Tuesday 30th October.

42 days to go.

I had a very bad nights sleep last night. My air conditioner is so noisy I have to have the TV volume on about 60, but last night the generators that are placed next to the hotel were running all night. They run to power the decompression chamber that is at the site. I could also hear the compressor hissing too. The Solomons is a popular place for diving, but I am concerned at the use the decompression chamber gets, not just because it keeps me awake. Either the divers or instructors out here are irresponsible.

I went out today to sample some gold. A 10kg lump to be precise. I am sending 4 samples back to the University of Western Australia. A very clever chap there has set up a data base which identifies where gold is from. It is sort of a DNA fingerprint. This should help identify stolen gold and identify where it was mined.

The Coastwatchers rescued 75 prisoners of war, 321 downed Allied airmen, 280 sailors, 190 missionaries and civilians, and hundreds of native people and others who had risked their lives for the Allies. All of this came at a cost of course. 43 European and 60 local Coast Watchers lost their lives during this time.

None of the Coast Watchers were paid. They were all volunteers. The organisation was set up before Pearl Harbour. They were to be used as an advanced warning for the defence of Australia. They were selected Plantation Owners, Missionaries and Government Officials; they were not expected to be operating behind enemy lines. They were given training in radio technique and using code. They were also briefed on what action to take if key targets fell into enemy hands. All of this, although not clearly planned for occurred due to the rapid advances of the Japanese forces. They then endured the removal from luxuries they were used to, forced to eat cold meals during the day, an unsure supply chain and on more occasions that not sleeping in trees or under logs.

Other contributions included the identification of safe harbours, the maps were not of a high standard and both Admiralty and Japanese maps were incomplete. In one instance a Coast Watcher who had lived in the Solomons since 1925 informed the Allies of a safe harbour that did not exist on maps. From this base attacks were launched, the Japanese did not send patrols to the location as their maps showed that the area was not navigable. Some Coast Watchers served the entire War without contributing directly to the War effort. However, their presence alone meant that they added to the safety and well being of Allied Forces.

It was the killing of several of the Coast Watchers that prompted the granting of Rank. This offered some protection as they were then regarded as serving Officers; it also enabled the payment of pensions to surviving relatives. Prior to this they were instructed to cease operation when the area they were operating in fell into enemy hands. This instruction was however, ignored by the Coast Watchers. They continued to perform behind enemy lines, putting themselves and others at risk.