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Pacific Commandos: New Zealanders and Fijians in Action. A history of Southern Independent Commando and First Commando Fiji Guerrillas

Chapter XIV — Critical Period Of Campaign

page 123

Chapter XIV
Critical Period Of Campaign

Lieutenant Masefield returned from the Bairoko trail on 9th July, and reported that the Japanese were not yet moving' in the direction of Bairoko. It appeared that the enemy was going to make a determined bid to retain the Munda Airfield.

Ben Masefield's patrol had been able to get a fair amount of sleep during the nights spent in the enemy's territory, and they were reasonably fresh compared with the rest of the commandos, who were now feeling the strain of a week without sleep: in addition to their arduous patrols in the day time the commandos had helped to man the perimeter defences at night.

The Japanese night attacks on the American bivouacs had been the worst feature of the campaign, and every morning dawned on a long line of casualties waiting to get knife wounds dressed. Many men suffered with war neuroses, and the casualties were being evacuated in hundreds every day. Malaria took its toll too. But by this time six battalions had arrived, and the Americans were building up a formidable weight of numbers against the Japanese. It was remarkable that the commandos did not suffer much with war neuroses, and not one commando was knifed during the whole campaign. It was to be expected with the large body of troops, such as the Americans now had in the jungle, that there would be a number of accidents; and the small Commando unit had a serious accident.

It was on the night of 9/10th July, when the Japanese made their strongest night attack in a desperate effort to repel the Americans. The enemy used many types of weapons —mortars, machine-guns, grenades, and knives—and they page 124got so fanatically worked up that they entered the bivouacs, screaming and killing, until they themselves were killed in melee. During the night a Fijian, Sailosi, was killed by the accidental discharge of a sub-machine gun. He was the first commando to be killed, and he was buried next day by Lance-Corporal Osea.

Up till this time the commandos had led charmed lives; they had been in the thick of every battle, and they had had some very narrow escapes while out on patrol.

The Japanese who had not been slaughtered in the great night attack retired towards Munda, and the Americans were able to advance twelve hundred yards on 10th July. One patrol of commandos remained with 169 U.S. Regiment to patrol the right flank, while the main body of the commandos moved forward with 172 Regiment. This regiment set up a bivouac near the Munda trail, and two commando patrols went still further to feel out the enemy's positions. One of these patrols, comprising Lieutenant Masefield and four Tongans, located some enemy machine-gun nests at the junction of the Munda and Lambeti trails: two of the Tongans returned to headquarters at midday to report on the gun position. Half an hour later the other two Tongans of the patrol returned with shrapnel wounds, reporting that they had been caught in our own artillery barrage and that Lieutenant Masefield had been killed.

Ben Masefield's death was one of the worst blows the commandos sustained. The men were groggy with lack of sleep, and this sudden information hit their morale below the belt. The Tongans almost worshipped Ben, and no words could describe the admiration the New Zealanders held for him. Like the "Boss" he was a born leader, and his marksmanship was as deft as the legendary tales of Robin Hood's. Ben was not unlike this legendary figure either—in his specially made green suit and soft green hat pinned up at one side with a feather. Captain Tripp kept the men busy so that their minds would not dwell on the loss.

The section of the Munda trail that had been made into a jeep road was so muddy that half the fighting soldiers were fully engaged in bringing up supplies; and as the Ameri-page 125cans moved forward it became increasingly necessary to break through to the coast to obtain supplies by barge.

The Americans could not secure the area between the Zanana beach-head and the fighting troops now beyond the Bariki River. The Japanese were continually harassing the rear lines of communication.

It was during this critical stage of the battle for Munda that Captain Tripp and Captain Scherrer proved their exceptional qualities. Both men were similar in physique and temperament, and they had their emotions under perfect control at all times. "When other officers talked of withdrawing to shorten the supply line, Captain Tripp and 'Captain Scherrer stood out against this proposal, and pointed out that if the enemy once found out that the campaign was wavering in the balance, he would bring in reinforcements. And if the Americans once lost their foothold on New Georgia it would be very difficult to surprise the Japanese again, let alone combat the confidence that the enemy would gain.

During these very grim days and nights the 43 Division's effective fighting strength rapidly dwindled. New hope was aroused on 11th July, when. a commando patrol returned from a reconnaissance of the area between the 172 Regiment and the coast. This patrol of four Tongans led by Brian Ensor, left headquarters the previous day, and it managed to get through the Japanese positions to explore the beach at Laiana. It found the beach excellent for landing supplies. On Laiana Point the patrol was ambushed by the enemy, but it managed to extricate itself successfully after throwing a grenade which killed one of the Japanese and wounded several others. On the basis of Brian Elisor's report, the Americans decided to make a beach-head at Laiana.

The American infantry moved forward six hundred yards on this day. The commandos carried out numerous short patrols on both flanks of the American regiment, and it was during these short patrols that the commandos accounted for many isolated Japanese snipers.

On the afternoon of 12th July, Captain Tripp and twenty-eight other commandos began to lead the 172 Regiment south towards the Laiana beach. To avoid the enemy positions they cut off the corner between the Munda and Lambeti trails and page 126struck the Lambeti trail further south. When nearing the coast, and just after the patrol had passed a clearing, a strong force of Japanese fired on them.

