DEFENCE OF BUNA

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 November 1942, Page 5

DEFENCE OF BUNA

JAP. DESTROYERS’ MISSION

ALLIED TROOPS' PROGRESS (N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent)

SYDNEY, November 19. Eight Japanese destroyers operating in two separate groups are manoeuvring off the northern New Guinea coast near Buna. Flying Fortresses have been endeavouring to. engage the enemy warships, but no reports of action have yet been received. The destroyer force is taking advantage of thick weather and poor visibility, which are hindering our air operations. ' There is much speculation about whether the destroyers are intended to evacuate the hard-pressed Japanese land forces at Buna, or whether they are bringing reinforcements for Lieutenant-General Horii’s troops. It is recalled that a similar force of eight enemy destroyers, operating under cover of darkness, evacuated the bulk of the Japanese landing force from Milne Bay in August. The arrival of these Japanese ships was not unexpected, in spite of the temporary obscurity of their purpose. War correspondents, discussing the destruction on Tuesday of 15 enemy aircraft at Lae, say that a concentration of Japanese aeroplanes at Lae has invariably preceded Japanese shipping movements off the north-east Papuan coast.

In the meantime, there has been no further attempt to resuscitate the enemy’s air effort in New Guinea. On Wednesday, Allied aeroplanes attacked aerodromes and installations at Lae and Salamaua. No enemy air opposition is reported, and there has been no renewal of Monday’s Japanese straffing attacks on the Australian and American troops advancing against Buna. Allied air supremacy in New Guinea makes it certain that, visibility permitting, the enemy warships will have to run the gauntlet of heavy bombing to accomplish their unrevealed mission at Buna. It is thought possible that the Japanese reverses in the Solomons may have had the effect of causing them to throw belatedly into New Guinea fighting troops and material which would have gone to the Solomons had the battle'there progressed according to the enemy plan. The Allied pincers movement is steadily closing on Buna, and the American column is reported to have progressed to within a few miles of its objective without opposition. The Australians have advanced to Isivita, 12 miles beyond Awala, and about 22 air miles from Buna. Allied aircraft, besides continuing to support our land operations in the Buna area, have made two raids on New Britain. Airfields at Rabaul and Gasmata were the tax-gets. To the north of Australia, Hudson medium bombers and Beaufighters have maintained the air attacks which have been made on various Japaneseoccupied towns and villages in Timor for some days past. Baucau, on. the north-east coast of Timor, and Moabisse. are the latest targets. JAPANESE TACTICS

Noting the inter-relation between, the actions in New Guinea, and the Solomons, the “New York Times,” in a leading article, says that the Japanese chose to concentrate their available power on the drive against Guadalcanal, apparently hoping to deal later with Papua. Now Japan lacks the immediate naval strength .to reinforce her hard-pressed troops, either on Guadalcanal or at Buna. “The Japanese use a system of fighting differing from ours,” says the *‘New York Times.” “They employ leverage pressure on sensitive points, and also infiltration and quick forward dashes by light forces. We depend more on the direct impact of (superior power. The Japanese advmice against Port Moresby was met by superior power, largely in the air. The Japanese communications were cut to tatters, forcing them into a long and demoralising retreat. Though the Japanese have thrown strong flying forces into the battle for Buna, the United Nations apparently still retain aerial superiority.”