ISLAND GROUP OCCUPIED

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23940, 6 May 1943, Page 5

ISLAND GROUP OCCUPIED

AMERICAN FORCES IN SOLOMONS

NO OPPOSITION FROM JAPANESE (8.0. W.) RUGBY, May 4. “United States forces are now established in the Russell Islands northwest of Guadalcanal” states a United States Navy communique. “The islands were occupied without opposition in February some time after enemy resistance had ceased on Guadalcanal” The Russell Islands comprise two large islands with a fringe of small islets.

Another communique reports that on the afternoon of May 2 Avenger torpedo-bombers escorted by Wildcat fighters bombed Japanese installations at Munda. On May 3 Avenger and Dauntless dive-bombers escorted by Wildcats and Lightnings bombed and strafed installations at Rekata Bay on Santa Ysabel Island. Defence positions were hit and a large fire was started. All the United States aeroplanes returned.

KILLED IX AIR ACCIDENT

COMMANDER OP U.S. EUROPEAN FORCES

LONDON, May 4,

Lieutenant-General Frank Maxwell Andrews’, commanding general of the United States forces in the European theatre, was killed yesterday in an air accident in an isolated part of Iceland. Lieutenant-General Andrews was the first American air general to be appointed to the full command of a theatre of war. He took over the European theatre three months ago when General Eisenhower was appointed to command the North African area. General Andrews was formerly Officer Commanding the United States Army Air Forces in the Middle East.

BITTER BATTLES CONTINUE

CHINESE MOUNTAIN FIGHTING

BOTH SIDES SUFFER HEAVILY (Rec. 11 p.m.) CHUNGKING May 4. The Japanese threw an additional 20,000 troops into the Taihan mountains battle, making a total of 60,000 engaged, says the Chungking correspondent of the Associated Press. The Chinese killed 500 Japanese in one rescue column and killed and wounded 400 in another.

Spirited battles are reported east, west, and south of the range. The Japanese began a new thrust from the south, but frontal and flanking attacks forced them to retreat south with losses. In this intense mountain battle, in which there is no sign of a let-up, both sides have suffered heavy casualties. A Chinese communique said that the Japanese who captured three towns in the west part of the range have been surrounded and largely wiped out.

AMERICAN RAIDS IN BURMA

SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS REPORTED (8.0. W.) RUGBY, May 4. A New Delhi communique says that American heavy bombers for the last three days have made successful and widespread attacks on Burma railway communications near Sagaing and Mandalay. They have also bombed bridges near Mijitkyina and Pinbaw,' and Nankin.

At Maymo 30 tons of bombs were dropped and the railway tracks and engine-shed destroyed.

USE OF SINGAPORE BASE

DOMINIONS CRITICISED IN “DAILY MAIL”

(Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, May 5. “Undeniably we lost large portions of the Empire because of the lack of power to retain them, but that power could have been ours if we had been wiser in the past,” says a writer in the “Daily Mail.” He argues that if the two countries most closely concerned —Australia and New Zealand—had shown more enthusiasm for Earl Jellicoe’s proposal after the last war for the creation of a large battle fleet based on Singapore, it might have been accepted by Britain. “Thi%does not excuse Britain’s own neglectT because the responsibility is primarily ours,” says the writer. “But it is pertinent to ask if Australia, which to-day is making more noise than all the other United Nations put together, remembers how Earl Jellicoe’s suggestion was turned down. Does Australia also remember that when it was decided to build the Singapore base (without the fleet and air force which would have saved it) she gave nothing to the cost, whereas New Zealand gave £1,000,000. These questions are not asked reproachfully; but only by examining past mistakes can we plan better for the future."

SIX-DAY WEEK FOR MINERS

UNITED STATES ORDER (Rcc. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 4. The Secretax - y of the Interior <Mr Harold L. Ickes) has ordered a six-day week throughout the coalmining industry. The Office of Price Administration previously authorised increased selling prices to cover the added costs of overtime pay. Mr Ickes said that mines failing to operate on six days would suffer cancellation of the new price ceilings. Most of the 500,000 coal miners who have been out on strike are now back at work.

The president of the United Mine Workers’ Association (Mr John L. Lewis) has emphasised that the fortnight's truce between the miners and the Government does not affect the miners’ demands. The War Labour Board has reassumed active jurisdiction in the coal dispute and has ordered a fact finding panel to proceed immediately with consideration of the controversy.

The office of the Secretary of the Interior has estimated that 95 per cent, of the seized mines are already working on the six-day basis. The Washington correspondent of the United Press says that some mines have staggered the work so that miners actually receive only five days’ pay. The “New York Sun’’ states that 95 per cent, of Mr Lewis’s men are already getting 10 dollars 50 cents for working on Saturday. Therefore they have gained nothing new under Mr Ickes’s six-day order.

Aleutians Air Attacks.—A United States Navy communique states that in the North Pacific on May 2, Army aeroplanes carried out eight attacks on Kiska in the Aleutians. Fires were started in a building which was destroyed.—Washingtcm;May4.