Sunday 28th October.

44 days to go.

Went out to a Chinese Restaurant with Guru and Tweety last night, something was not right when I got home. I felt I might be spending the night driving the porcelain bus. It only resulted in some minor discomfort though. Just a few visits, but no nausea, that was a relief. I thought that I had gone so well without actually being sick here I was “due”.

In at work at 0830 then off for a quick bit of breakfast. Returning to work and then do some crap computer based stuff through to lunch at about 1300. This should be the last of this work so I am glad it is out of the way. After lunch maybe some reading and lounging around the pool.

Kennedy, Part 2

On the 4th August, Kennedy led his men in a swim to the next island looking for food and water. Some of the men were becoming weak and unwell. Kennedy had already dragged one of his crew in the original swim and repeated it on the second swim. There was no relief on this Island, so on the 5th they headed for the next Island in the chain. They had more luck here. They saw a Japanese wreck sitting on a reef. On the beach they found some discarded Japanese food and water rations. They also discovered a hidden one man canoe nearby.

Two local men were on the Japanese wreck, when Kennedy attempted to make contact the frightened locals fled. Kennedy decided to leave his companion Ross on the Island to rest and returned to the previous Island in the canoe they found. He loaded the food and water to supply the men awaiting his return. Back with the main group he found that the 2 local men he saw on the wreck had met with them also. The crew had convinced them that they were Americans. The locals went back with Kennedy to collect Ross; they intercepted him as he was swimming back. Once back on the Island, Kennedy was looking for something to write a message, he was shown how to do it on a green, smooth coconut husk.

The message was simple giving detail of Kennedy and that 11 were alive, the bearer would guide the rescue. Luckily for them the Solomon Islanders were scouts for one of the Coast-watchers. (More info on Coast-watchers will come later). They delivered the message to the coast-watcher. The Islanders returned with the news that the message had been delivered and they were to bring Kennedy back to the Coast-watcher.

Kennedy reached the Coast-watcher and he was told that a rescue team were on their way.

When Kennedy was picked up on 7th August 1942, he had a pre arranged signal of firing 4 shots. He fired 3 with his remaining rounds in his revolver and one with the borrowed rifle of the coast-watcher. Kennedy had miscalculated the recoil of the rifle. Standing up in the canoe when he fired, the resultant kick sent him backward from the canoe into the water.

Kennedy guided the rescue through the reefs to where the balance of his crew waited. At about 0530 on the 8th August the rescue was complete.