01/09/2026
🇹🇴🇫🇯🇳🇿 THE FORGOTTEN TONGAN COMMANDOS OF THE PACIFIC WAR
Two Tongan soldiers. Two Military Medals. A remarkable story of courage that deserves to be remembered across the Pacific.
When we think about New Zealand's war in the Pacific during the Second World War, we tend to think about the large formations, the major battles and the thousands of New Zealand servicemen who served across the islands.
But buried within that history is an extraordinary story involving New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.
It is the story of the 1st Commando, Fiji Guerrillas — and the Tongan soldiers who fought alongside them against the Japanese in the Solomon Islands.
The Fiji Guerrillas were no ordinary unit.
Raised for jungle warfare, reconnaissance, scouting and special operations, they operated in some of the most difficult terrain of the Pacific War. New Zealand soldiers played a major role in their leadership, while the men themselves included Fijians, Tongans and Solomon Islanders.
Among those who joined them were men of the Tonga Defence Force.
And in 1943 they went into battle.
🇹🇴 THE TONGANS
The Tongan contingent was small, but its fighting record was extraordinary.
They operated alongside Fijian commandos and New Zealand personnel in the Solomon Islands, scouting ahead of conventional Allied forces, patrolling through Japanese-held jungle and providing the sort of intelligence that could determine whether an entire operation succeeded or failed.
This was dangerous work.
These men frequently operated ahead of the main Allied forces, where discovery could mean being cut off kilometres from assistance.
Among them were two remarkable Tongan soldiers:
Sergeant Jione Inukiha‘agana
Private Simote Vea Mahe
Both were members of the Tonga Defence Force serving with the 1st Commando, Fiji Guerrillas.
And both would earn the Military Medal for gallantry.
During the fighting in the Solomons, the commandos found themselves operating under heavy Japanese fire.
In one remarkable action, the men went forward and carried wounded American soldiers to safety while under fire.
Their courage did not go unnoticed.
In February 1944, King George VI approved gallantry awards for members of the unit for their service in the South-West Pacific.
The official list included:
🇹🇴 Sergeant Jione Inukiha‘agana — Military Medal
🇹🇴 Private Simote Vea Mahe — Military Medal
🇫🇯 Private Selesitino Lewabau — Military Medal
All three had distinguished themselves while serving with the Fiji Guerrillas.
But the Tongan contribution went considerably further.
Second Lieutenant H. Taliai of the Tonga Defence Force was killed in action and subsequently Mentioned in Despatches.
Other Tongans recognised with Mentions in Despatches included:
Jione Ma‘aji
Jiobe Tafa
Tevita Ta‘aga
The extraordinary result was that six Tongans appeared among the men officially recognised for gallant and distinguished service.
For such a tiny Pacific kingdom, this was an extraordinary contribution.
And there was another remarkable distinction.
Both Jione Inukiha‘agana and Simote Vea Mahe were also awarded the American Silver Star for their courage.
That meant these Tongan soldiers were being recognised for gallantry not simply by the British Commonwealth military system, but by the United States as well.
🇳🇿 THE NEW ZEALAND CONNECTION
This story is also part of New Zealand's military history.
The Fiji Guerrillas operated with substantial New Zealand involvement and leadership.
Their commanding officer was New Zealander Major Charles William Howard Tripp.
Tripp was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
His citation recorded an extraordinary incident during operations in New Georgia.
During night fighting, two Japanese soldiers attacked him at extremely close range. One fired his r***e so close that the muzzle flash burned Tripp's arm and chest.
Tripp killed both attackers.
Despite being wounded, he remained in command until his unit was withdrawn to reorganise.
Another New Zealand officer, Captain Douglas Empson Williams, received the Military Cross.
Williams had commanded the first party of Fiji Guerrillas sent to Guadalcanal.
During the New Georgia operations, his party was attacked after dark by approximately 150 Japanese troops.
The commandos fought them off.
The official citation recorded around 30 Japanese killed or wounded during the action.
This was the world in which these Tongan soldiers were operating.
Not behind the lines.
Not guarding bases.
They were operating at the sharp end of the Pacific War.
🌴 PACIFIC SOLDIERS FIGHTING TOGETHER
Perhaps the most important part of this story is what the unit represented.
New Zealanders.
Fijians.
Tongans.
Solomon Islanders.
Americans.
Different nations and cultures fighting together through the jungles of the Solomons against a common enemy.
The commandos used skills particularly suited to the Pacific environment — jungle movement, reconnaissance, observation, ambush and the ability to operate independently far ahead of larger formations.
Their contribution was completely disproportionate to their size.
Yet today, outside Fiji and Tonga and among specialist military historians, their story is barely known.
That needs to change.
Because the Pacific contribution to the Second World War was much greater than the histories most of us grew up reading.
These weren't simply islands that the war happened to.
Pacific peoples were active participants in defeating Japan.
They volunteered.
They trained.
They deployed.
They fought.
They were wounded.
Some never came home.
And some were decorated for extraordinary bravery.
🇹🇴 Sergeant Jione Inukiha‘agana MM
🇹🇴 Private Simote Vea Mahe MM
Two soldiers from a tiny Pacific nation who went into the jungles of the Solomon Islands with the Fiji Guerrillas and came out recognised among the brave men of the Pacific campaign.
Their Military Medals remain tangible evidence of what they did.
It is also another reminder that the military histories of New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga are deeply intertwined.
These stories deserve to be told again.
They deserve to be taught.
And above all, these men deserve to be remembered.
Lest We Forget.
🇹🇴 🇫🇯 🇳🇿
