Line of Fire Read online

  NAA: A518, AG836/4, Part 3, ‘Volcanological reports’.

  Fisher describes his movements before the invasion in his hand-written diary (copies provided by Bob Collins).

  NAA: B883, NGX203 ‘George Joseph Manson’. George enlisted on Wednesday 21 January 1942, less than 48 hours before the invasion.

  Downs (1999), p.58, details the weapons issued to the militia.

  AWM113, MH 1/121, Part 1. A court of inquiry into the Japanese landings in Rabaul, Timor and Ambon was conducted in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Ballarat and, in relation to Rabaul, heard from 68 military and civilian witnesses ‘for the purpose of inquiring into and reporting upon the facts and circumstances associated with the landing of the Japanese forces and events subsequent thereto in New Britain . . .’

  Gordon Thomas, Prisoners in Rabaul: Civilians in Captivity, 1942–1945, Australian Military History Publications, Loftus, NSW, 2012, p.7, describing conditions in Refuge Gully.

  Fisher’s diary.

  ‘Small volcanic tremors continue’: NAA: A518, AG836/4, Part 3.

  Describing the bomb dump explosion: Peter Stone, Hostages to Freedom: The Fall of Rabaul, Oceans Enterprises, Yarram, Victoria, 1994, p.53; Selby (2008), p.37; Ted Bishton, ‘New Guinea B4 — Radio Operator and Plantation Owner’, unpublished manuscript, p.102: ‘We had only gone about 3 miles along the road to Kokopo . . . when we were almost blown out of the car by a terrific explosion’.

  Johnson and Threlfall (1985), p.143: ‘that night — while Tavurvur was in eruption, lighting up the cloud with its glow . . .’; Selby (2008), p.39: ‘a rumour went around that an American fleet had attacked the convoy . . .’

  CHAPTER 23

  ‘A brisk divine breeze blowing . . .’: quoted from AWM: 3DRL/4005, the diary of Hisaeda Akiyoshi, an army private attached to the South Seas Force.

  NAA: B883, NGX203. George Joseph Manson. Bev McLean also describes her father, George.

  Morris, p.77, describes why he believes the New Guinea militia was told to defend the vital intersection.

  Fisher describes the invasion in his diary notes.

  Ian Downs, The New Guinea Volunteer Rifles NGVR 1939–1943: A History, Pacific Press, Broadbeach Waters, Queensland, 1999, p.59, quoting George McLennan: ‘I could see the mortar shells bursting among them and the barges.’

  The Bible, King James Version. Jeremiah 50:22.

  George Manson, ‘Thrilling Story of South Australian’s Escape from New Britain’, Chronicle (Adelaide), 19 August 1943, p.23.

  ‘a large number of enemy bodies in the water and on the beach’: McLennan quoted in Downs (1999), p.59.

  ‘We knew we didn’t have a chance . . .’: Manson (1943).

  Fisher describes in his diary the mortar being hit and his Colt revolver.

  Manson (1943) describes cutting his way through the grass and vines with bayonets.

  Fisher describes in his diary the order to withdraw in small parties.

  ‘Australians had lost 28 men . . .’: Lionel Wigmore, ‘Rabaul and the Forward Observation Line’, The Japanese Thrust, Vol. IV of Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1957, p.410.

  Fisher in his diary describes catching up with Clem Knight.

  ‘Our night meal for 28 men . . .’: Manson (1943).

  Selby (2008), p.47, describes his conversation with Father Mayrhofer. The Lamingi Mission and the priest are also mentioned in Fisher’s diary entry for 25 January 1942 and Manson (1943).

  NAA: A9695, 848A, ‘Evacuation of Rabaul by No.24 Squadron’.

  CHAPTER 24

  ‘Surrender at once! . . .’: AWM54, 607/8/2 ‘Report by Lt Col H.H. Carr, Canberra.’ Attached to the report is a copy of this ultimatum to surrender, among others kept by Captain Pip Appel.

  Hamilton (1942). Mac Hamilton describes his escape from Rabaul and his meeting with Harvey.

  NAA: B883, VX23843. David Ormond Smith.

  NAA: B883, VX44959. James Macknight Hamilton.

  Hamilton (1942) describes how they came to acquire the horse Timothy.

  NAA A518, DS16/2/1, Part 1, ‘Civilians detained by Japanese’ states Bruno Stapelmann, p.127. He is also mentioned in other sources including Karl Hesse and Hermann Hiery, A Jos!: die Welt in der die Chachet-Baininger leben, Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden, 2007, p.x.

  Fr B. Stapleman (sic), ‘The Japanese Invasion of New Britain’, Annals Australasia: Journal of Catholic Culture, Chevalier Press, Kensington, NSW, October 1990.

