NEW BATTLES IN KOREA

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26528, 17 September 1951, Page 7

NEW BATTLES IN KOREA

Heavy Artillery Fire By Allies

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 11.50 p.m.) TOKYO, September 16. Allied artillery thundered continually across the Korean battlefront yesterday, smashing Communist counter-attacks on the central front and pounding North Korean regiments, which are stubbornly defending positions on the eastern front.

The United Nations Air Force continued a round-the-clock disruption of Communist railways, supply centres, and roads, but Bth Army infantry and armour let up the pressure across most of the front.

They spent the day consolidating newly-won territory. The most bitter fighting was north of Yanggu and west of Kansong, where the Allies made limited gains.

Flares lit up the mountains on the central front as Allied troops beat off nine enemy probing attacks. The Allies then went over to the attack and took enemy hill positions after a six-hour battle.

The Communists counter-attacked with mortars and infantry, but were tossed back.

Further east, five South Korean battalions trying to envelop enemy bunkered positions, were forced to withdraw by heavy small arms, mortar and artillery Are. Canadian casualties in the Korean war now total 238, including 59 dead, 160 wounded, 18 injured in action, and one missing. The South Korean Social Affairs Minister, Mr Hoh Chang, said to-day that the Korean war had killed 1,000,000 Koreans and injured 8,000,000. Mr Hoh said that 600,000 houses wete destroyed in 15 months of the war.