SANGUINARY FIGHTING

Evening Star, Issue 25422, 1 March 1945, Page 5

SANGUINARY FIGHTING

BATTLE FORIWOJIMA ENEMY SUFFERING FROM WATER SHORTAGE WASHINGTON, Feb. 27. Lieutenant-general Holland Smith, the marines' commanding general, said lwojima will be taken in a few more days, reports the Associated Press correspondent on board Admiral Turner's flagship at lwojima. General Smith confirmed the report that the enemy was suffering fiom a shortage of drinking water. The American casualties are becoming relatively smaller each day as the men become battle-wise. The Tokio radio said that after a terrific naval bombardment the Americans commenced an tdl-out attack on lwojima yesterday. Sanguinary battles are now raging.

The United Press correspondent on Guam states that the marines have killed or wounded half of the estimated 20,000 Japanese on lwojima. Limited gains by the marines are reported in Admiral Nimitz's communique. It says: "Several smallscale enemy attempts to infiltrate through our lines last night were, repulsed. Our artillery fire broke up the movement of tanks and troops in one sector. A mortar support unit during the night destroyed two enemy ammunition dumps. Gunfire from cruisers and destroy ere offshore continued to harass the enemy.

" The marines launched an attack this morning after three preparations by artillery and naval gunfire and carrier aircraft bombing. By nightfall limited advances had been made by the Third Marine Division in the centre and the Fourth Division on the right. Enemy mortar and artillery fire was heavy throughout the day. Some shells fell in our rear areas and on the beaches. Improved beach conditions continued to facilitate the unloading of supplies. " The extent of the enemy's defence preparation is indicated by a total of 800 pillboxes of various types in the Third Division's zone of action. Liberators bombed an airfield at Chichi.jima, and marine aircraft struck Babelthuap and Yap." " The Japanese on Iwojima are apparently burning their dead in an underground crematorium to conceal their heavy losses," says the ' New York Times ' correspondent, on the island. " A huge funeral pyre was uncovered in one of the chambers of a great underground cavern 50ft under the surface of an airfield, where 200 bodies saturated with petrol were set on fire." ■