  ‘Lovely man, Father Stapelmann . . .’: Mick Smith quoted in Patrick Lindsay, The Coast Watchers, William Heinemann Australia, North Sydney, 2011. Patrick Lindsay interviewed Mick Smith.

  NAA: B883, VX8370. Ernest Smyth Appel.

  Lionel Wigmore, ‘Ordeal in New Britain’, The Japanese Thrust, Vol. IV of Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1957, p.655.

  ‘the natives would be more likely to attack an old grey man . . .’: Hamilton (1942).

  ‘the natives were dancing with axes and spears . . .’: NAA MP742/1, 336/1/367, ‘Roca, Joseph — Collaboration with the Japanese (1946–47)’. Hugh Scott complained to Roca of workers dancing and waving weapons outside his bungalow. Diana Martell also mentioned this.

  Hamilton (1942) describes his interview with Harvey, including details of the schooner and Teleradio.

  ‘Go for your lives!’: Lindsay (2011).

  ‘We thought it would take us to some inland mission . . .’: Hamilton (1942).

  David Hutchinson-Smith, ‘Guests of the Samurai’, manuscript AWM MSS1534 held at Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

  AWM54, 1010/9/127, ‘War Crimes and Trials — Investigation of Atrocities: File relative to the activities of Joseph Roca — Alleged collaboration with the Japanese’. Roca outlined Hugh Scott’s predicament in his unsigned statement.

  Hamilton (1942) misnames Jimmy as ‘Tom’ Manson. He also calls a neighbouring planter ‘William Mason’, confusing and combining the names of William Parker and Jimmy Manson, who were living on the plantation.

  Graham Manson has a photograph of Dickie in his Cub Scout uniform.

  Winifred Harvey describes the gold diggings on ‘Takis’ Creek (NAA: A518, 16/3/316) and says that this was probably where Harvey had his hideout. The village of Takis is several miles west of Lassul, but Harvey’s hideout was in the mountains behind the plantation. Takis Creek describes one of the creeks in the mountains, but it’s unclear exactly where the gold diggings were.

  Hamilton describes ‘Tom’ (Jimmy) Manson helping repair the radio. Jimmy helped the troops repair the radio so he could keep an eye on it. The family would need it if it could be repaired, so they could send a signal to escape.

  AWM54, 1010/9/127. Joe Roca describes Jimmy Manson and Bill Parker as being captured in a separate camp on Nambung plantation, with the radio.

  ‘a surly, insolent Kanaka boy came through the gloom and handed me a note’: Hutchinson-Smith in AWM MSS1534.

  ‘To all sick Australian Soldiers . . .’: AWM54, 607/8/2. Attached to this report are copies of several ultimatums to surrender sent to Captain Appel, including the one quoted.

  Roca’s description of the Harvey family’s capture is detailed in AWM54, 1010/9/127.

  A possible explanation for Harvey still being in possession of the radio when he was captured is that Jimmy may have dragged the radio into the jungle when the Japanese attacked.

  ‘Roca was ingratiating himself with the Japs . . .’: David Hutchison-Smith, ‘Rabaul — Yokohama. 14 February–14 July 1942’, unpublished manuscript.

  Roca identified his father in NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/367.

  The description of Joe Roca comes from Lizzie Green, who knew him as ‘Uncle Joe’, and also a photograph of Joe Roca (ex Don Green).

  NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/367. See Roca’s statement of 18 December 1945.

  AWM54, 1010/9/127. ‘Joyce Allen statement’ dated 20 November 1945.

  ‘Mr Harvey — please surrender at once . . .’: N
AA: MP742/1, 336/1/367.

  CHAPTER 25

  ‘The attitude of those with near relatives in our Garrison at Rabaul is becoming bitter . . .’: NAA: A2684, 749, Advisory War Council Minutes, Australian Defence Forces at Rabaul.

  ‘In one of the most extraordinary withdrawal actions . . .’: ‘How Rabaul Defence was Overwhelmed’, The Advertiser, 6 April 1942, p.5.

  ‘Trusting you may be able to help me about my family . . .’: NAA: A518, 16/3/316. Letter from Phyllis Manson to New Guinea Trade Agent, 16 March 1942.

  ‘28 Australians were killed . . .’: Lionel Wigmore, ‘Rabaul and the Forward Observation Line’, The Japanese Thrust, Vol. IV of Australia in the War of 1939–1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1957, p.410.

  ‘16 Japanese were killed . . .’: Wigmore (1957), p.412.

  ‘How Rabaul Defence was Overwhelmed’, The Advertiser, 6 April 1942, p.5: ‘at least 1500 Japanese lost their lives at a cost of fewer than 20 Australians slightly wounded.’

  ‘As you can quite understand . . .’: NAA: A518, DS16/2/1, Part 1, p.77. Letter to James Halligan from Burns Philp, 2 September 1944.

