Do You Remember? Do you remember the first and only Fijian soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross?
Corporal Sefanaia Sukanaivalu has gone down in history as the only Fijian to be awarded the Victoria Cross award posthumus.
The Victoria Cross is the highest and most prestigious award for bravery in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to the Commonwealth forces.
Sukunaivalu Road in Nabua, Suva, is named after this gallant officer who sacrificed himself for his platoon.
The Yacata-born man joined the Fiji Infantry Regiment during World War II, and had earned the title of a Corporal in the 3rd Battalion that took part in Bougainville Campaign in 1944.
He died under Japanese fire on June 23, 1944, at the age of 26, after rescuing two wounded men with the greatest heroism and being gravely wounded himself, deliberately sacrificing his own life.
On the unfortunate day of the incident at Mawaraka, Bougainville, in the Solomon Islands, Corporal Sefanaia Sukanaivalu crawled forward to rescue some men who had been wounded when their platoon was ambushed.
After successfully recovering the two wounded men, Corporal Sukanaivalu volunteered to go on farther alone to try and rescue another casualty, in spite of active machine gun and mortar fire.
However, on his way back he was seriously wounded in the groin and thighs, falling to the ground and unable to move any further.
Several attempts were then made to rescue Corporal Sukanaivalu but without success owing to the heavy fire being encountered on each occasion and further casualties caused.
This gallant officer then called to his men not to try and get to him as he was in a very exposed position, but they replied that they would never leave him to fall alive into the hands of the enemy.
Upon realising that his men would not withdraw as long as they could see that he was still alive and knowing, Corporal Sukanaivalu raised himself up in front of the Japanese machine gun and was riddled with bullets.
Corporal Sukanaivalu’s remains were later recovered in October 1944. and he was buried in the military cemetery on Bougainville with full military honours. He was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously on November 2, 1944.