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The Coast Watchers
After Pearl Harbor, Japan swept unchecked through the Pacific but a tiny band of brave men stayed behind the enemy lines and they watched and they They were the Coast Watchers.
After Pearl Harbor, Japan swept unchecked through the Pacific. But a tiny band of brave men stayed behind the enemy lines. Aided by loyal islanders, they watched and they warned. They were the Coast Watchers. They saved countless lives - including that of future US President John F. Kennedy - and they changed the course of the Pacific War. They knew capture meant certain execution but, while the Japanese hunted them, they moved and hid in the jungle, taking their cumbersome teleradios with them (equipment that took more than a dozen men to transport). They warned of Japanese air strikes, reported on the movements of their shipping and troops, and saved scores of downed airmen. Their reports gave vital warning time to the Allies and allowed them to take a decisive toll on the enemy.
The famed American admiral, William 'Bull' Halsey summed it ‘Guadalcanal saved the Pacific, and the Coast Watchers saved Guadalcanal.’
After Pearl Harbor, Japan swept unchecked through the Pacific. But a tiny band of brave men stayed behind the enemy lines. Aided by loyal islanders, they watched and they warned. They were the Coast Watchers. They saved countless lives - including that of future US President John F. Kennedy - and they changed the course of the Pacific War. They knew capture meant certain execution but, while the Japanese hunted them, they moved and hid in the jungle, taking their cumbersome teleradios with them (equipment that took more than a dozen men to transport). They warned of Japanese air strikes, reported on the movements of their shipping and troops, and saved scores of downed airmen. Their reports gave vital warning time to the Allies and allowed them to take a decisive toll on the enemy.
The famed American admiral, William 'Bull' Halsey summed it ‘Guadalcanal saved the Pacific, and the Coast Watchers saved Guadalcanal.’
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 28, 2019
Populist in presentation and not a definitive history of The Coast Watchers but a very readable book none the less. I would suggest that for the novice on the subject, such as myself, this is a good place to start.
Following a few of the individuals and the events that surrounded their Coast Watching, author Patrick Lindsay has presented a well-researched book with good footnotes and an excellent bibliography.
Many of the watchers were in fact civilians prior to the Japanese invasion of the south Pacific Islands and one has to admire their tenacity in the face of grave danger. Lindsay states that 36 died in action. As US Commander Admiral Fitch wrote “Your constant, efficient, courteous work with (his) staff has been of great value to me and all Air Services engaged in the South Pacific. Your efforts have been worthy of your superb coast-watching organisation which since the start of the campaign has merited the deep gratitude and the highest-possible admiration of all Air Forces and specially all Flyers”
Recommended to any that have an interest in a small Force that played a vital role in the war in the Pacific.
Following a few of the individuals and the events that surrounded their Coast Watching, author Patrick Lindsay has presented a well-researched book with good footnotes and an excellent bibliography.
Many of the watchers were in fact civilians prior to the Japanese invasion of the south Pacific Islands and one has to admire their tenacity in the face of grave danger. Lindsay states that 36 died in action. As US Commander Admiral Fitch wrote “Your constant, efficient, courteous work with (his) staff has been of great value to me and all Air Services engaged in the South Pacific. Your efforts have been worthy of your superb coast-watching organisation which since the start of the campaign has merited the deep gratitude and the highest-possible admiration of all Air Forces and specially all Flyers”
Recommended to any that have an interest in a small Force that played a vital role in the war in the Pacific.
April 19, 2020
An excellent and easy-to-read (but still packed with interesting details) book about the group of largely former civilian administrators who manned radios behind enemy lines in the South Pacific and South-West Pacific theatres of World War 2, providing invaluable intelligence to Allied forces in the area.
The book contains maps of the areas at the front for easy reference, as well as useful appendices covering the post-coast watching lives of key individuals mentioned in the book. It is also very well edited. It contains numerous stories of heroism in adversity, and tells the story of many interesting characters. An easy recommendation for those interested in the South and South-West Pacific theatre in the Second World War, or WW2/history more generally.
The book contains maps of the areas at the front for easy reference, as well as useful appendices covering the post-coast watching lives of key individuals mentioned in the book. It is also very well edited. It contains numerous stories of heroism in adversity, and tells the story of many interesting characters. An easy recommendation for those interested in the South and South-West Pacific theatre in the Second World War, or WW2/history more generally.
February 26, 2014
A little hesitant in it's start but roars off into full flow after the first couple of chapters, Mr. Lindsay's admiration and respect for the Coastwatchers is apparent. And, rightly so. A good delve into the life and struggles of these solo battlers, a tribute to their relationships with locals and dedication to their work. Always tragic to read of personal tales of loss during war, the atrocities by the Japanese Army made this more so.
This was my first real 'Pacific Theatre' read, so would have appreciated better maps with more detail - as many place names mentioned are not on the given maps, and it would have been nice to be able to trace the routes along with the read. Looking forward to finding a copy of either of Mr. Lindsay's Kokoda books as his style is easy to follow.
This was my first real 'Pacific Theatre' read, so would have appreciated better maps with more detail - as many place names mentioned are not on the given maps, and it would have been nice to be able to trace the routes along with the read. Looking forward to finding a copy of either of Mr. Lindsay's Kokoda books as his style is easy to follow.
