The
Japanese remained at Tinputz for three days before
embarking for Kieta. Apparently their objective had been to carry out a beach
reconnaissance for construction materials and anything else that might be of
value to them. After the enemy departed, we resumed the journey to Porapora and
reached Lumsis the first day. Besides the Aravia natives, the people of Lumsis
remained loyal to us until the very end. I decided to set up a base in the
mountains behind Lumsis—a place to fall back on in case Porapora became
untenable.
Allied soldiers nursing their dog injured by Japanese sniper (Photo: news.discovery.com)
The Aravia and Lumsis natives were very
amiable. I was able to purchase a block of fertile land from each community and
settled the Redskins on the property. However, in return, I asked them to serve
me as carriers or laborers whenever called upon. They willingly agreed to the
proposal. Incidentally, practically all my police boys were Redskins.
SOURCE: Coast Watching in WWII: Operations
against the Japanese in the Solomon Islands, 1941–43, by A. B. Feuer (Stackpole, 2006), p. 119
Retrieved from: Far Outliers (http://faroutliers.wordpress.com/2007/03/05/redskins-trapped-in-bougainville-1942%E2%80%9343/)
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