The bravery of Solomon Islanders serving under Royal Australian Navy command during the Second World War has finally been recognised by Australia.
Almost 70 years since the end of the conflict, a commemorative medal has been issued for the coastwatchers and scouts.
Their service to the Allies was credited with helping turning the war in the Pacific against the Japanese.
Stefan Armbruster was at the ceremony to hand over the medals in Honiara.
"Last time I was in Honiara was for the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal and I remember at that time I was asked why Solomon Island coastwatchers and scouts didn't have a medallion for their contribution to the war effort and to be totally honest with you, I didn't have an adequate answer."
A proud moment for the relatives of the Solomon Island veterans of the Second World War, what is known there simply as the Big Death.
Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for Defence David Feeney addresses a small gathering in Honiara.
"Which brings us to today, the first ever award of the Solomon Islands coastwatcher and scouts medallion."
It's a long overdue gesture from the Australian government.
Ten medallions are handed to the descendants of the Solomon Island fighting men, in the shadow of a monument locals erected to their bravery.
Unfortunately almost all of the old soldiers have already passed away.
About three remain, none of them were present.
"My name is Robert Lulumani, son of Edward Lulumani. My father died on Friday, last Friday, so that was unfortunate, so I am here to receive on behalf of my father, and I'm very happy, but the sad thing about it is the loss of our father."
Edward Lulumani was on his death bed when told by his granddaughter the commemorative medallions would be issued.
Maggie Woollett is continuing in the family tradition of serving Australia.
"As a granddaughter, I'm really proud of my grandfather, he's been an inspiration, he's protected the country and I'm proud of him And I work for the Australian Defence Force and I'm certainly proud of the great Lulumani."
Battle of Guadalcanal historian John Innes has long campaigned for the recognition for the Solomon Island coastwatcher and scouts.
"It's a nobel thing that's been done, it's a correct thing that's been done, it should have been done in 1945, let alone 2013, but at least it's been done. As Admiral Bill Halsey said after the war, 'Guadalcanal saved the Pacific, and the coastwatchers save Guadalcanal'."
Mr Innes accepted a medallion on behalf of the family of Martin Clements, one of the most famous European coastwatchers.
"He was a British district officer and then became a coastwatcher on Guadalcanal here, went into the hills with his portable radio, so portable it only took 10 people to carry one, which brings me to the effort the Solomon Islanders made to assist these generally ex-pat coastwatchers. For every ex-pat coastwatcher, there'd be 100 locals looking after them."
As the Japanese Imperial Army swept through the Pacific and over-ran this former British colony, a few Europeans took to the hills with a loyal group of islanders.
From behind enemy lines they fed vital intelligence back to the Allies.
They fell under the command of the Royal Australian Navy Intelligence Service officer Eric Feldt.
Senator David Feeney recounts the history of this small, but legendary, group.
"In times of war, coastwatchers were to report unusual or suspicious activity in the area. … In 1942 the coastwatchers were integrated into the newly established Allied intelligence bureau. The nucleus of the coastwatchers was made up of European islander, planters, prospectors missionaries, and government administrators. In an effort to protect them, should they be captured the Japanese, many were commissioned as officers of the Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve."
And then Senator Feeney gives the acknowledgement from the Australian government the Solomon Island veterans did not live to hear.
"Alongside the coastwatchers, the Solomon islanders conducted guerrilla operations against Japanese forces and proved themselves time and time again in various aspects of intelligence gathering and reporting. I n addition to their observation and reconnaissance duties, the coastwatchers and scouts were credited with rescuing 501 Allied military personnel. They also saved some 450 civilians, 27 coastwatchers and 20 Solomon Islanders were killed, and a further 18 coastwatchers and 40 Solomon islanders captured during the course of the war. May endured extraordinary hardships and terrible deaths. The assistance and loyalty of the Solomon Island scouts and Coastwatchers were essential to our mutual cause. without them the story of WW2 could have ended very differently."
Historian John Innes recounts one of their most renowned exploits.
"The coastwatchers saved John F Kennedy, who at the time was captain of a PT boat, PT109, it was rammed at night, 2 am, by a Japanese destroyer, the Amagirri… and was rescued by the coastwatcher organisation, and little did they know that it was a future president of the US that they were rescuing."
The six-month Battle of Guadalcanal finally halted Japan's advance towards Australia, marking the turning point of the war in the Pacific in 1943.
About 40-thousand Allied and Japanese soldiers and an unknown number of local civilians were killed.
Senator Feeney says the descendants of the Solomon Islander veterans now can proudly claim their place in history.
"Well I think this means the Solomon Islands coastwatchers and scouts can be seen in the same way that Australians see the 'Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels' in the campaigns in Papua and New Guinea, that extraordinary sacrifice and valour that the peoples of these two countries undertook to join with Australia and the allied forces to defeat the Japanese invasion."
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