ILL-STARRED EFFORTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 41, 27 November 1942, Page 3

ILL-STARRED EFFORTS.

JAPANESE IN NEW GUINEA. TWO DESTROYERS SUNK. (Special Australian Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) SYDNEY, Nov. 26. Two more Japanese destroyers have been sunk and a third probably sunk in further ill-starred efforts to relieve Lieutenant-General Horii’s \ hardpressed force in the Buna-Gcaia defensive strip on the New Guinea -coast. Enemy troops estimated to number “several hundreds”; lost their lives when ,5001 b bombs from Flying Fortresses, Boauforts, .and North American bdmhers sent the warships to the bottom of Huon Gulf.

This latest enemy relief convey, comprising a -light cruiser and four destroyers) all heavily loaded with troops, attempted to reach Buna under cover ,of darkness. But the Allied aircraft, sighting their targets by the light of flares, scored direct hits on two of the destroyers and several nearmisses against a third. The two were seen to sink after explosions and fires aboard. The third, after being left dead in the water for 25 minutes, was last sighted heading for land at a speed of only six knots. General MacArthur’s communique says: “It is probable that she also sank, as our Tear air echelon searched her possible area of position without sighting her.” The cruiser and the remaining destroyer fled to the north.” The convoy, speeding south toward Buna, was intercepted north of Lae and Salamaua, well out to sea. Airmen who took part in the attack declare that they saw enemy troops struggling in the water. Heavy Fighting on Land. On land, heavy fighting continues in low jungle interspersed with swamps and tidal creeks. The nature of the country is now making Allied manoeuvres slow and difficult. The Japanese forces are withdrawn mainly within the confines of carefully prepared positions, described as being “strongly fortified with barbed wiio and dug-outs and all the ( defensive attributes of a fortress.” Failing relief .at sea, it appears that the beleaguered Japanese garrison is prepared to fight to the last man. Facing Australian and American troops on three sides, they are holding grimly to the beach, their only way of entrance or egress. Fox-hole and tree-top snipers are posted along the outskirts cf their heavier defences. As is usual when enemy naval movements are in progress in northern New Guinea waters, there has been a renewal of Japanese air activity on a small scale. But throughout Wednesday the Allied air forces were able to maintain undiminished bombing and strafing attacks. Zeros over the area did not. clash with our aeroplanes? Single enemy aircraft were twice over Port Moresby, but they dropped their bombs harmlessly in the bush. The evident suicide determination of the Japanese to hold out at Buna as long as possible is without apparent adequate strategic reason. Unsuccessful. attempts to bring relief by sea have now cost them a light cruiser, at Least four destroyers, two smaller craft and a considerable number of troops.

Lae and Salamaua. are the only bases from which close, air support can be given to Buna, and it is clear that the Japanese lack sufficient planes to challenge seriously the Allies’ air superiority. The continued exposure, of enemy warships to General Mae Arthur’s bombers —’and without naval support Buna must soon fall offers

the Allies a handsome opportunity to pursue the attrition tactics which are making inroads on Japanese naval strength. The Australian success in pushing the Japanese back over the Owen Stanley Range and down to Buna ranked with some of the greatest Allied achievements in this war, and proved that the Australians had the measure of the Japanese, said the Minister of the ,Army (Mr F. M. Forde) to-day. The campaign showed conclusively that, given adequate equipment and air assistance, the Australians had no superiors as soldiers.