NO OPPOSITION AT NISSAN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 122, 18 February 1944, Page 5

NO OPPOSITION AT NISSAN

Positions Secured , TROOPS MAINLY FROM NEW ZEALAND

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn.— Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received February 17, 11 p.m.)

SYDNEY, February 17. The New Zealanders and Americans, who landed on the Green Islands are reported to have consolidated their positions without opposition, lhe five islands of the group are reported to contain a number of areas suitable for air and light naval craft bases. The ground troops are composed mainly oi New Zealanders. . The “Sydney Morning Herald in an editorial says that, the seizure of the Green atoll group is anothei of those strategic leaps which have transformed the conduct of the war in the southern ond central Pacific. “These leaps, says the paper, “are significant ot a vigorous offensive policy and bear testimony to the formidable increase of Allied strength in the naval and air arms, which alone could permit such strokes within easy range of the enemy’s main central Pacific base at Truk. Thq landing on Nissan atoll offers prospect of further action to •jut off Rabaul also.” . The papdr suggests that the seizure ot Kavieng, New Ireland, and the Admitslty Group would isolate all the Bismarck Archipelago and would threaten tne Japanese bases in New Guinea, thus reinforcing the challenge to Truk already issued from the Marshalls, and offering further inducements for the Japanese fleet to come to battle.

DOOM OF RABAUL Brought Nearer By Nissan Occupation N.Z.E.F. Official News Service. (Received February 17, 9.45 p.m.) ADVANCED SOLOMONS BASE, February 16.

Rabaul, which has been brought nearer to its doom by the latest step forward ■by the New Zealanders to Nissan, has been subjected to unceasing raids from the air every day this year that the heather has permitted. Though the tonnage of bombs dropped in 30 bombing days seems insignificant when compared with the huge European figures, it must be remembered that 100 tons dropped on the more restricted Pacific island areas are equivalent to 1000 on such cities as Berlin and Cologne. . During January Allied aircraft destroycd more than 500 Japanese planes and sank or damaged four cruisers, eight destroyers, one gunboat, and about 125,000 tons of enemy auxiliary shipping. It can be safely said that Rabaul’s end ns a shipping and air centre is now in right after a relatively short period of concentrated attack. Recent experiences Indicate a steady deterioration in the strength of the enemy air defences, though for some weeks replacement planes were coming in fast as others were destroyed. Even the quality of the Japanese pilots may now be on the wane, and we are looking confidently toward the next few weeks' operations. New Zealand’s contribution to the offensive in the air and on the ground is growing substantially. The success of the New Zealand fighter pilots, who are regarded by American bomber crews as the best escort in the area, has been a prominent feature of the air war. New Zealand ground troops have again proved their adaptability in all types of Warfare by their excellence as an amphibious assault force. Today the force stands guard over a new island which will prove of great value in completing the isolation of Bougainville and Buka and should aid in the coming reduction of New Britain and New Ireland.

NONCHALANT TROOPS Well-Prepared For Nissan Landing

(N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.) ADVANCED SOLOMONS BASE, February 15. Weeks of preparation for the invasion of Nissan ensured, the utmost Allied strength to cope with any Japanese opposition. Nearly a hundred ships of all types and sizes provided fire-power on a vast scale, which, with strong air cover, was prepared to tackle any Japanese sortie from nearby Rabaul. To guard against any Japanese efforts to block or cover the narrow entrance between Barahtin Island and the Pokoninn plantation, minesweepers and gunboats entered the channel before the main invading force. The lack of opposition was intensely gratifying to the Allied command, which was enabled to achieve its object in the most economical manner. Success Signalled. General Ban-owclougFs signal to Gen; eral Puttick when the Kiwis successfully'' landed was: “Once again in the Pacific New Zealand troops are in the van.” The general made a thorough tour of all the landings as soon as the assault troops were established at the first day’s objectives.

As night began to close in the general’s conclusion was: “The whole day has gone satisfactorily.” The Coral Islands of fiction had been transformed into a welldefended spearhead of the Allied Pacific advance by the middle of the afternoon. The nonchalance of the New Zealand troops was the outstanding feature of the invasion of Nissan. The majority had been in action at Vella Lavella. The dissemination of all available information concerning the job in hand was a notable factor in the first day’s, success. A sand table model of Nissan, Barnhan, and Sirst (Islands was used to familiarize all the men with the salient geographical and tactical features. One result was that when one of the landing ships beached in an unexpected place not a hitch occurred in the unloading schedule.

The Japanese showed no inclination to come out and do battle. Trapped by the troops on land and by ships patrolling the whole of the sea area, they are doomed very soon to surrender or fight their last engagement to the death. , The natives on Nissan, who on the first day kept out of harm’s way—only two were seen—came strolling among the New Zealand and American troops' early on Wednesday morning, curiously observing the great gaps being miraculously torn in the jungle. The wail of sirens at intervals during the first night’s occupation heralded three sporadic enemy air raids, but the bombings were on a light scale, and there were no casualties or* damage. The night produced no fighting on land.

DEEP IN CAROLINES Ponape Island Attacked

WASHINGTON, February 16. American planes have raided Ponape, an island enemy base only 460 miles from Truk. This is the deepest penetration of the Carolines yet made. Bombers, believed to be based on Kwajalein, carried out the attack. A Pacific fleet communique states, ‘Army Liberators attacked Ponape in consider; able force on Monday, dropping over oo tons of bombs, principally on shore installations. They sank a small cargo ship in the harbour. No fighter opposition was encountered, and nil the planes returned. Liberators, (Mitchells, Dauntlesses. Warhawks and navy search planes continued to attack enemy bases in the Marshalls on Monday and Tuesday, bombingGnstallations on five atolls. A search plane attacked Mejit Island, in the eastern Marshalls, on Monday.” JAPANESE ADMIRALS DEAD NEW YORK, February 16. Major-General Corlett has reported that two Japanese admirals, one in full command of the entire Marshalls bases, were killed in the Kwajalein invasion. The commanding admiral, was killed while standing in front of his dugout on the second day of the battle. Next day, as the battle turned against the Japanese, the admiral’s entire staff committed