New Zealander Merle Farland was formally a piano teacher who became a nursing during the depression. Assigned to a Methodist mission in the Solomon Islands during 1938.
In 1942, when civilians were evacuated from the Solomons, she decided to say at her post at Bilua village on Vella LaVella, and was 36 years old at the time. She aided coastwatcher Jack Keenan and Henry Josselyn and assisted the crew of B-17F 41-24531.
On December 3, 1942, it was requested that she move to Segi, arriving December 6 by native canoe. There, she assisted coastwatcher Donald Kennedy, operating his teleradio. But, her first message received was that she was to be evacuated. But, assisted the crew of another B-17 on December 16.
On December 20, PBY Catalina from VP-9 piloted by Paschal landed at Segi, withdrawing Farland, 13 S.I.P. and fourteen Japanese prisoners, returning them to "Ringbolt" Florida Islands near Tulagi. Her presence there started a false rumor that Amelia Earhart (piloting Model 10 Electra 1055 missing on July 2, 1937) had been found alive!
References
Lonely Vigil page 112-115, 117, 138-139, 144
Thanks to Jim Sawruk for PBY information