  Diana Martell describes what happened when she and her mother returned to Sydney.

  Bev McLean remembers her father, George Manson, telling her all he had to eat were leaves and grass.

  ‘a nightmare of hills . . .’: from a description by Kay Armstrong of Herbert Free’s escape to the South Coast of New Britain.

  George Manson (1943) describes arriving at Tol.

  Fisher in his diary describes Keith Paul leaving the group.

  Leo McMahon as told to J.B.S., ‘Dodging Death from the Japanese’, Townsville Daily Bulletin, 8 April 1942, p.2 (the second of three articles published over three days, 7–9 April).

  ‘obtained his approval . . .’: Fisher’s diary.

  ‘We took the pinnace at the point of a revolver . . .’: McMahon (1942).

  ‘killed by bayonet thrusts . . .’: George Manson, ‘Just Missed Tol Massacre’, undated newspaper cutting in Manson Family Bible.

  ‘We came across two chaps . . .’: ibid.

  ‘Lance Corporal Cliff Marshall’: Wigmore (1957), p.667.

  NAA: B883, VX24254. Clifford Marshall.

  ‘Today we caught many prisoner . . .’: Selby (2008), p.75.

  ‘We also had a lot of rivers to cross . . .’: Manson (1943).

  ‘My first impression was that of general chaos . . .’: Fisher’s diary.

  ‘Send all men that can travel . . .’: Selby (2008), p.180.

  ‘You can imagine the excitement . . .’: Manson (1943).

  NAA: B883, PX176. Allan Thomas Timperley.

  ‘Hey diddly di, they’ll soon be planting me . . .’: Selby (2008), p.189.

  Graham Manson describes the day his father had a heart attack.

  CHAPTER 26

  ‘For the coming generation . . .’: Takashi Kizawa, in an unpublished personal letter to G.A.M. Taylor, Volcanological Observatory, Rabaul, 23 August 1961. (Pacific Manuscripts Bureau PMB1291, 156.) In writing Japanese names, the family name usually comes first. In the case of Dr Takashi Kizawa, I’ve placed his family name last because this is how he is conventionally named in correspondence and in scientific literature.

  Most of the description comes from a translation of sections of Jiro Nitta’s Blizzard Ice Ruthless, Shinchosha, Tokyo, 1980, pp.56–116. The book describes Kizawa’s activities in Rabaul between 1942 and 1946.

  CHAPTER 27

  ‘a Baining boy spoted [sic] them . . .’: AWM54, 1010/9/127. From Roca’s handwritten statement, p. 12.

  ‘Harvey is surely getting mad . . .’: ibid., p.11.

  NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/367. Roca describes how the Japanese came to trust him and give him a pass, in his typed and signed statement, p.2.

  ‘I agreed to bring the matter to the Police . . .’: AWM54, 1010/9/127, p.12 of Roca’s hand-written statement.

  ‘some native lava-lava material . . .’: NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/367, p.7 of Roca’s statement.

  ‘I led the party . . .’: ibid., p.8.

  ‘naval pilots reported fires . . .’: NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/1955, Part 12, Report on interrogation of Kanazawa Masao.

  Stokie’s account from ‘The Planter Who Kept Just One Step Ahead’, Truth (Sydney), 27 December 1953, p.14.

  ibid. ‘I knew that Ted Harvey in the Bainings, the mountainous country west and slightly north of Rabaul, was operating a wireless station. Unfortunately, the day after he tried to send out my first message he was captured by the Japs.’

  ‘He looked as if he had seen a ghost when I walked in . . .’: ‘Rescued from the Jungle’, The Argus, 6 April 1943, p.2. ‘I went along the coast to look up a man I knew. He was still there, and he looked as if he had seen a ghost when I walked in. We had a grand dinner of roast duck and good bread and butter.’ This meal occurred around the time of Harvey’s capture, although Stokie believes it was in mid-May rather than late April.

  ‘Down the coast at Vunairima . . .’: NAA: A518, B826/1/6. Roca’s signed statement dated 18 December 1945, p.8.

  ‘Roca told me . . .’: AWM54, 1010/4/155. Karl Hoerler statement.

  ‘he made a rough sketch . . .’: AWM54, 1010/9/127, Roca’s hand-written statement, p.12.

  ‘out fell a revolver . . .’: AWM54, 1010/9/127. Statement by Otto Zander, dated 10 December 1945, who also describes Dickie rushing to his mother’s aid and hitting the soldier.

  ‘the Japanese came down the path with Harvey . . .’: AWM54, 1010/9/127. Roca’s hand-written statement, p.12.

  CHAPTER 28

  ‘Passing round Tavui Point . . .’: David Hutchinson-Smith, draft manuscript, ex Don Green, p.6.

  AWM54, 1010/9/127. Joyce Allen describes the Harveys arriving for lunch in her statement dated 20 November 1945, p.5.

