THE WRONG COOKS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 136, 11 June 1945, Page 6

THE WRONG COOKS

ENEMY CROPS FIRED

(R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service.)

BOUGAINVILLE, June t All through the southern islands, scattered in jungle clearings and plantations, lie extensive gardens, running into thousands of acres all told. Her!i the Japanese have been raising rice, corn, possibly millet, sweet potatoes, gourds, and other foods. Nothing comes from home these days. They must grow food to live.

Muguai is one of the main garden areas. It is also a major centre for stores and reserve troops. Many tafgets containing huts and supplies havb been blasted to bits by our aircraft, '* but much activity remains. There' are even signs that it is increasing, as the Japanese pull in outlying garrisons to escape the growing menace <yl native guerrillas and to reinforcb their reserves.

Operations assigned to« a New Zealand Corsair squadron under Squadron Leader Court, of Auckland, have included special attention to this area, and as they bombed and strafeel enemy concentrations, his pilot?; watched the gardens grow. One' day a crop would be cut, next day they would see it spread out to dry, then it would be stacked to be taken away by trucks. When conditions were right—a dry spell of several days was needed—the Corsairs paid a call with fire-bombs. They sowed them in a garden where bumper crops were strung along 150f; drying lines. Fires burst from the centre and spread rapidly outwards. The airmen waited round 'till they were sure one meal the enemy wouldn't get was cooking properly;. then turned for home. On another visit to the gardens they cast* their incendiaries on a fertile field, scorching out a large slice.

Now that they have few natives they can persuade to toil for them, the Japanese have to do most of the spade work themselves. Some oi their labourers are Koreans and Forf mosans. When •• aircraft come they dive for cover of the jungle. When the aircraft go they creep out to save what they can. It is not a very happj or profitable job.

Field-Marshal Montgomery has abandoned his famous battle caravans} which have accompanied him since Tunisia, to live in a palatial, luxuriously furnished medieval castle in one of the most beautiful valleys in northwestern Germany. ■ A barn containing 1500 bales of hay, the property of Mr. William Howell, was destroyed by fire at Paraparaumu on Saturday night. The flames were first noticed about 8.30 p.m., and about 50 bales were removed, when the heat prevented any further salvage. The fire continued until early yesterday morning. It is thought to have been, caused by spontaneous ■* combustion.