SLIGHT OPPOSITION

Evening Star, Issue 25168, 6 May 1944, Page 5

SLIGHT OPPOSITION

LATEST DUTCH NEW GUINEA LANDINGS SOME JAPANESE SURRENDER (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) SYDNEY, May o. The new American landings along the Dutch. New Guinea- coast met with little opposition. Two Japanese were killed at Demta. The size of the forces engaged is not disclosed, but official reports say that the. landings were part of the mopping-up operations in this sector.

An unusual feature reported by General MacArthur's latest communique is the number of Japanese who are giving themselves up. An American truck moving along a road encountered a party of 20 enemy troops, who asked to be taken prisoners. Allied planes are continuing tiheir attacks on Japanese bases and airstrips west of Hollandia. Mitchell bombers, attacking Wakde, destroyed two parked planes, and hit fuel dumps, supply areas, buildings, defence positions, and barges. It is known that the enemy is strengthening his air forces west of Wakde. and it is possible that stronger Japanese air opposition may soon be encountered. The Japanese trapped in British New Guinea continue to withdraw from tlu» Hansa Bay area towards Wewak, where they may be concentrating. Wewak was hit with 183 tons of bombs on Wednesday, when Liberators lett heavy destruction at twq of the airfields in the area. Bivouac and supply areas at Hansa Bay and nearby coastal centres were attacked by Bostons. Thunderbolts, and Airacobras. Soio-mons-baseS bombers were over Babaul on Tuesday, unloading 129 tons of explosives on airfields and supply areas. Liberators were over the Carolines on Monday and destroyed a Japanese floatplane in an attack on Eauripik Island, south-west of Woleai.

A Press Association correspondent, reports that 1,500 tons of bombs have been dropped on Truk in the past 30 days. The same correspondent, -waiting from an advanced Solomons base, says that over 150,000 Japanese are trapped and likely to die' in islands from the Marshalls to New Guinea.

Perhaps even more important to Japan than the estimated loss of five or six divisions is the fact that her submarines must continue to risk the blockade to supply the isolated garrisons with food. Recent Tokio broadcasts hint that the submarines are encountering more and more difficulties. The correspondent estimates that the trapped Japanese are distributed as follows:—Bougainville 20,000, New Britain 50,000, New Ireland 10,000, the Marshalls 10,000, and New Guinea 60,000.