1 November 2007
By Major Sholto Stephens (Deputy Commander of the RAMSI Military component).
The Mono Island Community (in the North-west of the Solomon Islands) each year on the 27th October commemorates ‘New Zealand Day’. This is where they remember the day that NZ Army and US Forces landed and began the liberation of the island from the occupying Japanese forces in 1943.
40 New Zealanders were killed in the battles that ensued over the next month or so as the Japanese were cleared from the Island and an Airstrip was constructed on nearby Stirling Island. That Airstrip remains in use today.
Attending the 2007 ceremony at the invitation of the Mono Islanders was the NZ High Commissioner, Deborah Panckhurst, the Deputy Special Coordinator for RAMSI, Dr Jonathan Austin, PPF advisors Pieter Roozendaal and Margot Sollit (both NZ Police), and NZ Military contingent members of RAMSI. Margot Sollit’s grandfather had fought on Mono Island and he is still alive today in New Zealand. Margot spoke to the community and emphasised how proud she was to represent her grandfather who fought on the Island alongside his brother in 1943. She said she remembered him telling how he and his brother had made a canoe out of a tree on Stirling Island.
Of course it was not only New Zealanders who had been killed but also US service persons and Solomon Islanders fighting at the side of the Allies.
The visitors were welcomed to the Island by the paramount Chief, Mr John Goldie. John spoke to the guests and the community thanking the New Zealanders for travelling all the way to Mono to share the day with them.
The NZ High Commissioner, RAMSI Dep Spec Coordinator, PPF Pieter Roozendall, PPF Margot Sollit and myself all spoke to the community at the welcoming ceremony. A short service was held at the memorial to the soldiers killed on the Island where wreaths were laid and a minutes silence was observed to remember the fallen. An Ode was read out aloud along with other protocols that we as New Zealanders were already familiar with from dawn services on ANZAC Day back home.
The villagers had laid on a significant feast including local crayfish and coconut crab for the visitors and they performed many songs and dances. Although the visit to Island was only a couple of hours long all New Zealanders who attended were overwhelmed by the hospitality of the locals and the welcome that they received.
Ends