MORE JAP. LOSSES

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 July 1943, Page 5

MORE JAP. LOSSES

CRUISER AND DESTROYERS SUNK BY BOMBERS (N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent) SYDNEY, July 21. The Japanese lost three more warships, a light cruiser and two destroyers, in a desperate new bid early on Tuesday to reinforce their Vila garrison. Vila is the enemy strongoomt on the southern tip of Kolombangara Island, in the central Solomons. Another destroyer was probably sunk, and a fourth destroyer and one transport were damaged. Two transports were included in the convoy, which was attempting to slip through the narrow Blackett Straits, when it was attacked by strong United States bomber forces. The surviving ships of the convo?/ were forced to withdraw without completing their mission. Since the opening of the second Solomons campaign 20 days ago, Japanese shipping losses have been: sunk, three cruisers, 13 des rovers, one sub-marine-chaser. live cargo vessels, and one tanker; probably sunk, five destroyers; damaged, five destroyers, three cargo vessels, mid one tanker. The newest enemy convoy was located north-west of Vella Lavella by Catalinas on night patrol. At dawn Avenger torpedo-bomoers. Liberators, and Mitchells attacked. The operations are.reported in General MacArthur’s communique as follow: — Vella Gulf.—An enemy force of three light cruisers, six destroyers, ana two transports was located by our patrol planes shortly after midnight, attempting to run into Vila with reinforccments and supplies. The two transports, with three of the destroyers, separated and headed tor Vila, with the remainder of the warships acting as protective cover. Stror<g forces of our bombers m all categories attacked both groups during darkness and after dawn, sinking one light cruiser and two destroyers, probably sinning another destroyer, anad damaging” a i.ansport and a fourth destroyer. Two medium and two dive-bombers are missing. The remaining enemy vessels were forced to withdraw without reaching their objective. ASSAULT ON MUNDA. To-day’s communique makes no specific reference to progress by the Allied ground forces assaulting the Japanese airfield base of Munda, on New Georgia. But the enemy’s supply avenues have oeen cut, and it is reported that "a slow but constant deterioration of the enemy’s beleaguered garrison can be expected unless our blockading line can be bioken.” An Australian war correspondent in the Solomons reports that Munda may fall within a week, and that at most it can hardlv hold out more than a fortnight. Bad weather and difficult terrain have prevented an earlier reduction of this important enemy base. There'is no fresh news of Allied attacks on Bairoko, the only other Japanese-held centre on New Georgia. Communication between Munda and Bairoko was cut recently. “As the army of the Japanese on New Georgia is trapped,” writes a correspondent, “at best only isolated detachments can slip ffirough to the eastern hills. ’ Genera 1 MacArthur’s communique to-day gives the following details of operations in the Solomons, other than the Vella Gulf section:—

Bougainville. Buin Faisi: Our heavy bobbers attacked Kahili aerodrome with more than 42 tons of high explosives, starting nrev and explosions. One unit bombed Ballale aerodrome. Enemy night lighters intercepted and one of them was shot down. One of our aircraft is missing.

New Georgia, MtinHa,- —Dive bombers in support ot our ground forces attacked enemy gun positions in the Labeti plantation area, dropping 18 tons ot bombs The tightening investment of Munda has now rendered the supnly or reinforcement of the enemy dangerous and difficult’. NEW GUINEA. (N.Z.P.zV. Special Australian Correspondent) SYDNEY. July 21. Allied troops are steadily closing in on Komiatum, the Japanese New Guinea supply base about five miles inland from Salamaua. General MacArthur’s communique to-day reports air attacks in support of our ground operations. The loss of Komiatum, which is the enemy’s main supply strongpoint on the Salamaua-Mubo trail, would drastically compress the Japanese defence perimeter in the Salamaua. area. Round Bobdubi, just north of Komiatum, enemy resistance has been firm, although some minor gains have been made by Australian troops. Bobdubi protects the rear of the Japanese positions at Komiatum.

Meanwhile, American troops are making progress north along the coast from Nassau Bay. Passage along the narrow, swampy coastal strip is difficult, and' as our forges move towards Tambu Bay enemy resistance, possibly aided by barge reinforcements from Salamaua and rising country, may be expected to stiffen. Mount Tambu, in this area, where recent fighting occurred, is a precipitous forest-covered razorback overlooking the Salamaua isthmus. Tambu’ is a native word meaning devil-infested or forbidden. Supporting the general New Guinea operations, General MacArthur’s bombers have also been active over Salamaua and Madang. Nine Japanese bombers and 30 fighters attacked Benabcna, inland from Madang, destroying native huts, but causing no casualties. WASHINGTON STATEMENTS NAVY’S BIG PLANS WASHINGTON, July 20. “The United States Navy is planning for the war against Japan to last at least until 1949,” said Vice-Admir-al F. J. Horne, at a Press conference in Washington, in which the Secretary of the Navy (Colonel Knox) also took part. “We will not be satisfied with the fall of the Japanese fleet,” added Vice-Admiral Horne. “I expect to see our people in Tokio before this thing is over. Unless we want another war within a generation, we must make this so expensive for them that they will not want another.” Colonel Knox described public optimism over minor military successes as “just silly.” “It has caused a letup in production,” he said, “and already we art feeling the effects of it. It is just criminal, as we have immense armies to equip and get into the field.” The Under-Secretary of the Navy (Mr. James V. Forrestal), who also attended the Press conference, said the projected fleet for the future would give the United States a total naval strength seven times that now afloat. Questioned by reporters how this tied up with the statement that the Navy was planning for the war against Japan to last until 1949, ViceAdmiral Horne replied: “We have planned our ship construction programme through 1947, with repairs and replacements, but with no further expansion to 1949. In the Pacific now, the United States has a bigger fleet than Japan, but we need a fleet twice as big for getting right to grips with the enemy. We also need twice as much air power. We have spread out i over the ocean, while the Japanese are working on interior lines.”

