RISING AGAINST JAPANESE

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 138, 8 March 1945, Page 7

RISING AGAINST JAPANESE

Bougainville Natives CONSIDERABLE HELP TO AUSTRALIANS (R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service). BOUGAINVILLE, Marell 6. The Bougainville natives, after two years of subjection, have risen against the Japanese and are giving considerable assistance to the Australians in their campaign to finally break the enemy’s grip on the island. The rising is said to be one of the most successful underground movements to have taken place in any theatre of the war. In throwing in their lot with the .Australians, the natives have been knocking off the enemy by the score. Official estimates of Japanese casualties on Bougainville since the start of the Australian campaign last November place the total at more than 2009, including 1209 counted dead. The Japanese are also known to be suffering many losses through sickness, disease and malnutrition. They are also reported to lack adequate supplies of modern drugs for the treatment of casualties. The Australians now control approximately one quarter of Bougainville Island, which with Buka to the north, the Shortlands, Fauros and Choiseul to the south, still harbour some 15,000 Japanese. The Australians have made good progress in three months ot campaigning. They are now more than half way across the island at its waist. They hold 120 miles of the 200-mile western coastline, and from Pearl Ridge have a commanding view of the opposite coast. To date the most intensive fighting of the campaign has been iu the north, where the Australians met determined resistance. The enemy was found to be well equipped. Supported by artillery, the Japanese on this sector are established in defensive positions, which they have had two years to prepare. Though the fighting has been intensive, the advance has been steady. A feature of the offensive noted during recent weeks has been the increasingly effective aid given to the ground forces by Allied aircraft. They have been systematically reducing enemy strongpoints, transport concentrations, supplies and personnel m areas facing the advance. The bulk of the air-ground support is being done by R.N.Z.A.F. Corsairs, with R.A.A.F. reconnaissance aircraft to help pick out targets and lead in the attacking Corsairs. Additional weight is given to these attacks by R.N.Z.A.F. Venturas and American Mitchells, which come down from Green Island. In the south, Australian troops are astride the Puriata River, the first major obstacle to be encountered in the advance on large enemy concentrations and installations in southern Bougainville. The first phase of the Australian campaign south of tlie Jaba River, which was formerly the limit of Allied penetration on the island, is now virtually at its close. The second phase of operations will start from Puriata.

TANKS AS TARGETS

N.Z. Corsairs’ Success

N.Z.E.F. Official News Service. BOUGAINVILLE, March (i. Intercepting a movement by Japanese tanks toward positions held by Australian ground forces in the Soraken area, R.N.Z.A.F. Corsairs destroyed one ami badly damaged two others. The tanks were sighted by Squadron Leader G. IL Corbet, Invercargill, who Hew Hurricane night intruders in France, and Pilot Officer K. L. Albert, Wellington, both of whom were out searching for targets of opportunity. Two tanks were seen as they emerged from the jungle into a clearing, and the New Zealanders immediately attacked. They made four strafing runs and scored hits which raised light smoke. A third tank wes also seen in the jungle. Later a force of seven New Zealand Corsairs arrived with thousand-pound-ers. They damaged two of the tanks and then sprayed the third with lead from all angles. Heavy black smoke and red oil flames hurts out followed by a series of explosions. 'This tank was claimed as destroyed. The Corsairs were out on the job again this morning but found that the two damaged tanks had disappeared. Their mission was not in vain, however, for their search revealed buildings and signs of activity, which suggest that the hornets’ nest they uncovered is probably one of the bases from which the Japanese are carrying out operations against the Australians.