FIGHTING ROUND ICHANG

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23969, 9 June 1943, Page 3

FIGHTING ROUND ICHANG

CHINESE ADVANCE ALONG YANGTSE

AMERICAN AIRCRAFT IN SUPPORT (N.2. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON. June 7.

“The Chinese forces have advanced above and below Ichang, cleared the Yangtse river bank opposite the city, and inflicted new heavy losses in mopping up the Japanese. Chinese guerrillas raided Ichang, but no major assault has yet been attempted,” says a Chinese communique. “Another unit driving towards Owchihkow, 60 miles south-east of Itu, captured a number of villages. The Chinese inflicted heavy losses in attacking Chaoshih, north-east of Ichang.” The Chinese have captured strategic points round Hwajung, the main Japanese base north of the Tungting Lake. Lieutenant-General J. C. Stilwell’s headquarters has announced that American bombers and fighters, supporting the Chinese armies on the western Hupeh front, carried out widespread operations on Sunday, sweeping the Yangtse from Ichang to Shasi. They damaged a large boat and raked a gunboat. The “Central-Chinese News” reports that Japanese aeroplanes raided Liangshan, 110 mUfes north-east of. Chungking, and Enshih, the provisional capital of Hupeh Province. Two enemy aeroplanes were shot down in each raid. . . Referring to the heartening result of the air support now available for the first time to the Chinese, the “New York Times” states: “The enemy is still retreating and the Japanese threat to Chungking seems ended for the summer. The tide was turned when American bombers, escorted by Chinese fighters, attacked the Ichang airfield Some 75.000 Japanese troops; accustomed to fighting under an umbrella of their own aeroplanes, and deprived of this protection, decided to reverse the march on Chungking. The combined Allied air strength in China is still sufficient only to hold the line and stiffen the defence, but more American aeroplanes are on the way and the battle for Ichang shows what can happen when they get there.

RAIDS NORTH OF AUSTRALIA ALLIED ATTACKS IN BAD WEATHER

WEWAK AND MADANG BOMBED

(Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 12.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 8. Behind the heavy storm clouds which have covered the Solomons Sea area for the greater part of the last two months, the Japanese have been busy strengthening their northern New Guinea holdings. Their activity has been particularly marked round the 'Wewak area. Flying Fortresses and Liberators, which made an attack before dawn on this powerful base on Tuesday, had to battle their way through winds of gale force, which sometimes tossed the big bombers round like feathers. The result of the raid could not be assessed because of the bad visibility. In three waves other Allied heavy bombers attacked the enemy’s growing subsidiary base at Madang, about 180 miles east of Wewak. Bombs were dropped on the aerodrome dispersal area, the jetty, and the adjacent village, fires being started. In the Sepik river area, between Madang and Wewak, one of our reconnaissance bombers strafed three loaded motor barges, setting two on fire.

The aerodrome and building area of the advanced Japanese base q£ Lae was bombed, a large fire being started near the aerodrome. All these raids were made under difficult conditions. The most important Allied air activity on Monday was a series of 33 strafing passes made by Boston attack bombers in direct support of Allied troops fighting round Mubo. Ground action in this sector continues.

While the Japanese have been using the advantage given them by the weather to strengthen their positions, the Allies have also been engaged in strengthening their Papuan bases. New Guinea war correspondents report that the construction of aerodromes, communication systems, and harbour projects has been pushed ahead rapidly. The area is being steadily developed as an important springboard for an eventual Allied offensive. JAPANESE RAIDS ON INDIA 1694 CASUALTIES TO APRIL 13 (Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON. June 7. It is officially announced, according to a New Delhi message, that from Japan’s entry into the war to April 13, casualties in India from Japanese air raids were 1694. NEW ZEALANDERS IN NEW GUINEA SCOUTING IN COUNTRY HELD BY JAPANESE

(Rec. 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 8. New Zealanders who enlisted in the A.I.F. have done splendid work as scouts in the New Guinea jungle warfare. One of them, Corporal Albert Edward Pauley, has made many daring excursions into enemy-occupied territory. On one occasion he watched Japanese troops cremate the body of one of their officers.

Before the war Corporal Pauley was manager of a gold mine at Sandry Creek, near Wau. He says that deerstalking experience in his youth in New Zealand has helped him in the New Guinea jungle. “When I saw thin, wreaths of smoke rising above the trees, I crawled through the undergrowth to investigate,” Corporal Pauley told a war correspondent. “I saw the body of a Japanese officer covered with a sheet, lying on logs. Soldiers were keeping the lire going by throwing benzine on to the logs. Officers with drawn swords stood at each end of the pyre. The ceremony lasted about two hours.”

On another patrol into the enemy lines, Corporal Pauley watched the Rising Sun ceremony, which is religiously carried out every morning. The Rising Sun flag was hoisted, and at a given command the assembled enemy troops bowed so low towards the sun that their heads almost touched the ground. Another New Zealander, Sergeant William Rupert Hanrahan. disguised himself as a native to escape from Salamaua when the Japanese landed there in March, 1942. He walked past scores of Japanese, who were too busy landing stores to worry about the natives. Sergeant Hanrahan says he has seen enemy troops throw away their rifles and dive panic-stricken into the jungle when they were attacked by Allied aeroplanes. Still another New Zealander who has done much good work as a forward scout is Sergeant Anthony O’Connell, of Palmerston (Otago), who was part-owner of an alluvial gold mine in the Bulolo river valley.

Former German Correspondent Executed.—lt'is reported from Helsinki that Friedrich Ege, former correspondent of the Official German News Agency in Finland, has been executed in Estonia. The Germans extradited Ege from Finland to try him on charges of helping Russia.~London, June 7.