PINCERS ON MUNDA

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 July 1943, Page 5

PINCERS ON MUNDA

FURTHER U.S.A. PROGRESS JAP. LOSSES HEAVY (N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent) SYDNEY, July 14. The American pincer movement against Munda, the Japanese airfield base on New Georgia Island, is closing The southern arm of the pincers, hinged on the base at Zanana beach, has penetrated two enemy strongpoints and reached Munda s outer defence perimeter. The northern arm is also making progress, after having destroyed the enemy garrison at Enogai Inlet. General MacArthur s communique to-day reports the following activities in the Solomons area:— Bougainville Island (Buin-Faisi):— Our heavy units bombed Ballale aerodrome after dark, dropping *4 tons of high explosive and numerous fragmentation clusters. Five fires were started. Rendova Island' —Late dispatches indicate that four additional enemy fighters and another medium bomber were shot down by fighter action on July 11. Enemy aircraft dropped nine bombs on our positions after dark without causing damage or casualties. New Georgia Island:—The advance of our ground forces against Munda is continuing, in spite of a stiffening of enemy resistance. Our torpedo and dive-bombers in direct support attacked anti-aircraft positions and bivouac areas with 32 tons of heavy explosives. Large fires resulted. Shortly after dawn our fighters intercepted 18 enemy dive-bombeis and 10 Zeros over Langedale Point, forcing the bombers to jettison their bombs, and shooting down lour Zeros for the loss of one ’plane. In the battle for Enogai- Inlet our forces captured equipment, including heavy aitillery and machine-guns. Enemy casualties included 150 known dead and many wounded. ' Kolombangara Island.—At Vila oui heavy units bombed the aerodrome after dark with unobserved results. Vangunu Island: —Our surface ciatt and shore parties on the north-east coast destroyed three enemy barges containing 150 troops. Kula Gulf:—Later dispatches confirm the results of the successful action reported yesterday. The enemy task force was attempting to reinforce or supply his beleagured garrison at Munda, but was intercepted by our surface forces and forced to retire to the north with the heavy losses previously reported. While the Allied land forces converge on their objective, our air forces are battering enemy positions incessantly. Japanese attempts to stem this aerial bombardment ai e proving costly. However, reports indicate no diminution of the enemy fighter strength available for the defence of Munda, although the Japanese failure to make more extensive use of bombers may indicate a shortage of these aircraft. A Dome! News Agency report says that terrific air battles are raging in the Solomons, and adds that these ate the prelude to a great naval engagement for which both the Japanese and American fleets are now preparin? ‘lt the Japanese are going to use the ‘slot’ to try to save New Georgia we may look forward to another rich harvest of scrap metal,” writes an Australian war correspondent in the Solomons. “The ‘slot,’ which is a graveyard for many Japanese ships, is the narrow stretch of water running between the Solomon Islands from San Cristobal to Bougainville. It was the route followed by the lokio Express,’ sneaking reinforcements into Guadalcanal by night. Here American motor torpedo-boats and destroyers gained their best bags. The continuation of enemy ship movements through the ‘slot must assist the Allies considerably in their purpose of whittling down Japanese strength.” JAP. NAVAL LOSSES (Rec. 1 Ij^y^ si . IIN qtON, July 14. The Japanese naval force which was defeated m the second Kuala Gull battle consisted of ten light cruisers and destrovers. This has been revealed by a “Headquarters source,” says the United Press correspondent. The Allied Forces suffered only slight damage, while the .Japanese have nqu lost 12 and possibly 14 warships, within a week. “The action took place m circumstances similar to the first Kuala Gull battle,” adds the correspondent, with the Allies derailing another section ot the Tokio express.” AERIAL OFFENSIVES (N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent) "SYDNEY, July 14. The Allied air offensive in New Guinea is losing none of its force. Seventy-one tons of bombs were dropped by strong forces of our heavy bombers which subjected lb's Lac and Salamaua sectors to another terrific pounding yesterday. One Allied plane made a forced landing m the sea, but the crew are believed to have been saved. The Japanese Air Force made two strikes in New Guinea yesteiday. Benabena, inland from Madang, was twice raided, once by 10 bombers with 15 fighters, and the second time by seven bombers. General MacArthur’s communique reports no damage. Three enemy float-planes made an ineffective attack on Wau.

DR. EVATT’S ESTIMATE

WASHINGTON, July 14

“If our war strategy works out as is hoped, Japan may outlast Hitler only by a very short space of time, said Dr. Evatt, Australian Minister of External Affairs, after conferring with Mr Roosevelt. Discussing his visits to Washington and London, Dr. Evatt said his main object had been fully accomplished. Ths additional air strength being provided for Australia was consistent with the announcement by Mr Roosevelt and Mr Churchill following their Washington conference, that unremitting pressure would be exerted against Japan in the Pacific. “Undoubtedly the Allied time-table contemplates Hitler’s defeat before that of Japan,” added Dr. Evatt. “But by simultaneous aggressive action against Japan, the enemy will be deprived of a breathing space and of time to consolidate. In winning tnis war there is' something more important even than the close co-opera-tion existing between the Allied service chiefs. It is the comradeship of Mr Roosevelt and Mr Churchill, which is proving to be one of the main foundations of victory.”

CAPTIVES OF JAPAN

RUGBY, July 13

The Secretary of State for War (Sir James Grigg) tbld the House of Commons that 31,800 names of officers and other ranks of the Navy, Army, and Air Force had been notified as prisoners in Japanese hands. He added that more than 24,000 were still recorded as missing, a large majority of whom were thought to be prisoners. The number of civilians in Japanese hands was not known, but it was believed to be about 40,000. All efforts to secure Japanese agreement to the regular transport of relief supplies for the Far East had hitherto been unsuccessful,, and it

had only been possible to send such supplies on Japanese ships returning to Japan with exchanged Japanese prisoners. Definite inforrnation nad. been received that supplies shipped had reached prisoners and internees in Japan, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. Efforts to arrange the dispatch of relief supplies were still being pursued.

JAP. FACTORIES.

WASHINGTON. July 14.

A Tokio official radio says that General Suzuki, President of the Cabinet Planning Board, has announced the Japanese Government is no longer concentrating on war production in large plants, but is encouraging small factories, if they are readily convertible to war production. He claimed that Japan’s production had attained unparalleled levels during the past nine months, but a further sharp inl crease was needed, particularly in ship and aircraft constructions.