  ‘One dysentery . . .’: AWM54, 1010/9/127. Roca’s hand-written statement, p.8.

  ‘If you can do your best to help her . . .’: ibid, p.13.

  ‘the Japanese wouldn’t let the white people inside the building . . .’: AWM54, 1010/4/155. Karl Hoerler statement.

  ‘I watched them boarding a long line of trucks . . .’: AWM54, 1010/9/127. Roca’s hand-written statement, p.13.

  ‘a Japanese officer dressed in white climbed out . . .’: ibid. Although Roca does not identify the man as Mizusaki, the description matches and it’s reasonable that Mizusaki would appear in person.

  ‘the lad was allowed out now and then . . .’: Hutchinson-Smith, AWM MSS1534, p.31.

  John B. Lundstrom, The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1984.

  CHAPTER 29

  ‘it’s with a very sad heart I write this letter . . .’: NAA: A518, 16/3/316. Letter from Phyllis Manson to Edward Ward, dated 6 October 1945.

  ‘I feel to let it all die with them . . .’: NAA: A518, 16/3/316. Letter from Phyllis Manson to James Halligan, dated 20 November 1946.

  CHAPTER 30

  ‘for official purposes presumed dead . . .’: NAA: A518, 16/3/316.

  The shopping complex on Casuarina Avenue is described by Bruce Gamble, Target Rabaul: The Allied Siege of Japan’s Most Infamous Stronghold, Zenith Press, Minneapolis, 2013, p.51.

  Others also describe the Kempeitai headquarters in Akun’s shopping complex on Casuarina Avenue, between the Malaguna Road intersection and the Pacific Hotel. In some sources it’s described as Ah Teck’s tailor shop. In Quentin Reynolds, Seventy Thousand to One, Cassell, Melbourne, 1947, pp.119–121, it’s described as the ‘House of Akun’.

  NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/1955, Component 9. ‘Full translation of statement made by Takebe, Ken’.

  ‘I remember that they confessed only to laying stones on the ground . . .’: ibid.

  The movements of Inoue’s flagship, Kashima, are recorded in Bob Hackett and Sander Kingsepp, IJN Kashima: Tabular Record of Movement (combinedfleet.com/kashima_t.htm), 1997–2014. ‘4 May 1942: Operation “MO” — The Invasions of Tulagi
and Port Moresby: Kashima arrives at Rabaul, New Britain to direct operations . . . 13 May 1942: The Battle of the Coral Sea halts the Japanese thrust toward Port Moresby and they are forced to cancel Operation MO. Kashima departs Rabaul.’

  ‘Other ships arrived . . .’: Hutchinson-Smith describes the ships returning from battle.

  Lundstrom (1984).

  Tanaka Toshiyuki explains the treatment of prisoners and people accused of espionage, in Hidden Horrors: Japanese War Crimes in World War II, Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado, 1996, pp.71–73.

  ‘the court martial . . .’: NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/1955, Part 3. ‘Mr A.A. Harvey and Family’. Sworn statements of Kanazawa Masao, Mizusaki Shojiro and Hamada Diazo.

  Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp, and Peter Cundall, IJN Kongo Maru: Tabular Record of Movement (http://www.combinedfleet.com/KongoM_t.htm), 1998–2015. ‘10 March 1942: The Invasion force (Lae and Salamuana, New Guinea) is attacked by Vice Admiral Wilson Brown’s (USNA ’02) Task Force 11 . . . Kongo Maru is sunk at 06-49S, 147-02E with unknown casualties.’ Also, Robert Cressman, A Magnificent Fight: The Battle for Wake Island, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1995. ‘Putnam, Freuler and Hamilton braved heavy antiaircraft fire and strafed the Kongo Maru (Captain Mizusaki Shojiro)’ igniting barrels of gasoline stowed in one of her holds, killing three Japanese sailors, and wounding 19.’

  ‘Please, just call me Michael’: Alice Bowman, Not Now Tomorrow, Daisy Press, Bangalow, NSW, 1996, p.88. Also mentioned by Hutchinson-Smith: ‘He was attempting to ingratiate himself one day with our nurses who were interned at Kokopo Hospital and said with a dazzling smile to the Senior Army Sister, “You may call me Michael”.’

  NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/1955, Part 3. Sworn statements of Mizusaki Shojiro.

  ‘complaints from the Naval Air Force . . .’: NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/1955, Part 12. Full translation of statement by Kanazawa Masao.

  ‘everyone was ordered to locate these spies . . .’: ibid.

  NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/1955, Part 15.

  ‘Gumbatsu Shobun Kaigi . . .’: NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/1955, Part 15. Report on Interrogation of Sekiguchi Kozo, dated 24 October 1949.

  Various statements from NAA: MP742/1, 336/1/1955 describe the court.