Monday,
January 18th 1999
Light
rain was falling when I met Milay and we drove down to the Matanikau. Wading
the river we talked to Michael and Patrick, who guided Stan up to the "Seahorse"
hill in October 98.
The rain had
stopped by 9.30 a.m. and we set off uphill towards Hill 55 and 52 along the original
American trail . Michael pointed out a few other US trails too , and I could start
to get the idea of the area from aerial photos . It had rained during the night
, so just keeping my footing on the trail was a full time job . We stopped near
Hill 52 for a breather and Michael pointed out the various hills and features
, including Hills 43 , 44 , 31 , 42 and 27 . Over this area the 27th US Infantry
Regiment fought in January 1943.
There
is a great view down the valley towards Ironbottom Sound and Kukum / Lunga . Michael
had a Japanese map of the battle area . He said a while ago some Japanese students
doing a project on Guadalcanal came over and he took them around . They walked
the Murayama trail and wrote a book about it . They sent him a copy , but of course
it is all in Japanese.
We walked past
Hill 52 and Exton Ridge and up the northern slopes of Sims Ridge (Thin Red Line)
, where the Japanese fire held up the 27th Infantry . From here there was a good
view across to Exton Ridge , Hills 53 , 57 , 55 and 66 . They were building on
the top of Hill 66 and it was being levelled off a bit.
From
the aerial photos I had looked at in various books I imagined the battlefield
covered a larger area. I was amazed how small it looked on the ground . There
were huts on the top of Hill 55 and some on top of Hill 52 and Sims Ridge . The
path up the ridge was pretty slippery . When we got to the huts the first two
things I saw were a US equipment clip (pack strap clip) lying in the dirt . A
good condition Jap helmet was lying near the hut - no holes , the star still attached
and even a bit of original green paint inside the bowl . The owner said he had
found it in a Jap position on the ridge . Michael said it was one of the best
he had seen - it was the best I had seen in 4 trips too . Pointing towards the
jungle south of Hill 53 he said there were a lot of Jap helmets there , but most
were rotted.
The local villagers are all very keen to
see the movie remake of The Thin Red Line
As a lot of them were hired as extras . They were amazed that most of
the filming was done in Australia and not on the actual battlefield
, but it was too difficult to move equipment . There is only walking
track access and no vehicle road access to bring up cameras etc. Sims
Ridge is the "real" ridge that is fictionally portrayed in the movie
. The movie ridge bears some little resemblance to the real battle area
. The father of the guy I was talking to had worked for the Americans
at Lunga Point during the war and was given a US flag by them.
Looking down from Sims ridge there is
now a small village in the valley between the ridge and Hill 53 . We walked down
the trail to the northern end of Sims , past numerous overgrown foxholes . I was
thinking of what I had read about the battle here. Michael pointed out the ledge
that Captain Davis and his assault party crawled along before they threw grenades
, stormed the position and killed 17 Japanese defenders . We even found a hand
grenade ring still on the ledge.
Near
a large Jap foxhole (MG bunker position?) on the crest I picked up a couple of
pieces of shrapnel and a shell or mortar bomb fuse . Pointing across to a large
tree on Hill 53 Michael said a Jap 70mm artillery piece had been thrown down the
hillside there.
We made our way down
the reverse slope to the village , where they had a very nice condition Japanese
37mm anti-tank gun under one of the huts . This gun had also been on Hill 53 ,
but had been left intact there . Last year the villagers heard that an unnamed
Australian expatriate was on the verge of removing (stealing) it , so 10 of them
manhandled it down the hillside to the village.
It
was minus the wheels and the trail arms , but apart from that 95% complete with
no really heavy rust and the shield still intact . It would restore very well
- I wondered if it had a round up the barrel ? The only other item I saw in the
village was the rusty metalwork of a Japanese Arisaka rifle that one guy showed
us . Michael said that there was still plenty of stuff scattered about in the
jungle , including at least one Japanese machine gun in the Hill 57 area.
