Solomon Scouts & Coastwatchers Memorial

Located near the waterfront in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, the monument recalls the bravery of the scouts and coastwatchers who were invaluable in providing the Allies, across the Solomons, with local intelligence. Some were attached to Allied units as scouts. Others lived behind enemies lines on captured islands.

A famous coastwatcher was Arthur Reginald Evans, who helped in the rescue of Lt. (jg) John F. Kennedy, and his crew after PT 109 was sunk in The Slot off Ghizo Island.

And it was Martin Clemens who wrote the classic book, Alone on Guadalcanal: A Coastwatcher's Story, which remains in print.

Near the monument is the wharf where travelers can catch an inter-island ferry to other islands in the Solomons chain. The schedules, however, vary, so some patience is needed before boarding your boat. You can also fly to most other islands from Honiara. But to understand the naval encounters around Guadalcanal and up and down The Slot, the ferry is the only way to go.

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Source

• Text: Matthew Stevenson
• Photos: Stefan Krasowski (1), Matthew Stevenson (2, 3), Ghizo Ferry (provided by Matthew Stevenson) (4)