Editing Banaba (section)

=== World War II and Japanese occupation ===
{{Further|Japanese occupation of the Gilbert Islands}}

In July 1941, Australia and New Zealand troops evacuated British Phosphate Commission employees from Banaba (then known as Ocean Island). In February 1942, the [[French destroyer Le Triomphant|Free French destroyer ''Le Triomphant'']] evacuated the remaining Europeans and Chinese. [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] forces [[Japanese occupation of the Gilbert Islands|occupied the island]] from 26 August 1942 until the end of [[World War II]] in 1945.<ref>{{Cite web|first1=Akira |last1= Takizawa |first2=Allan |last2=Alsleben |url= https://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/japan_garrison.html |title=Japanese garrisons on the by-passed Pacific Islands 1944–1945 |date=1999–2000 |work=Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942}}</ref> [[Cyril Cartwright (civil servant)|Cyril Cartwright]], a member of the Gilbert and Ellice Colony administration, was subjected to ill-treatment and malnutrition.<ref name="WYK">{{Cite web|last= |first= |title= Wykehamist-War-Service-Record-and-Roll-of-Honour-1939-1945|publisher= militaryarchive.co.uk|page= 137|year= 1945|url= http://lib.militaryarchive.co.uk/library/WWII/library/Wykehamist-War-Service-Record-and-Roll-of-Honour-1939-1945/HTML/files/assets/basic-html/page137.html|accessdate= 17 September 2021|archive-date= 18 September 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210918124812/http://lib.militaryarchive.co.uk/library/WWII/library/Wykehamist-War-Service-Record-and-Roll-of-Honour-1939-1945/HTML/files/assets/basic-html/page137.html|url-status= dead}}</ref> He died on 23 April 1943.<ref name="WYK" /> Five Europeans also did not survive.<ref name="PIM45-10" />

On 20 August 1945, the Japanese troops murdered all but one of the remaining 200 Banabans on Ocean Island.<ref name="PIM1946-5">{{Cite web| last = | first = | work= XVI(10) Pacific Islands Monthly |title=Japs Massacre Ocean Islanders After Surrender|date =16 May 1946|url= https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-317553443/view?partId=nla.obj-317622795#page/n14/mode/1up| accessdate=29 September 2021}}</ref> One man, Kabunare Koura, survived the massacre.<ref name="PIM1946-5" /><ref name="PIM1945">{{Cite web| last =| first = | work= XVI(4) Pacific Islands Monthly |title=Fate of Ocean Islanders – 100 Reported Murdered| date =19 November 1945|url= https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-317552278/view?partId=nla.obj-317565267#page/n5/mode/1up| accessdate=29 September 2021}}</ref> On 21 August, the surrender of the 500 Japanese soldiers was accepted by Resident Commissioner, [[Vivian Fox-Strangways]] and Brigadier J. R. Stevenson, who represented Lieutenant General [[Vernon Sturdee]], the commander of the [[First Australian Army]], on board the warship [[HMAS Diamantina (K377)|HMAS ''Diamantina'']].<ref name="PIM45-10">{{Cite web| last =| first = | work= XVI(3) Pacific Islands Monthly |title=  Ocean Island Reoccupied|date =16 October 1945|url= https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-317552084/view?partId=nla.obj-317560904#page/n7/mode/1up| accessdate=29 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.janeresture.com/banaba/ww2.htm|title=Banaba and World War 2|access-date=2021-07-20|archive-date=2008-04-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408162944/http://www.janeresture.com/banaba/ww2.htm}}</ref> Two Japanese officers were put on trial and convicted for the deaths.<ref name="PIM1946-5" />

Given these conditions, the British Government deemed it impractical to return the Banabans to their island and decided to temporarily resettle the 280 Banabans who survived the war on [[Nauru]] and Truk were resettled on [[Rabi Island]] in Fiji.<ref name="PIM45-11">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=19 November 1945 |title=New Home for Ocean Islanders |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-317552278/view?partId=nla.obj-317565267#page/n5/mode/1up |accessdate=29 September 2021 |work=XVI(4) Pacific Islands Monthly}}</ref> In December 1945, the Rabi Island Council was established, empowered to enact regulations, subject to the Governor of Fiji.