THREAT TO MUNDA

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 171, 21 July 1943, Page 3

THREAT TO MUNDA

AMERICANS AT LILIO Tokyo Admits Allied Menace In New Guinea -VZ.P.A. Special Correspondent SYDNEY, July 20. _ The United Slates forces have increased the threat to the Munda aerodrome, the Japanese stronghold on New Georgia, by enlarging their beachhead at Lilio, three miles away to the east At least 179 Japanese were killed m attempting to stem the Allied progress, while our losses were light. ".Revised results of Sunday's Allied air attack on the Buin-Faisi anchorage bring the plane losses at the week-end in this area to 70 Japanese and 16 Allied machines. Reminiscent of the final savage -lighting at the Buna-Gona beachhead is the scene at Munda, where the American forces are closing in against the Japanese airfield defences. An Australian war correspondent gives a vivid description. Strain of Jungle Warfare •'The troops besieging Munda have to bear both the nerve-sapping strain of jungle warfare and the devastating noise of the European war theatre" he writes. "By day there is the steaming jungle, the crackle of rifles and machine-guns, the roar of guns and the crash of shells and bombs; by night the tying in a muddv trench more cannonades, shells screaming overhead, more bombs, infiltrating Japanese, some silent in the tree-tops '■ some screaming and shouting on the ground. "Night is the Japanese time. Some climb trees and sit motionless waiting lor targets. Others roam in the bush, howling and screaming some even crying, 'I am stabbed. ' Help, help. Book out, the Japs are coming. All but the greenest and most nervy troops have learned to recognise the Japanese accent and lie still. ihe slightest movement gives a waiting sniper his chance. "Sometimes when their tactics fail, Japanese dare-devils will crawl up and leap in and out of our trenches, hoping that some panicky men will fight among themselves with knives. At night also the Japanese air force gets busy. After dusk, they send in nuisance forces which cruise around for hours. Sleep' even for exhausted men, is fitful' And there is no real back area in New Georgia. Front line perils extend a good part of the way along all lines of communication." Land Drive in New Guinea In New Guinea fierce fighting has occurred on the slopes of Mount lambu, north-east of Komiatum. A series oi sharp encounters terminated successfully lor the Australian forces wno_ forced the Japanese to retreat' leaving behind S2 killed. A great transformation has occurred m the New Guinea war scene during the last 12 months. A year ago on Thursday the Japanese landed at the Gona Mission, Northern Papua and began their drive against Port Moresby. Reverses in this adventure were their first serious land setbacks of the Pacific war. To-day the Tokyo radio reports that "Australian and American forces strongly reinforced, are seriously threatening the Japanese key positions at Lae and Salamaua " Marvels of supply and transport have made possible the present New Guinea land drive. Air, road and barge communications all play their part. The Gona Mission, the scene of the enemy's Papuan landing a vear ago is a quiet place to-day. although the scars of war remain. The Australian military cemetery there contains more than 300 graves. The largest Australian military cemetery in the area is at Soputa, where 700"men are buried. At Sanananda 1000 Americans are buried in the central cemetery. Liberators on Sunday night struck heavily at enemy positions in Celebes For five hours big bombers pounded Macassar. In spite of intense antiaircraft fire, they started a chain of blazes along the waterfront. Factory areas and aerodrome installations suffered the greatest destruction. The Liberators apparently took the enemy by surprise, for when the I first of the raiding force arrived the | town was lighted up. Macassar was I heavily raided on June 23, when Liberators dropped 38 tons of bombs.