SHOCK TROOPS IN NEW GUINEA

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 55, 28 November 1942, Page 7

SHOCK TROOPS IN NEW GUINEA

Fresh Enemy Forces STIFFENING OF JAP OPPOSITION (By Telegraph.—Press Assu.—Cop.vrlclit.l (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received Nov. 27, 11.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 27. Stiffening opposition is being offered by the Japanese garrison to American-Australian forces m the Buna-Gona area. The defenders include freshly-landed marine shock .troops who may have been put ashore during the enemy’s solitary successful landing operation last weekend. This is officially confirmed in today’s communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters, which reports that enemy troops met in action this week have been identified as coming from . the Yokosuka Marine Depot, situated south of Yokohama Bay. This is one of the three major headquarters for Japanese marine expeditions. The other two depots are Sasebo and- Kuri. The excellent physical condition of these troops confirms the landing of “strong, fresh reinforcements since November 1- ’

The communique adds that no marked change has occurred in positional fighting, the intensity of which has slackened temporarily. There has been no corresponding abatement of air activity. In a series of heavy raids which continued throughout Thursday Allied Beaufighters, Kittyhawks, Havocs and North American bombers strafed and bombed ground targets. Flying Fortresses dropped 1000-pound bombs on Lae aerodrome in a night raid. Despite this bombing of their main New Guinea air base, the Japanese air force was more aggressively active than for some days. Six Zeros were shot down in a series of fierce dogfights, the Allies losing three planes. War correspondents now refer to the “incredible obstinacy” of LieutGeneral Horii’s beleaguered garrison. “The enemy’s small remaining strip of coastal beachhead is being converted into a Japanese graveyard,” declares a ■ Sydney “Daily. Telegraph” writer. If the strength of the Japanese resistance at Buna is a measure of the opposition likely to be encountered at every Allied forward step in the South Pacific war, then it must be generally appreciated that the struggle will be protracted and costly. With Allied air-power repulsing and destroying enemy reinforcements and with food and ammunition supplies being steadily depleted, the Japanese garrison is apparently in a hopeless position. Yet as the situation has deteriorated the enemy resistance has hardened to a “suicide stand.”

BUNA-BATAAN

. Similar Campaigns But Reversed Roles (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received November 27, 9 p.m.) NEW YORK, "November 26. The Buna campaign is similar to Bataan reversed, points out the New York “Daily News” correspondent, Jack Turco tt, from General MacArthur’s headquarters. Outnumbered, the Americans fought fanatically on Bataan in order to delay its capture. The Japanese are battling against overwhelming numbers at Buna, dying to delay the seizure of its two important airfields. Turcott adds that the Buna campaign has been a continuous display of heroism by the Americans, whether big, tough soldiers from the Midwest or south, or the city-bred youngsters from New York. They are accepting almost Incredible hardships to inch their way forward without grumbling.

SKILFUL, STUBBORN

Enemy Wants Digging Out Of Their Holes SYDNEY, November 27. The American thrust against Buna, from which the Allies hoped for a quick victory, has turned into a serious campaign against a stubborn and skilful Japanese defence, writes Don Caswell, the American United Press correspondent who has accompanied the United States forces in their drive. “Though the campaign has not been one of quick movement as we hoped,” lie writes, “I am still confident our careful preparation, superior manpower, and outright personal courage will break the Japanese lines south-east of Buna within a few days. “When I interviewed the commander of the American forces he said: ‘This is turning into a tough job. It’s like a miniature Bataan in reverse—a small, well-prepared defensive force holding off a more powerful offensive. We will have to dig them out of their holes, Jap by Jap, tree by tree, machinegun nest by machinegun nest.’ ” Caswell says the Japanese defensive position includes a deep chain of machinegun nests and concrete pillboxes thoroughly camouflaged by heavy jungle growth. The Japs also have superior knowledge of the terrain and trails, of artillery ranges and the natural defences of the Buna area which were never adequately surveyed on the ground before the war. Crude pre-war maps and aerial photograuhs are the basis of the Allied operations. The Japanese Buna defences are manned by fresh reinforcements which apparently landed just before the Americans attacked last Thursday. These reinforcements are fit, well trained and strongly equipped. The Japanese tactics fit. perfectly into the northern New Guinea coast country, with its lush, verdant jungles, coconut groves and eight-foot kerakera grass. Men from forward patrols put. it this way: ‘“Three or four Japanese may let 300 troops go through jungle trails, waiting for officers. Then they kill as many as they can, after which they throw lire crackers and mortar shells all over the place, making you think the woods are 'full of them. The only way to find their nests is by working in t'wos and threes with plenty of covering fire. Then men in front draw the Japanese fire and those behind blast their nests with grenades, tommyguus and mortars. When you chase them out of their nests they go up into the trees, strap themselves in and throw grenades down or snipe. The best thing wo could have would be shotguns for cleaning them out of the trees.” Caswell adds that Allied fighter cover is good, but that the planes must come from the other side of New Guinea and cannot be over Buna all the time. The side that has planes overhead has air superiority, he says. Mostly it is the Allies