We
walked back up to the huts on Sims and had another chat to the owner . He produced
a US helmet shell , which he said he had found on the East slope of Sims . There
is a 2-inch square rust out where the rain has collected in it , but apart from
that it is a good relic example of a 1st pattern M1 helmet . A friend of his then
pulled out a full Garand clip , which only had light surface rust . He had carefully
pulled the heads and disposed of the powder - again the best clip I had seen .
Another Jap helmet was also on the table , but was not in as good condition as
the first.
Black storm clouds were gathering
, so we did not continue on to Hill 53 , but decided we had better start back
. It had taken us about 90 minutes to walk from the Matanikau river to Sims Ridge
, so we all knew we were going to get soaked coming back. What the hell - as
long as the video camera stayed dry!
We
were just passing between Exton ridge and Hill 52 when the heavens opened and
the view towards Lunga was lost behind mist and cloud. Oh for a waterproof video
camera that I could have filmed it all ! Within a few minutes we were drenched
and it was slosh, slosh, slosh with the wet socks in the wet boots . I could
not help but think of reading that after Hill 53 was taken "..a sudden cloudburst
cooled the troops.." . I understand now what I had read in the histories about
lack of water . I got through 2 canteens , but brought more in my pack and this
was in overcast weather with no blazing sun ! Milay kindly carried the pack for
me. I think if I had been carrying that on the way down with the extra water
and the helmets etc I would have fallen over a few more times for sure.
The
path became a stream and it required full concentration to keep my footing on
the wet ground. As it got steeper grasping clumps of grass was the only way to
stay upright . Michael and Milay were both barefoot , and I remembered again reading
how Carlson's Raiders were amazed at how agile the natives were with bare feet
while they slipped and slid! How true it is - soft white fella feet need good
boots! The last 50 feet Were the most treacherous , but I made it without falling.
Back at the village I took off my jacket
, socks and boots . Michael showed me his recently started collection of items
he has brought down from Seahorse / Galloping Horse . The hut was pretty dark
, so I could not take video footage (the camera was still dry - hooray!) only
flash photos . He had an impressive selection ; mess tins , water bottles , helmets
, cutlery , ammunition , shells , ammo tins , Jap gasmask tins, US 75mm shell
container lids and many other items in the shadows - even the spring out of one
of the Japanese 75mm guns on the Seahorse (not 70mm as described in the histories)
. There are parts of at least 2 guns up there , plus some ammunition tins . I
resolved to come back and see him during the week , have a better look at his
collection and with any luck get Patrick to take me up to have a look at Seahorse.
Michael said that some people wanted
to sell the Seahorse area for development , but the Government has bought up all
the land and put a freeze on development . Likewise the housing development at
Edson's Ridge we were told about last year was not allowed to go ahead (good)
. A committee has been formed to preserve the battle sites . Lawrence is Chairman
and Michael is one of the members . He gave me his Post Office box number (P.O.
Box 824, Honiara , Solomon Islands) , so I will send him some photos and battle
histories.
He mentioned to me that the Mendana Hotel
gift shop was selling copies of Don Richter 's book about Jacob
Vouza "When the Sun stood still" . I have been looking for a copy
of that for a while, so that was good to know.
We
waded the river (a bit higher now after the rain) and I almost fell on the slippery
rocks with the video , but Milay steadied me , so the camera stayed dry . Back
to the hotel . I must have looked a sight walking dripping and barefoot across
the hotel foyer carrying my stuff and boots. The security guard laughed when
I said "just a little wet in the hills.."
The
next hour was spent rinsing and attempting to dry my jacket , trousers , socks
, boots and pack etc . I then sat in the shower for 20 minutes scrubbing the helmets
and other items . Afterwards I walked down to the museum and saw Lawrence and
went down to the Mendana to buy the book . Back to the hotel for dinner and a
read.
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