Quest to find lost heroes gets boost

A memorial in Kiribati to the 17 New Zealand coastwatchers killed by the Japanese. Photo / NZPA

Help has finally arrived for beheaded New Zealand war heroes whose bodies have been long lost on a Pacific atoll.

A group of 17 radio operators - known as coastwatchers - were abandoned on Kiribati during World War II and executed by the Japanese.

Their bodies were never found, but last year the former New Zealand High Commissioner to Kiribati dug up a set of bodies that had the potential to be the men.

Defence Force chief Lieutenant General Rhys Jones told the Weekend Herald yesterday that the United States Department of Defence had agreed to help examine the sites.

"I am pleased to inform you that in the past fortnight there has been a significant development in the bid to gain necessary expert forensic support to undertake an investigation," General Jones said.

"While I recognise that this process appears frustratingly slow, it is important that correct investigative processes are applied to ascertain 'beyond reasonable doubt' that any skeletal remains found at the sites identified in 2010 are those of the coastwatchers. I do not wish to raise false expectations or hopes."

Defence communications director Commander Phil Bradshaw said an initial examination of the site was set to happen next week, followed by a more detailed investigation at the end of the year or early next year.

The investigation would first determine whether the bodies were European, with further analyses to follow if they were.

"Given the fact that we know how many there should be and how they died, there should be a certain amount of circumstantial evidence to give us some confidence," Commander Bradshaw said.

But the initial answer is likely to be a no or a maybe, and the Defence Force is treating the investigation cautiously while further procedural details are worked out.

It was "fantastic" that the United States team whose mission was to recover American bodies was able to help New Zealand, but the investigation would also help the Americans to check if the bodies were theirs, Commander Bradshaw said.

Only about four siblings of the coastwatchers are still alive - and they are now in their late 80s or 90s.

"We are acutely aware of the family issues and ... ongoing pain this causes. But ... we need to be categorical about this, because the worst thing is to raise false hopes or be wrong," Commander Bradshaw said.

Beheaded in Kiribati

* 17 New Zealand civilians and
* 5 British/Australian civilians

R.G. Morgan, A.L. Sadd, A.E. McKenna, L.B. Speedy, R. Jones, W.A.R. Parker, B. Cleary, A.C. Heenan, A.L. Taylor, C.J. Owen, R.A. Ellis, R.M. McKenzie, I.R. Handley, J.J. McCarthy, T.C. Murray. D.H. Howe, C.A. Kilpin, A.M. McArthur, H.R.C. Hearn, C.A. Pearsall, R.J. Hitchon, J.H. Nichol.