Asked about striking at Japan

through China by way of the Burma road, Vice-Admiral Horne said: “You must first open the road, then get troops and supplies to it, and then transport them to China.” Colonel Knox referred io the submarine warfare in the Pacific as one example*of dangerous over-optimism. “The submarine is not licked,” he said. “If we slow, down shipbuilding it will never be licked. I have not found a single well-informed military man who thinks the war is nearly won. Almost uniformly they say we have made a good beginning, that we have broken down the enemy’s outer defences, but have not started to dig into his main fortresses. The cost of attrition in the Pacific fighting is frightful.” , c The Washington correspondent oi the New York “Herald-Tribune,” commenting on Vice-Admiral Horne’s statement, says: “The number of American ships now afloat is not available, but there were approximately 600 naval combat vessels in the Navy on December 6. 1941. Navy officials assert that the Fleet, is now larger, in spite of war losses. They estimate the goal for 1949 at more than 4,200 combat vessels, which would be incomparably the largest fleet in the world.” JAPANESE STRATEGY U.S.A. EXPERTS PUZZLED NEW YORK, July 20. “The Japanese have so far failed to manifest any major strategic reaction to the American drive in the Central Solomons,” says the “New York Times’s” correspondent in that area. “Apart from replenishing some aircraft losses, the Japanese are fighting the campaign with substantially the forces they had available in this theatre when the battle began.” The correspondent warns that though the Japanese may be resigned to losing Munda, this does not appear to be the case with the islands of Kolombangara, Vella Lavella, Gizo, and Ganonga. . Commenting on the progress of the fighting in the Solomons, the New York “World-Telegram” points out that the Allied forces are still 3200 miles from Tokio. It contends that Allied gains in the Pacific are still being too slowly won. and that Japan is gaining the time she desires to make herself impregnable. Japan’s strategy, particularly her naval strategy, is puzzling war commentators. They agree that she cannot continue to waste her sea power in driblets, but must venture her main battle fleet in a decisive engagement if she wishes to hold her farflung South Pacific empire. For ways that are strange and tricks that are dark, the Japanese High Command is certainly peculiar,-’ writes Major Fielding Eliot, military correspondent of the “New York Hera laTribune,” analysing the Pacific sea struggle. “Ever since our first landing on Guadalcanal last August, the Japanese have been sending in task forces, but not one of these has been strong enough to accomplish its mission, and all have suffered severe losses. Add the Japanese losses together and they amount to a crippling of her air power, the loss ot something like a third of her navy, and heavy subtractions from her merchant fleet and first line ground forces. How long can any navy keep up such a ruinous course of action: Major Eliot says that he emphasises the naval losses because it is becoming increasingly evident that Japanese air power is declining, and that the time is approaching when the Japanese must give up many ol their Pacific island bases or risk a major fleet action in order io ic-es-tab'lish their control of vital sea communications. He frankly admits that he" is puzzled about .the policy followed by the Japanese Admiralty. “The logical thing, he says, would be to have grouped the three latest naval task forces with which the Allies have dealt piecemeal into one major effort. . “It is certain,” concludes Majoi Eliot, “that the Japanese have miscalculated the strength which ti c Allies are able to detach to the I acific without injuriously affecting die campaign against Germany. To.vio is now" facing the prospect of mcreasing' pressure against hei mos ■ vulnerable spot—her sea communications. And every . time Japan wastes her sea power m driblets, recently, it makes our task easiei. “littlFships.” (N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent) (Recd. 9.40 a.m.) k SYDNEY, July 22. More than two hundred light sea craft, drawn from all the haiboui., of the Commonwealth, have played a major nart i’ 1 the war in the nortn of Australia. The. existence of this motley sea force, ranging Hom small motor launches up to vessels of three hundred tons, is now revealed for the first time. These little ships have freighted hundreds ol: thousands 01. tons of essential war supplies along the New Guinea coast, often under the very noses of the Japanese The same force has operated along the Northern Australian coastline. Many vessels have been bombed and staled by Japanese aircraft, but this vital sea link in the Allied supply line has never been broken. “This is the Army s navy,' writes a war correspondent. “All fine vesseis are commanded by A.I.F. personnet. The crews include manv residents, with local and sea experience, fishermen, members of yacht clubs, and natives whose local knowledge is valuable. Some vessels have crews of only three men. Plugging along at a maximum of seven knots—usually much less- —these watei transport groups are carrying ammunition. fuel, food, heavy engines, and trucks, mail, and anything that must be shifted out of or into tignt corners. They have carried convalescent servicemen and even Hiippca concert and cinema parties to outlying stations. They operate a sea ambulance. In four weeks, craft of the force travelled a total 01. 7500 miles, carried 2700 tons of cargo. and in addition lightered 296 tons o. cargo. The craft of water transport command were first to make tae seaward entry of Buna, Gona and feaiiananda Point, after they had been captured by the Allied land toiIf the boats had gone just a soon distance too far up the coast, the would have finished up the. Japanese.” JAPS. BOMB ISLAND. •~RUGBY, July 21. The United States Navy Department states three Japanese bombeis dropped several bombs on I‘una.iUtt, one-of the Ellice Islands five hundred and fifty miles nortn of Fiji. No damage is reported and no m juries were sustained. Two United States light surface units bombarded the Japanese mam camp in the Gertrude Cove area, Kiska. The enemy did not return the fire.