Japs Hit Back On Leyte Island

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 262, 4 November 1944, Page 1 (Supplement)

Japs Hit Back On Leyte Island

LANDING REPORTED

Desperate Effort To Break Ormoc Pocket

(N.Z.P.A. —Copyright. —Rec. 4.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 3. The landing of Japanese troops and tanks on the west coast of Leyte from four big merchantmen, apparently for desperate attempts to break the Ormoc pocket, was announced by General Mac Arthur, says the United Press correspondent on Leyte. A showdown battle is believed to be imminent. j* 1 General Mac Arthur's com- ~ munique says that the Twentyfourth Division advanced the Tenth Corps sector to Culasian, a point five miles west of Carigara. Elsewhere our units are establishing intermediate bases and lines of communicationThe enemy landed troops and motorised equipment from an escorted convoy of four cargo ships in Ormoc Bay. Our Leytebased fighters, despite interception, dive-bombed the convoy, sinking two transports. These fresh enemy troops are attempting to break northward. Surprised by our air fighters who destroyed 30 trucks and two tanks, the enemy continued night harassing attacks, causing minor damage. Five planes were shot down by flak and five by our planes. We lost one plane.