Book dossier

The coast watchers

by Eric Augustus Feldt

As the threat of German raiders and Japanese aggression increased, Director of Naval Intelligence, Rupert Long, enlisted Eric Feldt to command the Coast Watching Organization. Feldt had been through Naval College with Long. Having left the Navy in 1922 as lieutenant, Feldt settled in New Guinea, where he became mining warden of the Wau goldfield. As commander in charge he set about increasing the coast watching capability in New Guinea, New Britain and the Solomon Islands. Japan attacked Pearl Harbour and went on to take, among many other possessions in the Greater East Asia Prosperity Sphere, Rabaul. Taking the Solomons, just south of the naval base at Rabaul, would isolate Australia and greatly reduce the United States' ability to launch counter attacks in the South West Pacific.Resource rich New Guinea would be defended only by Australia unless the United States Navy was prepared to commit their Aircraft Carriers to a decisive battle (an obsession of Japan's). The Coast Watchers remained behind enemy lines with teleradios to report on enemy ship movements and proved invaluable in giving early warnings of air attacks from Rabaul as the Allies tried desperately to hold and supply the hard gains made in Guadalcanal. Countless Allied Servicemen's lives were saved by giving the slow climbing hellcats time to achieve advantageous altitude prior to attacks and rescuing downed airmen and stranded seaman. A remarkable story of remarkable men, living in a very difficult and dangerous time.