PROSPECTS FOR ATTACK

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24094, 2 November 1943, Page 5

PROSPECTS FOR ATTACK

NEW PACIFIC BASES FOR ALLIES

STRATEGIC POSITION IMPROVES

(Special Australian Corresp., N.ZPA.) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) . SYDNEY, Nov. X. The strategical importance of the continued Allied successes m New Guinea dwarfs the insignificance of the actual territory regained, says an Australian war correspondent, summing ud the campaign, ... “We may seem to have paid a bitter price for an area about two-thirds the size of Tasmania,” he writes. "It has taken the skill of our first-line divisions, bitten deeply into our slender air fleets, and absorbed a large proportion of the output from our war factories, but no Pacific commander, recognising the indirect benefits of the New Guinea advances, and their warwinning value in the Pacific, will quibble at the cost. “The immense tactical advantages gained are sure to pay handsome dividends. The swift development of advanced airfields is now well beyond the needs of defence.” The existence of inland fighter airstrips enable Allied bombers to be escorted in daylight attacks on Wewak. He says: “The destruction or damage of more than 500 aircraft at Wewak in the last two months has curbed its menace as a Japanese marshalling base. “The construction of fighter strips on the Trobriand and Woodlark islands. north of the eastern tip of New Guinea, has brought Rabaul almost within shuttle range of our heavy bombers. Rabaul and Wewak are the sustaining props of the most powerful sections of the enemy s southern Pacific defence line, and that line aiready is sagging under the concentrated weight of bombing. Mmw commanders are convinced that both bases can be knocked out by air attack Bl “In north-eastern New Guinea the Japanese ground forces now have only a tenuous grip. The mam enerny strength is being centred in the Dutcn partof the island. In that territory the great distances to be so far have given the enemy bases comparative immunity from heavy bombIn the northern Solomons area’Admiral Halsey’s latest air attecks on Japanese aerodromes at Kara and Bailale again met with no air interception. It is evident that the have made, no effort to replace their recent heavy losses of aircraft in this area or to make good the deficiencies resulting from the probable transference of strength from the Solomons Reconnaissance last Friday shpwed that the enemy had only three fighters on the ground at Ballale, one at Kara, five at Kahili, and four floatplanes at Falsi. Two months ago it was common to find up to 300 aircraft of all types stationed at these bases. With the Allied , landings on toe Treasury and Choiseul Islands, the Shortlands group just south of Bougainville is likely to fall to Admiral Halsey says an Australian war correspondent in toe south Pacific. Admiral Halsey can either assault the Shortlands as he did Vella Lavella, or blockade it, as he did Kolombangara, say« the correspondent. “The Japanese garrison has the alternatives of running the gauntlet of Admiral Halsey’B surface forces by trying to evacuate to Bougainville, or of staying to starve. Allied aircraft have neutralised the southern Bougainville airfields while Allied naval forces are completely in control of ‘the slot,’ the stretch of water between the parallel chains of the Solomon Islands. The Allies can now also exercise a large measure of wider control over all the waters soutll of Rabaul.”

OUT OF FIGHT EARLY

WOUNDED IN FIRST TWO MINUTES

TWO N.Z. SOLDIERS ON MONO

(Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.PA.) (Rec. 12.45 a.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 1. Two New Zealanders who had trained for two years to fight landed with the forces in the Treasury group, and within two minutes were finished with this war. Both were badly wounded. Three war correspondents gave them first aid. The story is told by Keith Palmer, "Melbourne Herald” correspondent ia the Solomons. He says: ‘‘Stretcherbearers gently lifted the badly wounded men into a barge. Pat Robinson, of the International News Service, a last war veteran, bandaged the leg of one boy. John' Fairfax, of the ‘Sydney Morning Herald,’. injected a morphia syrette into the other lad, easing his agony from three severe wounds, and Archer Thomas, of the ‘Sydney Dally Telegraph, read him instructions from the Qvt'Pttt* Tia(*Vflf7£ ’* The wounded men subsequently received treatment on an American warship, and when Palmer saw them later he described them as grinning theif thanks behind beard stubbie and jungle paint. “Not easily will I forget the courage of that lean-jawed, tight-lipped man fighting back the pain of his shattered knee and wounded back,” said Fajrfax. "The kindliness of the American sailors to the courageous wounded New Zealanders was something better than all the lend-lease in the world.”

COYER BY N.Z. FIGHTERS

JAPANESE BOMBERS KEPT AWAY (Official War Correspondent N.Z.E.F.) . MONO ISLAND, October 27. An event in the Dominion’s military history which will be remembered for all time occurred when the men of the 3rd New Zealand Division stormed Mono Island in the grey dawn. To the New Zealanders fell the proud privilege of being the first Empire troops in this war to retake a British island wholly occupied by the enemy. The fact that Mono Island is only 10 minutes by air flight from Bougainville and that the operation, was therefore extremely hazardous added to the inspiration felt by every man who took part in this historic event.

Also for the first time in this war New Zealanders made a full-scale opposed assault in amphibious opera* tions.

History was further made in the fact that never previously had New Zealand ground troops been supported by air cover provided by their own New Zealand fighter squadron, which, during the whole of the first day. patrolled the skies and effectively stopped Japr ancse bombers’ efforts to approach the scene of the attack.

The New Zealanders were proud, too, to be associated with an American specialist detachment in the first of such combined operations. Mutual appreciation among the personnel of the American Navy, the American ground detachments, and the New Zealand troops was a notable feature of the campaign.