295:. Vanikoro became completely isolated. At one point they went without supplies for ten months, subsisting on locally grown and raised fish, chickens, sweet potatoes and bananas. The radio was for military use only, and Ruby received only three personal messages during war, advising her of the deaths of her father, mother, and sister. Her activities became known to the Japanese, who at one point broadcast a message to her in English: "Calling Mrs Boye, Japanese commander say you get out!"
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village on the south-west coast, and into the mountains. The plan was to escape into the jungle if the
Japanese invaded. In the event, Vanikoro was never occupied by the Japanese. Unfortunately, the suspension bridge over the Lawrence River subsequently collapsed, forcing Ruby to make the trip over its crocodile-infested water in a punt four times a day.
33:
280:, the company decided to evacuate its employees from the island. Ken and Don were sent to live with relatives in Australia, but Skov elected to stay to mind the company's property, and Ruby to operate the radio. With the departure of the company doctor, she also assumed responsibility for caring for the health of the local population.
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in late 1943, he arranged for a PBY to fly her to
Australia for hospital treatment, and for four US Navy sailors to man the radio station until she returned. After three weeks she resumed her duty. The station remained operational until she received the news over her radio in August 1945 that the war
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Vanikoro was completely defenceless, protected only by its formidable coral reef. Japanese boats attempted to discover the channel into the harbour without success. It was bombed once, and leaflets were dropped. Skov and Ruby decided to move the radio station away from their home at Paeu, the main
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four times a year, bringing the mail and supplies. The island workforce included about 20 Australians and New
Zealanders, including a doctor, radio operator, storemen, stevedores, and woodcutters, and about 80 local labourers. Skov and Ruby enjoyed three months' leave every two years.
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on 29 July 1891, the fifth of eight children of Alfred Jones, a storeman, and his wife Emily née Wild. On 25 October 1919, she married Sydney Skov Boye, a laundry proprietor, at St
Stephen's Anglican Church in
221:. In 1928, he returned to his previous job, and the family moved to Tulagi. They resided there until 1936, although the boys were educated in Sydney. In 1936, Skov became the Island Manager for the
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272:. Before departing, he trained Ruby to be a radio operator. Her main role was to provide daily weather reports. These were done by voice; she would later teach herself how to use
318:, although it was far from certain that the Japanese would honour it; but it was not until 27 July 1943 that Ruby was officially appointed an honorary third officer in the
409:, wrote to her: "Your name is synonymous with the finest traditions of service to the Navy and the nation. We have not, nor will not, forget your wonderful contribution."
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233:. The island was remote and mountainous, and surrounded by a coral reef. The reef is treacherous, and has claimed many ships, including that of the French explorer
390:, and they returned to Sydney in August 1947. He died two weeks later. She married Frank Bengough Jones, a departmental manager, at St John's Anglican Church in
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in
October 1942. After the Japanese executed an elderly planter as a spy in March 1942, the Coastwatchers were commissioned as officers in the RAAF or
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The island had no roads; logs were dragged down to the harbour by tractors and floated to await collection by a ship. These arrived from
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Initially, Ruby's reports were sent to Tulagi, but it was occupied by the
Japanese in May 1942, and henceforth reports were sent to
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was named after her, and the Ex-WRANS Association dedicated a page to her in the Garden Island Chapel
Remembrance Book.
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on 19 June 1950, but he died in 1961. In later life, now known as Ruby Boye-Jones, she suffered from
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service, and
Vanikoro became part of it. However, the radio operator indicated a desire to join the
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The timber industry resumed after the war ended, but in 1947 Skov became seriously ill with
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621:"Aussie mum who reported Japanese air and sea movements from Solomon Islands honoured"
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347:. Her appointment in the WRANS was terminated on 30 September 1946.
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to personally thank her for her services. When she became ill with
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had ended, but she continued sending weather messages for the
322:(WRANS). Her uniform was later dropped to her by parachute.
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600:. Naval Historical Society of Australia. 9 September 1984
461:. Vol. 17. Canberra: National Centre of Biography,
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in 1788, and was therefore avoided by passing vessels.