The 172 Regiment withdrew a short distance and bivouacked for the night, but the commandos, who were a hundred yards ahead of the main body, were cut off by the enemy's fire. The commandos tried to return to the American unit by a circuitous route, but they ran into even stronger Japanese positions. They fought a short but terrific battle for survival, and then split into small parties of twos and threes which spent the next twelve hours working their way slowly back to headquarters. At the height of the battle Lieutenant Henry Taliai, the Tongan officer, and Uraia, a Fijian, were killed. A New Zealand sergeant, George Conn, was also lost. George Conn was never seen again, in spite of a later intensive search, and he was presumed killed. The commandos accounted for a large number (estimated at forty) of Japanese killed and wounded as their shooting, even from the hip, had become surprisingly accurate as the result of much experience.

Late in the afternoon 172 Regiment was heavily attacked with mortar fire, and the commandos there suffered eleven casualties, one Fijian, Anare, being killed. Captain Scherrer was also wounded and had to be evacuated.

The commandos who eventually returned from the Japanese areas had some miraculous escapes. Allan Millar and "Wally Ashby ran into three enemy machine-guns at dusk. Fortunately the Americans were shelling this area, and the two New Zealanders travelled flat-out while the Japanese were ducking in their fox-holes; each time the barrage lifted the commandos lay low. This slow process of extrication went well until the moon rose and four Japanese spotted them. The Japanese closed in on the New Zealanders, but Allan Millar threw a grenade at them and he and Wally Ashby escaped without further trouble.

A Tongan of the party, Okusitino, stayed with Captain Tripp as long as he could but they ran into another party of Japanese, and in taking cover, the Tongan was struck on the back of the neck by something heavy and he was knocked unconscious. When he regained consciousness there were six page 127or seven Japanese standing round him and he found that he had been stripped naked. The enemy spoke in Japanese, but seeing that Okusitino did not understand, they asked him if he were Japanese or American. Okusitino told them he was a Tongan and immediately one Japanese took a hip shot at him. Fortunately the shot missed its mark, and Okusitino saw a gap which he ran through as fast as he could. He was soon lost in the heavy foliage and further shots also missed. Okusitino had to run the gauntlet of another enemy bivouac before he could breathe freely again. He eventually found a quiet spot and stayed in it until the following dawn when he returned to headquarters dressed in a few jungle leaves.

During the main battle a Japanese machine-gun opened up on Captain Tripp at ten yards' range. Captain Tripp happened to be carrying an American Carbine which he was trying out for the first time—it was also the last for it failed to fire and he threw it at the Japanese. He then dived into the fern. The Japanese threw grenades all round him, and he ran back past George Conn who was then under good cover. Then a dozen Japanese came towards Captain Tripp from another direction, so he crouched in some undergrowth. One of the enemy came straight towards him; this one he shot with his automatic pistol. He then got back to his patrol and ordered them to withdraw, and it was at this stage that the patrol split up. Captain Tripp and some Tongans soon ran into more fire whereuopn they took cover and awaited for darkness.

At dusk, the Japanese, who had a rough idea of the position of the commandos, started shelling them with mortars. These shells forced them from their hiding places. After travelling half a mile they were about to bivouac for the night when they found that they were still in the middle of strong enemy positions. A Japanese jumped out of a foxhole and grabbed Captain Tripp round the waist, turning him square on to the hole. Another Japanese, in the fox-hole, laid his rifle across the first man's shoulder and fired. Captain Tripp was shooting the bottom man with his pistol when the top man was shooting him, and he fell over backwards with the impact of the bullet. The bullet did not penetrate the flesh as it was deflected by a clip of cartridges and a cig-page 128arettelighter, and Captain Tripp was able to shoot the other Japanese before he got to his feet again.

Other Japanese were firing at the Tongans, and by the time Captain Tripp got to his feet the rest of his party had disappeared in the jungle. The enemy were all around him by this time so he dived into some thick bush and lay doggo. After a while the enemy stopped hunting for him; but one Japanese crawled right up close to him and Captain Tripp expected trouble. After two anxious hours he could tell by the heavy breathing of the Japanese that the latter had gone to sleep. The enemy evidently thought that he had escaped for several of them were walking about their positions. Captain Tripp examined his wound, and found that the only ill effects of the enemy bullet were a hole burnt in his jungle suit, a slight burn in the chest from the muzzle-flash of the rifle, and some splinters from the bullet in his hand.

Captain Tripp began to ponder on the possibilities of escape; the moon was still shining brightly. The Americans began to shell the area and the Japanese got into their foxholes. He decided that the best way out was to pretend to be a Japanese. He got up and walked around boldly—to all outward appearances. To his relief he found that the Japanese took no notice of him; he actually stumbled over one fox-hole and a Japanese let out an oath. The ruse was working so well that he decided to look over the enemy positions. He visited their kitchens—regretting that he did not have some kerosene to pour over the rice—he then visited their mortar posts where gunners were sleeping all around, and he cut the telephone lines leading to these posts. By two or three o'clock in the morning he had worked his way right through the camp, and just as he was leaving he could see some of the enemy cooking an early breakfast with canned heat (little tins of fuel that burns without smoke). He then headed north through a swamp. At dawn he was challenged by five Fijians and one Tongan who had escaped by a similar route the day before. The physical exhaustion of the evening's work had left the commandos very hungry, but they were fortunate enough to find some rations which had been dropped by parachute in the wrong place for the Americans. The commandos had not carried food with them on this occasion, page 129because it was a fighting patrol acting as spearhead for the battalion.

A few hours later they arrived back at the American regiment's headquarters, and Captain Tripp was able to give the American commander a clear picture of the enemy's positions. He also warned the Americans of the approach of a Japanese patrol for which the Americans laid a successful ambush. With the information thus obtained, the Americans soon pushed through to the coast, and the most important beach-head of the operation was made at Laiana.