DEMORALIZED AND HUNGRY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 203, 25 May 1944, Page 5

DEMORALIZED AND HUNGRY

Japanese Fleeing From Hollandia Area FIERCER AIR RAIDS (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) Australian Correspondent.) (Received May 24, 11 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 24. Driven by American invasion forces, thousands of Japanese are fleeing from the Hollandia area of New Guinea. A great number of them will certainly die. Au Australian patrol, led by a young captain, who was a New Guinea resident before the war, tracked enemy remnants as they straggled westward. “We saw thousands of them’ —beaten and demoralized—struggling along rough jungle tracks,” he reported. “There was no order. They straggled along like sheep. They posted no sentries. There is practically no food in that country, but none of them carried more than 12 hours’ rations. I do not think 10 per cent, of them will survive.” Attacking the last of the escaping Japanese, an Australian patrol of eight men killed 52. No Australian was lost. Other enemy stragglers round Hollandia, driven by hunger, are coming in to surrender to the Americans. Many Japanese have surrendered to natives. Following the Japanese occupation and systematic looting of the area, many natives fled to the mountains and jungle, but they are now returning to rebuild their villages. Mounting Aerial Offensive. Allied bombers and fighters are intensifying their attacks against Japanese airfields, troop concentrations and ground positions along the 1100-mile front in New Guinea and New Britain. General MacArthur’s aerial offensive is pounding targets extending from .Manokwari, in western Dutch New Guinea, to Rabaul, in New Britain. With the Wakde Island airfield now in full operation, Allied bombers are forcefully implementing plans to eliminate the remaining enemy aerodromes in the far. north-western areas of Dutch New Guinea. The strongest attacks reported by General MacArthur’s latest communique were made on Monday against two Japanese airfields on Biak Island, Geelvink Bay. Several waves of Liberators dropped 150 tons, causing fires and explosions in fuel dumps. Repeated raids on enemy airfields round Geelvink Bay are having a neutralizing effect, since not a solitary Japanese plane has been reported over the Wakde Island-Sarmi sector since the American invasion six days ago. Lightnings shot down four Zeros which attempted to intercept the Liberators bombing the important enemy base of Manokwari, on the south coast of Dutch Now Guinea. An ammunition dump which received a direct, bomb hit blew up with a terrific explosion. . To the north, Catalmas attacked shipping off Burn Island. Bad weather prevented observation of the bombing results. The convoy comprised one large and two smaller ships. Trapped Forces Hammered. In British New Guinea, pressure on the strong Japanese forces trapped on the Wewak-Hansa Bay sector is being steadily increased as American troops press down the coast from their. Aitape beach-head and Australians continue to drive up the coast from Alexishafen. These enemy forces are also’being subjected to daily bombing and strafing. Further attacks on airfields at Wewak indicate that the Japanese have again been endeavouring to get these into service. Rabaul also continues to receive its share of aerial attention. In the latest attacks, 117 tons of bombs was dropped, principally on airfields. Five Japaneseheld points on Bougainville Island, northern Solomons, were attacked on Monday, with damage to road communications. Bombers based on the Admiralty Isj lands raided Truk, in the Carolines, 725 miles to the north. ATOLLS HEAVILY RAIDED LONDON, May 23. In the central Pacific American army and navy planes have pounded Wotje atoll, in the Marshall Islands. The httack was made on Sunday, and 230 tons of bombs were dropped. The aircraft also strafed specific targets. Other targets bombed Mille atoll. All the aircraft returned. Vichy radio says that Japanese circles think that last week’s attack on Surabaya by a task force foreshadows* a massed Allied naval attack against Singapore.