WAR AGAINST BARGES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 219, 15 September 1943, Page 3

WAR AGAINST BARGES

JAPANESE LIFELINE TRAFFIC SYDNEY, Sept. 14. "The air and surface war against Japanese barges is warming the enemy and burning them up." This message was sent by the Comman-der-in-Chief of the Allied Naval Forces in the South-west Pacific, Admiral Halsey, to the airmen of Major-General Twining's command and the crews of the motor torpedoboats under Commodore Moran who are harassing the Japanese barge traffic.

This traffic is the enemy's lifeline supplying and reinforcing the Central Solomons. Unless the Japanese break Admiral Halsey's blockade their garrisons on Kolombangara and Vella Lavella Island.-; are doomed. The barges range in size from small wooden boats to armoured and strongly-armed craft 100 ft long that can give the motor torpedo-boats a good fight. Admiral Halsey's forces during last week sank 30 barges carrying fuel and ammunition.

General Mac Arthur's latest communique reports that light naval craft damaged five enemy barges during a night patrol in Kula Gulf. Gunfire from barges and shore positions caused minor damage to our units. Allied fighters strafed and destroyed a Japanese barge and a fuel dump on Kolombangara Island.