ENEMY REPULSED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 230, 29 September 1942, Page 3

ENEMY REPULSED

SOLOMONS ATTACK

U.S. Forces Sometimes Outnumbered 10 to 1

United Press Association—Copyright NEW YORK, Sept. 28. Describing the fighting covered in the communique of September 15.the United Press correspondent. Mr. Robert Miller, writing from Marine headquarters in the Solomons on September 14, states: "A determined Japanese air, naval and land assault, which was repulsed with heavy losses, was aimed at the capture o~f Henderson Field, the aerial base on Gaudalcanar.

Japanese fighters and bombers attempted to soften the Marine garrison for the attack, while Japanese nava! units gave artillery support. Simultaneously a three-pronged attack was launched by many hundred veteran Japanese soldiers specially equipped for jungle fighting. "The land action raged until to-day, September 14. when the Japanese were repulsed in hand-to-hand fighting and retreated through the jungle to positions along the east 1 and west ends of Guadalcanar. where they had previously landed at night over a considerable period. "Our men thwarted every Japanese move. Marine and naval planes met the increased tempo of air attacks by destroying 16 twinengined bombers, ten Zeros, four float planes and nine reconnaissance planes. Our shore batteries effectively replied to the Japanese cruisers and destroyers whichshelled the coast.

"The marines, sometimes outnumbered by ten to one, finally forced' the enemy to retire. The marines' losses were mostly wounded.

Severe Drubbing For Enemy

"The Marines repulsed repeated assaults against the vital Ltanga ridge on the north-eastern side ofjthe; •island, which is the main avenue;or approach to : Henderson Field, down# which the Japanesejplanned to move. "A severe drubbing given the Japanese prior to the attack threWd the entire operations out offline. A' raid on September 8 destroyed a large amount of Japan-, ese arms and equipment which had« been landed 30 miles down the coastj severely handicapping the Japanese, units'attacking from the rear against the Marines' left flank. "Japanese forces concentrating on the western tip of Guadalcanar were hit simultaneously by planes, which destroyed 16 launches loaded with infantrymen, preventing the majority from landing. Another attack 24 hours later destroyed the remainder the beached launches, crippling the enemy troops planning to push from the west to attack the right flank and seriously weakening them before they started. "The main Japanese attack was on the night of September 13 at Marines holding the rear three miles from the aerodrome. Precededby smoke clouds, with which they tried to screen the advance, the Japanese ran forward yelling 'Gas attack. The ruse failed, and the Japanese were beaten off. The Marines fell back from an advanced ridge to consolidated positions, where they halted attack after attack, tl i e ri dge with enemy dead. We Japanese charges were met machine-gun and rifle fire and grenades. Finally, at dawn, the Japanese had had enough, and withdrew, leaving the battlefield strewn with seores of their dead."