The annual memorial service to honour the Solomon Scouts and Coastwatchers will be commemorated this Thursday.
The event will coincide with the 83rd Anniversary celebration of Guadalcanal landing campaign during the Second World War.
The Solomon Scouts and Coastwatcher’s Trust (SSCW) was established in 2011 to “Recognize the courage, loyalty and sacrifice of Solomon Islands men and women fighting for the Allied cause during the one of the most decisive battles in the Pacific during World War 11
The Monument to the “Coastwatcher’s and Solomon Scouts” stands at the seafront end of Commonwealth Street is known as the “Pride of Our Nation” was crafted by Frank Haiku, SIM and officially dedicated by the Governor General, Sir Frank Kabui on the 7th August 2011.
Every year since then, a ceremony honoring the Solomon Scouts and Coastwatcher’s follows from the US memorial commemorations at Skyline Ridge.
The Governor General, The Hon Prime Minister, Ministers of the Crown and the Opposition, together with members of Diplomatic Corp, visiting US Military and tour groups from USA and Australia have been invited to attend
The family of past Solomon Scouts will be receiving a medal from the Australian Defense Attache Captain Emma Griffiths, honoring the service of their forefathers (all living scouts have since passed on) The medals were minted in Australia, as the Coastwatcher’s were an initiative of the Australian Navy.
This year there are 7 recipients who will receive medals to honor their fathers’ efforts during WW11.
The ceremony will include keynote speaker, Eminent Professor Dr. Martin Hadlow, who worked here in the 80’s as manager of SIBC and started collecting WW11 data since then.
Dr. Hadlow is a member of the Solomon Scouts and Coastwatcher Trust since its inception in 2012.
Wreaths will be invited to lay at the base of the Monument “Pride of our Nation”
The Royal Solomon Islands Police band, US Color Guard and a contingent from the Solomon Island Boys scout’s association will march down Commonwealth Street and stand guard during the ceremony.
Commonwealth street will be closed for traffic from 0800 – 10.00 Thursday 7th August.
