As the Second World War loomed large, the British government asked for the support of all the countries within the British Empire. Queen Sālote told the British High Commissioner that Tonga would place all of its resources at Great Britain’s disposal. On 3 September 1939, Tonga officially declared war on Germany.
The government immediately called for volunteers to join the Tonga Defence Force, and nearly every adult man did so. Queen Sālote had gone onto a big platform to personally call for volunteers. She said, “My people, I want to tell you today [that] I have made a decision that no woman has a right to do, but I have made it as Queen. We will support England in the war today until the end of the war. […] England is in trouble, and we owe a lot to England because England has been protecting us for years now.”1 Even women tried to sign up, but they were eventually recruited to sew the uniforms and collect medical supplies. Queen Sālote’s husband was made colonel-in-chief. The officers of the Tonga Defence Force received their commissions from the Queen and swore their allegiance to her. They were given a metal badge that was designed by the Queen. Training began with sticks as a replacement for weapons, as they did not have any yet.
Queen Sālote began setting aside 10% of her salary each month as her contribution, and 546 acres were offered to the British government for an airfield for the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The bulldozer, which came to level the ground, was quite a sight for the Tongans. The first aircraft landed in March 1940. The pilot told Queen Sālote he’d like to take her on a flight sometime. Queen Sālote responded, “Certainly, when shall we go?” And so he took Queen Sālote and her husband on a flight that very afternoon.2
During the war, Queen Sālote suffered perhaps her greatest loss. On 20 July 1941, her husband, Tungī Mailefihi, died of a heart attack at the age of 54. Queen Sālote was not with him at the time, and although she had been called, he was already gone when she arrived. She had him brought to her own bedroom, and he did not lie in state. He was brought down just before the funeral so dignitaries could say farewell. Queen Sālote was too grief-stricken to be in the funeral procession, but she did decide every little thing for the funeral. He was interred at the royal burial ground, Malaʻekula. Queen Sālote spent many of her days in seclusion, and it was only her faith that sustained her. She often walked along the beach in the dark with one or more of her ladies. Newspaper lauded the Queen’s husband, “for it was his guiding hand behind the felicitous reign of the Queen for the past twenty-three years… Although it was not easy to be a consort, he filled the position better than most.”3
On 7 December 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour, and within a few hours, Tonga joined the Allies in declaring war on Japan. The war with Japan was a more realistic threat to Tonga, as it had warships throughout the Pacific. A bombing or even an invasion became a real threat. Foreign women and children were evacuated to Fiji, New Zealand, or even Australia. Most were unwilling to go, and many returned as soon as they were allowed. Inhabitants of the capital were told to go to their relatives in the country. Queen Sālote set the example by moving to the southern coast. A house was built for her, and several houses around it were built to serve her. She described it as her “little coconut-leaf house.”4
Queen Sālote was certain that the airfield would eventually be bombed, and she set up First Aid classes so that “we shall be ready to help injured soldiers at the airfield.”5
- Queen Sālote of Tonga: The Story of an Era 1900–1965 by Elizabeth Wood-Ellem p.192
- Sālote: Queen of Paradise by Margaret Hixon p.117
- Sālote: Queen of Paradise by Margaret Hixon p.119
- Queen Sālote of Tonga: The Story of an Era 1900–1965 by Elizabeth Wood-Ellem p.201
- Queen Sālote of Tonga: The Story of an Era 1900–1965 by Elizabeth Wood-Ellem p.202
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