Japanese airman who had crashed, ana the day after the airmans departure the Japanese troops came to find them, but failed.

A British Official Wireless message dated October 13 stated: “News has been received in London that Fathers Henry Engberink and Arthur Duhamel and Sisters Sylvia and Odatya, of the Marist Mission at Ruacatu, on Guadaicanar Island, have been murdered by Japanese soldiers. Their bodies were found at Tasimboko, on Guadalcanal They had all been bayoneted in the throat. Sister Edmet escaped.