The Fiji Navy has honored the legacy of two courageous Fijians who served in the colonial forces alongside the Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II by naming two of their ships after them. These vessels stand as a testament to their bravery and dedication, inspiring future generations to remember and celebrate their remarkable contributions to our nation’s history.
One of these heroes was Able Seaman Savenaca Naulumatua, a young boy from the village of Yalobi in the Yasawa Islands. With credit to the late Talatala Iliesa Naivalu, a fellow Yasawa native, we were able to get this story.
In 1940, young Savenaca joined the Fiji Military Volunteer group and later the New Zealand Navy, unaware that his name would one day be immortalized on a naval ship. During World War II, the Pacific saw intense fighting, with Allied forces setting up camps across Fiji, particularly in the West, close to the Solomon Islands.
The navy camp in Lautoka was near the home of Moape Nagata, Savenaca’s uncle, who raised him after his father passed away. Savenaca often watched the navy men at the camp, befriending sailors and developing an interest in joining. Despite his uncle’s concerns about the war’s dangers, Savenaca secretly left home for Suva and joined the Fiji Military Volunteer group, which was soon deployed to the New Zealand Navy.
In a letter, he asked his uncle to tell his mother to forgive him and that he would visit her whenever possible. In Suva, Savenaca met Timo Puamau, another Fijian recruit. Their excitement for travel quickly turned into the harsh reality of war.
They served on HMNZS Leander, a ship loaned by the British Navy. During the Battle of Kolombangara, the Leander was hit by a Japanese torpedo, killing most of its crew, including Savenaca and Timo. A month later, Moape received Savenaca’s medals for bravery and a message that he had died in action. His cousin, Mere Lewaroni, recalled the medal being kept at their home until another uncle borrowed it and never returned it.
“I don’t know why my other uncle borrowed it, neither do I know if he wore it himself or if a person’s medals could be worn by others,” Ms. Lewaroni said. “All I know is that the medal was never returned. If it was kept to this day, one of us would have put it on at military functions and showed that my uncle Savenaca was a soldier of the highest calibre.”
On June 6, 2021, Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto and other officials held a ceremony at Yalobi Village, Savenaca’s birthplace, to honor him. The ceremony, attended by over 600 people, celebrated the naming of a new naval ship after Savenaca. Admiral Naupoto stated: “Today, after 70 years, Savenaca has returned home in the form of a Guardian naval patrol boat (RFN Savenaca).”
The day was filled with emotion and joy as villagers mingled with military and naval officers, celebrating Savenaca’s legacy. The new ship, equipped with modern technology, fascinated the villagers, especially the young ones. As RFN Savenaca departed, the crew enjoyed a traditional farewell amidst singing and the setting sun.
The ship’s crew had previously visited Yalobi in 2019 to seek the elders’ approval for the ship’s name and a motto in their dialect: Toqi Na Vatu, symbolizing the unstoppable force of rolling boulders. Savenaca came from the Ketenatukani clan, which traditionally protected the Tui Waya chief. True to his clan’s spirit, he sacrificed his life for his country.
The people of Yalobi expressed their gratitude to the Government and military for honoring Savenaca’s bravery. A plaque commemorates Savenaca’s sacrifice with a biblical verse, John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this, to lay down his life for others.”
As the then acting commander Navy and captain of RFN Savenaca, Isoa Tokalauvere, noted, it was an honor to be part of this tribute to a true Fijian hero.