November 6, 2022
The coast watchers were a WW2 network of Australian intelligence officers who served in Australian and British colonial territories in New Guinea and the pacific islands under Japanese occupation. They reported by radio on the movements of Japanese aircraft and ships. The Japanese only occupied the key towns, ports and airfields. Mostly the coastwatchers operated in the jungle hinterland in a kind of no-man’s land with the support of friendly islanders. They were hunted by the Japanese and unfriendly islanders. The coast watchers were usually former colonial patrol or district officers or coconut plantation managers familiar with the territory and the islanders. The coast watchers were hand picked by their outstanding leader, Commander Eric Feldt, a naval officer who had served as a colonial district officer in the islands. The coast watchers greatest success was in Guadalcanal campaign. From observation points close to the two key Japanese bomber airfields they provided early warning of raids against the Amercian beachhead and airfield on Guadalcanal. It was a winning advantage for the Americans in a crucial battle.
An early achievement in March 1942 was the rescue of the survivors of Larkforce, the Australian army garrison at the strategic base of Rabual on the island of New Britain. After the Japanese took Rabaul the survivors were abandoned to their fate by the Australian Army command. The navy coast watchers stepped in and got some 450 off the island. It is likely that many more could have been saved with some foresight. The situation demonstrates the lack of capability of the Army command at the time and the lack of inter-service coordination (the RAAF evacuated its units by flying boat leaving the army survivors behind).
For 18 months until July 1943 the coast watchers remained on New Britain keeping Rabaul, the major Japanese naval and air base in the south west pacific, under observation. Eventually the Japanese established an effective cordon around the coastline and intimidated the islanders to betray the Australians, forcing the coast watchers to evacuate. On other islands as the tide turned in favour of the Allies some coast watchers shifted from intelligence gathering to armed insurgency.
The coast watcher network was a form of insurgency. The network succeeded because of the local knowledge of the coast watchers and the islanders’ support. The latter factor suggests missionary activity and the colonial regime retained local sympathy. This is similar to the experience of the Australian led insurgency in Portuguese East Timor. By contrast Dutch agents inserted into the Japanese occupied Netherlands East Indies were invariably betrayed suggesting a much stronger antipathy to the colonial power (and possibly the lack of traction of Christian missionary activity in the Islamic population). It is noteworthy that the largely ex-colonial-officer coast watchers had a lesser opinion of Australian Army commandos in this role suggesting there was a stronger “intelligence” than “military” dimension to successful coast watching.
The book highlights the atrocities and murders committed by the Japanese soldiers on civilians, missionaries and coast watchers – a salutary reminder of what was a stake in the conflict.
The book is an excellent narrative history. It is well written and reads like a novel. Highly recommended.
An early achievement in March 1942 was the rescue of the survivors of Larkforce, the Australian army garrison at the strategic base of Rabual on the island of New Britain. After the Japanese took Rabaul the survivors were abandoned to their fate by the Australian Army command. The navy coast watchers stepped in and got some 450 off the island. It is likely that many more could have been saved with some foresight. The situation demonstrates the lack of capability of the Army command at the time and the lack of inter-service coordination (the RAAF evacuated its units by flying boat leaving the army survivors behind).
For 18 months until July 1943 the coast watchers remained on New Britain keeping Rabaul, the major Japanese naval and air base in the south west pacific, under observation. Eventually the Japanese established an effective cordon around the coastline and intimidated the islanders to betray the Australians, forcing the coast watchers to evacuate. On other islands as the tide turned in favour of the Allies some coast watchers shifted from intelligence gathering to armed insurgency.
The coast watcher network was a form of insurgency. The network succeeded because of the local knowledge of the coast watchers and the islanders’ support. The latter factor suggests missionary activity and the colonial regime retained local sympathy. This is similar to the experience of the Australian led insurgency in Portuguese East Timor. By contrast Dutch agents inserted into the Japanese occupied Netherlands East Indies were invariably betrayed suggesting a much stronger antipathy to the colonial power (and possibly the lack of traction of Christian missionary activity in the Islamic population). It is noteworthy that the largely ex-colonial-officer coast watchers had a lesser opinion of Australian Army commandos in this role suggesting there was a stronger “intelligence” than “military” dimension to successful coast watching.
The book highlights the atrocities and murders committed by the Japanese soldiers on civilians, missionaries and coast watchers – a salutary reminder of what was a stake in the conflict.
The book is an excellent narrative history. It is well written and reads like a novel. Highly recommended.
February 17, 2021
This is very informative, in depth, book about the Coast Watchers. Although they are frequently mentioned it books about the war in the Pacific I had never read anything about the Coast Watchers themselves. They were a brave and resourceful group of people. I had the impression that they stayed in one spot to do their observations but was soon to learn how much them moved around and how much of an early warning system they were. Well worth reading; written in an easy to read style too.
September 14, 2021
It was a very thrilling book to read and to read how John F Kennedy was rescued by an Australian wireless operator when he sank in Guadal Canal in a PT boat in Solomon Islands in World War II against the Japanese Navy.
August 18, 2020
Brave people, including some down-to-earth ordinary Aussies and Kiwis, but also a lot of PNG people. I kept wondering - how would I cope, what would I do, if it was the East Coast of Australia. One fascinating chapter - how Reg Evans rescued a future President of the United States.
April 17, 2014
Fantastic read on a part of the pacific theater that I didnt know anything about.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews