ON GUADALCANAR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 89, 25 January 1943, Page 4

ON GUADALCANAR

CLEARING ENEMY OPPOSITION.

’’NOW EFFECTIVE ALLIED BASE. POSSIBLE AIR EXPANSION. (N.Z. Press Association— Copyright). (Rec. 1.55.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 24. Guadalcanal’ is being cleared of all effective enemy opposition. Only jIOOO Japanese remain alive out of 15,000 originally landed on the island. The United States forces have killed 8000and 3000 died of wounds, disease or starvation. These facts have been disclosed by a marine officer, LieutenantColonel Lewis Puller, in an officiallysponsored interview. Colonel Puller, who left Guadalcanal* on New Year’s Day, said: “The Japanese on the island are. through, so far as real fighting is concerned. I expect we will not have much trouble m cleaning up the rest.” He did not regard the enemy air base at Munda (New Georgia) as a serious threat. The Japanese did not have any effective bases south of Ruin and Bougainville.

The ’’New York Times’’ comments that Colonel Puller’s report indicates that Guadalcanal* is now safe as an effective Allied base, with a secure harbour and indefinite possibilities for air expansion Colonel Puller’s report changes considerably the earlier picture of the situation at Guadalcanal*. A major offensive is believed to be under way to destroy the remaining Japanese on the island.

The Washington correspondent of the “New York Tinfes” says it is not known whether the latest operations foreshadow early plans to attack Japanese positions northward in the Solomons,. but that this is the obvious probability jin view of the recent heavy bombings of advanced enemy bases in Munda, Shortland and Buin., The recent reinforcement of American troops on Guadalcanal* gives them great numerical superiority over the Japanese. Nevertheless, experienced officers believe that the difficulties of .terrain and the tenacious enemy resistance may make the remaining fighting costly.