AIR ATTACKS IN NEW GUINEA

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23805, 26 November 1942, Page 5

AIR ATTACKS IN NEW GUINEA

Enemy Pounded By 100 Planes FIERCE FIGHTING ROUND BUNA (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) ' > SYDNEY, Nov. 23. A hundred Allied aeroplanes on Tuesday subjected the Japanese forces hemmed In in the narrow Buna-Gonaarea to the most concentrated pounding of. the New Guinea campaign. All day our aircraft flew over the coastal strip, bombing and strafing every target sighted. Flying Fortresses, North Americans, Marauders, Havocs, Beaufighters, and Airacobras all took part. Sanananda was raided nine times during the day. “I would hate to have been in the shoes of the Japanese," commented an Allied officer who had a close view of the attacks. Machine-gun nests and artillery positions were silenced, and troop concentrations were heavily punished. The air activity was onesided. No Japanese aircraft were in the sky. To hamper the enemy air force. Fortresses in a night attack dropped 10001b bombs on the runways and dispersal areas of the Lae aerodrome. This is a main base for close Japanese air support. The land fighting' continues with undiminished fierceness. Both at Sanananda and Buna Allied artillery units are employing 25-pounder and 37-milli-metre guns. Buna is still the main centre of the land fighting, with the Japanese resisting desperately the American efforts to invest the mission and main aerodrome areas. The small Japanese force by-passed at Gona by the main Australian drive on Sanananda is still holding out.

More than 100 enemy dead have been counted near the village and many more are reported to be scattered along the beach and under palm trees. Although the enemy is conceded to hold naval supremacy in northern New Guinea waters, no further efforts appear to have been made to relieve the Japanese Papuan force by sea. War correspondents suggest that Japanese warships have found it too expensive to run the gauntlet of Allied bombings. The Allies have . the advantage of larger land forces, as well as air superiority, without which the present offensive would have been impracticable. The sole Japanese offensive air activity has been a night raid or Darwin. The enemy sent over 18 navy-type bombers, but they caused neither damage- nor casualties. Allied Kittybawks made their first successful night interception, shooting down’ one bomber. A second bomber was brought down by anti-aircraft fire. Allied Hudsons continue to attack objectives in Timor. Their latest raid was against Penfoei aerodrome, at Koepang. Campaign Near Conclusion Though the Japanese forces, at Buna are expected to resist,tp,ttift bjjttep end, war correspondents declare that the Papuan campaign is hbw hearing its conclusion. The original 40 square miles of beach-head held by the enemy has now been whittled down to a narrow four-mile coastal strip pitted with malarial swamps. Heavy ram is assisting the Japanese in their last stand. It has hampered the movement of Allied reinforcements and supplies. However, the main enemy position at Buna is deteriorating badly as a result of Allied flanking attacks. The combined American and Australian force which has completed the occupation of the Sangara area, is now in a position to cut Buna off from Sanananda and thrust against the rear of the Japanese defences. Thousands of troops ate stated to be involved in the final vital struggle for Buna, where the enemy is strongly entrenched. Australian troops, who earlier captured Gona, are advancing against Sanananda; where the enemy positions have been softened by relentless Allied air attacks. It is now revealed that only a small Japanese force defended Gona. Some of the enemy are believed to have beeh evacuated from Gona by small boats, but it is not certain that they, have been removed from the fighting area. They may have been taken along the coast to Buna. When Japanese Zero fighters set fire to a small vessel carrying supplies to the United States troops now attacking Buna, an American general aboard declined to take his place in the small lifeboat about to push off for the shore. With the vessel ablaze, he insisted that his place should be taken by his aide, who had been shot in both legs and arms. The general even refused to hang on to the back of the lifeboat, for fear it might be upset. He swam ashore and then assisted to carry the wounded to shelter. “It made a great Impression on us,” declared a soldier who was present, “and • the general was greeted with cheers when he came

ashore.” CO OPERATION BY AUSTRALIA

U.s. NAVAL OFFICIAL’S APPRECIATION (Rec. 7 p.m.) NEW YORK. Nov. 24. The Washington correspondent of the “Christian Science Monitor” says that the Chief of the United States Navy Bureau of Supplies and Accounts (Rear-Admiral Brent Young), after his return from a south Pacific inspection tour, told a press conference that he had received co-opera-tion from Australian civil and military officials exceeding any reasonable expectations. He added that, in view of published and private criticisms, he had particularly studied the situation at the Australian docks, where labour difficulties were alleged to have caused delay. He was satisfied that the Australian stevedore was delivering more work daily, in spite of his rest period for tea, than the American stevedore. Rear-Admiral Young also said he did not know any grounds for assertions that General Mac Arthur was having “coalition difficulties." He further declared that he recognised the political difficulties in removing Australia’s ban on overseas service, but he felt that its removal would be an important gain. He expressed admiration for Mr Curtin’s courage in initiating this move. The “Christian Science Monitor” comments: “Rear-Admiral Young’s favourable views on Australia’s efforts have helped to readjust Washington opinion on that subject, after a heavy swing to the critical side caused by a coincidental combination of circumstances and reports.”