Located on the northern side of New Georgia, across from Kolombangara Island. Leland Lagoon is located to the west of Enogai.  The Japanese built a four gun battery at this location to fire at ships in the narrow channel between New Georgia and Kolombangara, and the flank of Bauroko Harbor and Dragon's Peninsula. Assaulted by the 1st Marine Raiders, hard fighting occured to capture the guns. Enogai fell on July 10, 1943.

Type 3 (1914) 140mm naval gun (No 1)
Located furthest to the west, it was at this gun that Marine Radiers posed for photo after its capture. Then & Now Photograph by Justin Taylan, taken September 2003.

Type 3 (1914) 140 mm naval gun (No 2)
Located to the west, at Enogai.

Type 3 (1914) 140 mm naval gun (No 3)
Located to the east, around the point at Enogai.

Type 3 (1914) 140 mm naval gun (No 4)
Located furthest to the east, around the point at Enogai.

Ewan Stevenson recalls:
"I visited these guns about 1984 and then again in 1994. In '84 I went there with the manager of the Kolombangara Levers Timbers company. The projectiles were scattered around at that time. [Today they are missing]."

Justin Taylan adds:
"I visited this site with Danny Kennedy, John Innes, Gareth Coleman and Marcus Browning.  We located all four of the guns, fighting positions, expended ammunition and bottles.  None of the shells were present, locals said they had collected them and brought them to the nearby village.  Many Japanese bunkers and fighting positions were present made of fuel drums filled with coral pieces."

Rice Anchorage
Landings by the "Northern Landing Force" by the Marine 1st Raider Battalion and US Army 145 and 148th Infantry during landings on July 4-5, 1943. Japanese did not anticipate a landing at this location as dense jungle and swamps separated this anchorage from Japanese positions to the west. Japanese guns at Enogai fired at landing Marines, but the shots were too long.

After the battle at Enogai, three PBYs from VP-24 took off from Halavo Seaplane Base at 1505, landing at Rice Anchorage at 1645 on 11 July 1943. The comand pilots were Lt. R. F. Wadsworth, Lt (jg) R. B. Blodgett and Lt (jg) A.M.Caldwell. Thier mission was to evacuate wounded of the First Marine Raiders in the Rice Anchorage-Enogai Inlet Area on New Georgia, also survivors of the USS Strong.

Airborne again at 17:15 to land at Enogai Inlet. Landed at 17:25. Wounded loaded aboard one plane at a time. While transfer was taking place at about 1820, came under fire from 2 or possibly 3 F1M2 PETEs, using machine guns and one bomb. About 1845, the PETEs withdrew. PBYs were airborne at 1855. Returned to Halavo by 2105. A total of 71 evacuees were offloaded at Halavo. Thanks to Jim Sawruk for this information.