PACIFIC OPERATIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 December 1943, Page 5

PACIFIC OPERATIONS

ADVANCE IN NEW GUINEA

SOWI RIVER CROSSED (N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent)

SYDNEY, December J 4. Supported by Matilda tanks, .Australian troops are advancing rapidly up the coast of Huon Peninsula, New Guinea, against stiff Japanese opposition. They have crossed the Sowi River and are now nearing the important enemy barge base of Lakona. This represents an advance of about five miles from Bonga, which fell to the Australians on November 28. After crossing the Sowi River, the Allied forces encountered stubborn enemy resistance. They compelled the Japanese to withdraw and some enemy equipment was captured. , More patrol clashes have been reported in the Ramu Valley, where another Australian force is thrusting against the Japanese positions in the foothills of the Finisterre Range, at the northern end of the valley. The tempo of the air war in this sector has quickened during the last 48 hours. When nine Japanese bombers, escorted by 15 Zeros, attempted to attack Australian positions at Gusap (about 60 miles south of the big Japanese coastal base of Madang) they were intercepted by Allied fighter patrols. Two bombers and one fighter were shot down, and a second fighter was probably destroyed. General MacArthur’s communique to-day also reports widespread Allied air attacks, ranging from the Arafura Sea to the Solomons. Nearly 100 of Admiral Halsey’s aircraft dropped 54 tons of bombs on the Japanese base of Jakohina, in the Buin area, Bougainville. Nine buildings were destroyed when Kittyhawks bombed and strafed the Arigua mission, near K Bomb-carrying Kittyhawks also attacked Japanese bases m Western New Britain. They concentrated mainly on the aerodrome at Gasmata, where, in spite of heavy anti-aircraft fire thev accomplished their mission without loss. No enemy fighter opposition was met. Many 5001 b bombs smashed runways and dispersal points.

AIRFIELDS NOT REBUILT

WASHINGTON, Deecmber 14. When the Solomons Air Force resumed its offensive against the Japanese supply areas on Bougainville last Saturday, with 175 sorties, it.discovered that the enemy had failed to rebuild any of the airfields which heavy raids had kept inoperative since last October. This is reported bv a United Press correspondent at Admiral Halsey’s Headquarters. He says that officials refused to speculate on the reason, but that observers believed the threat of new American blows, plus the depleted Japanse an power, had caused the enemy to hold his aircraft in reserve. A spokesman announced that a destroyer had bombarded the Jaba River mouth, south-east of the Allied positions at Empress Augusta Bay where the Japanese had moved in supplies under cover of the recen bad weather.

MEAT AND VEGETABLES

SYDNEY, Dec. 14. The Allied troops in New Guinea will receive fresh meat four times a week This'will be supplied mainly from the Australian Army s own meat works in North Queensland. /i\/rr The Minister of, the Army (Mi. Forde) has announced that in the past three months Australian Army vegetable gardens in tke K nor^-^ n a^ e ol ?nd s duced one and a-half million pounds of vegetables, while Army poultry farms have produced 1400 dozen eggs. Army vegetable gardens m New Guinea have provided the troops with 450 tons of vegetables this yeai.

OFFENSIVE AGAINST JAPAN

COL. KNOX’S STATEMENT

RUGBY, Dec. 14

“The Pacific preliminaries are now over and we are getting ready to deliver powerful offensive blows against the Japanese, said Colonel ox, secretary of the Navy, accoidmg to a Washington message. He added. We are going to drive home some haid blows. The operations of our combined sea, air and land forces in al areas of the Pacific are going forward X satisfactorily. We now have equipment and trained men to do the complete job. The whole become apparent as these things de vllop It is perfectly obvious now that what seemed to be only nibbling was carried on with decimating progressively the enemy s air and surface strength. The enemy contributed to that by sendmg out small task forces, which weie legularly overwhelmed. This enabled us to nip off very important elements ot the Japanese fleet piecemeal. Col. Knox said that the United States' air superiority in the Pacific continued unchallenged, . and “Air losses run between six and eight to one in favour of the , Un , lied H ®-? i t Air forces, due to the steady attrition of Japanese pilots.” He derided the Japanese claims of losses inflicted on the United States sea forces.

RAID ON MARSHALLS

WASHINGTON, December 14. A new attack by Army bombers on Imeiji Island, in the south of tne Marshalls group, is re P°^' ted , Navy communique. The laideis dropped 50 tons of bombs on s h °ie installations and a cargo-transpoi t n the lagoon. Flak caused negligible damage to the bombeis.

JAPANESE ANXIETY

NEW YORK, December 14. “Allied resources are limitless, and it cannot be said that the Japanese Navy has the situation under complete control,” said the Tokio officia radio, reviewing war developments. “The enemy has gradually advanced his base to Bougainville and the Oifberts and is now, step by step, closing on our strategic points, said the radio. “To ensure that the third yeai of the war brings victory, the hundred million Japanese must exert the most desperate efforts to stop the “In spite of the American defeats, the Allies are continuing their advance most persistently The war situation manifests a grave aspect for Japan. The Japanese all-out march to certain victory is being continued, but the British and Americans together are a great enemy. Indeed, at one time they were the greatest nations that ever existed on this earth. They are now carrying out frantic counter-offensives from various directions and the fighting is turning into a great battle, showing the most serious aspects of the war.”