JAPS. SURPRISED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 40, 17 February 1944, Page 6

JAPS. SURPRISED

GREEN ISLANDS MOVE

N.Z. BATTALION IN LEAD

N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent

N.Z. PACIFIC HDQS., Feb. 15,

A battalion of New Zealanders which pushed its commando raid to Nissan a fortnight ago was the first in this morning's invasion of the Green Islands. Knowing the narrow channel through the west coast and the nature of the beach for the landing, they established a beachhead in spite of strenuous enemy efforts to dislocate the landing organisation by bombing and strafing. Fine weather favoured Japanese observation of the vast convoy approaching the atoll, but the Allied fighter cover, together with bombers ready to blast emplacements found on the shore, was a good match for the enemy. Details of enemy losses are not yet available, but the fact that their bombing efforts inflicted no damage is evidence of the efficiency of the Allied air support. In a destroyer, the flagship of the convoy, Major-General H. E. Barrowclough watched his troops take possession of all the required positions without any early land encounter with the enemy. Once more the Japanese were surprised. Either they could not afford the men and material to fortify the atoll or they realised the futility of defending it against the powerful force which the Allies were certain to throw in. An attempted air attack failed to hamper the unloading either of personnel or huge quantities of equipment of both the Allied forces. "The landing was not opposed by the Japanese ground forces," said Rear-Admiral G. B. Carney, Chief of Staff to Admiral Halsey, "though later resistance was encountered. Major-General Barrowclough commanded the New Zealanders, while Rear-Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson, United States Navy, commanded the amphibious operation. Japanese Cut Off

"The landing on the Green Islands brings our forces within 120 miles of Rabaul and 230 miles of Kavieng, the remaining two Japanese strong points in the South Pacific. It also completes the encirclement of the Bougainville-Buka Island group, and effectively cuts off the Japanese on those islands from aid from their more northern bases. The landing is another step toward the elimination of the Japanese from the South Pacific." New Zealand engineers and American Construction Battalions performed miracles in the preparation of roads and in clearing away sections of the bomb-studded bush near the landing beaches. By the end of the day the New Zealanders and supporting American units were firmly established. The Japanese discovered the large invading convoy going to Nissan in the early hours, and bombed some ships two hours before dawn. The convoy was the biggest ever used by the New Zealanders in South Pacific operations. In the light of day, Japanese bombers reappeared, and two were downed by anti-aircraft fire and one by a fighter pilot. No Japanese aircraft returned all day. Probably the Japanese ground forces on Nissan Island at the time of the landing were less than 10CJ strong. Most of these, according to native reports, were near the site of the old Roman Catholic mission at the southern end of Nissan, but there were several enemy barges on the lagoon. Gunboats proved their utility later in the day by plastering moving enemy barges in the vicinity of a known Japanese point of concentration. These, however, were the only signs of fighting as most of the troops established their perimeter for the night.