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648:"Honours and Awards Recommendation – Ruby Olive Boye"
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in 1944, which was presented to her in a ceremony in
165:(29 July 1891 – 14 September 1990) was an Australian
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752:Australian recipients of the British Empire Medal
331:, paid her a visit, arriving on the island in a
732:Royal Australian Navy personnel of World War II
350:For her wartime services, Ruby was awarded the
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314:to provide some legal protection under the
302:Ruby provided vital information during the
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567:"Ruby Boye-Jones oral history interview"
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672:Ruby Boye-Jones oral history interview
320:Women's Royal Australian Naval Service
89:Women's Royal Australian Naval Service
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438:
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619:Nicholson, Brendon (25 April 2011).
569:. National Museum of the Pacific War
453:"Boye-Jones, Ruby Olive (1891–1990)"
16:Australian coastwatcher (1891–1990)
676:National Museum of the Pacific War
598:"Ruby Boye – Coastwatcher Heroine"
458:Australian Dictionary of Biography
206:. They had two sons, Ken and Don.
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368:Australia Service Medal 1939–1945
193:Ruby Olive Jones was born in the
742:Women in the Australian military
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418:Australian Defence Force Academy
308:Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
358:in 1946. She also received the
291:, and only in Morse, using the
737:Royal Australian Navy officers
685:National Archives of Australia
463:Australian National University
209:Skov had previously worked on
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757:20th-century Australian women
378:s only female coastwatcher.
185:s only female coastwatcher.
253:Before the outbreak of the
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217:, where he had worked for
53:St Peters, New South Wales
650:. Australian War Memorial
225:'s logging operations on
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532:Djokovic, Petar (2017).
134:Solomon Islands campaign
414:Narwee, New South Wales
304:Battle of the Coral Sea
124:Battle of the Coral Sea
69:Narwee, New South Wales
451:Powell, Alan (2007).
345:Bureau of Meteorology
312:Royal Australian Navy
95:Years of service
400:Chief of Naval Staff
352:British Empire Medal
306:in May 1942 and the
223:Kauri Timber Company
149:British Empire Medal
129:Guadalcanal campaign
372:War Medal 1939–1945
181:. She was Australia
747:People from Sydney
534:"Calling Mrs Boye"
329:William Halsey, Jr
316:Geneva Conventions
231:Santa Cruz Islands
175:South Pacific Area
472:978-0-522-84459-7
169:on the island of
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62:14 September 1990
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666:External links
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626:The Australian
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407:Michael Hudson
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360:1939–1945 Star
264:organised the
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66:(aged 99)
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106:Third Officer
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652:. Retrieved
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630:. Retrieved
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602:. Retrieved
571:. Retrieved
542:. Retrieved
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492:. Retrieved
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404:Vice Admiral
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364:Pacific Star
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333:PBY Catalina
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289:New Hebrides
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266:Coastwatcher
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167:coastwatcher
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111:Battles/wars
64:(1990-09-14)
50:29 July 1891
18:
727:1990 deaths
722:1891 births
336:flying boat
278:Pacific War
177:during the
716:Categories
382:Later life
274:Morse code
262:Eric Feldt
235:La Perouse
197:suburb of
189:Early life
75:Allegiance
46:1891-07-29
706:Biography
538:Semaphore
481:1833-7538
392:Penshurst
285:Port Vila
259:Commander
242:Melbourne
199:St Peters
157:Ruby Boye
98:1943–1946
78:Australia
25:Ruby Boye
654:17 April
632:17 April
604:17 April
573:17 April
544:17 April
494:17 April
489:70677943
422:Canberra
396:diabetes
388:leukemia
370:and the
340:shingles
227:Vanikoro
171:Vanikoro
83:Service/
683:at the
674:at the
326:Admiral
287:in the
213:in the
204:Newtown
173:in the
692:Portal
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366:, the
362:, the
211:Tulagi
195:Sydney
145:Awards
85:branch
428:Notes
376:'
183:'
656:2018
634:2018
606:2018
575:2018
546:2018
496:2018
485:OCLC
477:ISSN
467:ISBN
356:Suva
270:RAAF
103:Rank
59:Died
40:Born
540:(7)
420:in
162:BEM
718::
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435:^
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44:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
