JAP WITHDRAWAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 106, 1 November 1943, Page 5

JAP WITHDRAWAL

BACK TO BOUGAINVILLE

LAST SOLOMONS FORTRESS

(Special P.A. Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, October 31

The Japanese in the northern Solomons are withdrawing to Bougainville Island, the last major stronghold in that area protecting their important base at Rabaul, New Britain, it is reported by Australian war correspondents in the South Pacific. The enemy's withdrawal follows swiftly on the Allied landings on Treasury and Choiseul Islands. They are 80 miles apart, but both are within 40 miles of Bougainville.

After. American and New Zealand troops landed on Mono and Stirling Islands in the Treasury Group at dawn j on Wednesday, Allied paratroops invaded Choiseul on Thursday. They did not jump, however, but went ashore in large landing craft. Striking against the south-west coast at Zinoa, they have cut the Japanese garrison in halves. Zinoa is six miles north of Sangigai, which is the main enemy barge staging point on Choiseul, and war correspondents suggest, that some stiff fighting is possible in this sector. Probably 1000 fit Japanese, and 1500 evacuees from Kulambangra and Vella Lavella have to be hunted down and killed. The latest reports from Admiral Halsey's headquarters say our troops are consolidating their positions. They are within striking distance of Choiseul Bay, which affords the only safe anchorage for large ships. The island is almost surrounded by reefs extending several miles from the coast.

One of the least known and least developed of the larger islands in the Solomons Group, Choiseul is 80 miles long and from eight to 20 miles wide. Though its highest mountains are only 2500 feet, the island is a mass of steep, confused hills with little fiat ground. ESTABLISHING DEFENCES. While the latest Allied Solomons landing was being made on Choiseul, American and New Zealand troops in the Treasury Islands were establishing defences against a possible enemy counter-offensive from Bougainville, where a Japanese force, unofficially estimated to number 40,000, is garrisoned. Meanwhile, Allied naval craft are standing by- to prevent a Japanese evacuation from the islands. On Mono, some hundreds of enemy troops have been reported streaming back to Malsi village, on the north-east coast, which is a possible evacuation point. !' Japanese aircraft have made ineffective attacks against both our shipping and ground positions. Our patrolling fighters shot down 12 of 25 Japanese dive-bombers.

Enemy air interference is being hampered by our incessant bombing attacks against Kahili and Kara aerodromes, only 45 miles from the Treasury Group. Heavy damage has been done to runways. Three of nine enemy fighters were shot down by Allied fighters in the latest sweep. On the northern tip of Bougainville 2500 Japanese building an air-strip at Bonis plantation were machine-gunned by Lockheed Lightnings, at least 200 being killed, All this Allied air, sea, and land activity centres fresh attention on Bougainville, which is the core of the Japanese resistance in the Solomons. The only other Solomon Islands now controlled by the Japanese are Buka, in the extreme north, and the Shortland Group, just south of Bougainville.