A.I.F. CAMPAIGN

Grey River Argus, 16 March 1945, Page 5

A.I.F. CAMPAIGN

IN THREE ISLANDS Going Very Well (Rec. 11.50) SYDNEY, March 15. Australian troops have made a new landing on the north-west coast of .Bougainville. An Australian Army statement says: “The landing was made on Monday. Our troops moved in on barges,’ and they drove inland under fire. All attacks of the Japanese were beaten off, and patrols now are moving south along the coast,, as well as inland. “Resistance to our simultaneous coastal and inland drives in the Aitape sector is proving costly, to the Japanese. “Artilley, mortars and R.A.A.F. bombers are softening up Japanese positions prior to a final assault on Waitaavalo plantation, which guards the southern approaches to Gazelle Peninsula, on New Britain.” On Bougainville AUSTRALIAN ADVANCE STRONGLY OPPOSED (Rec. 6.30) SYDNEY, March 15 Australian troops who have been driving south on Bougainville Island, have been halted just across the Puriata River by a strong Japanese protective screen, while on the way to the Hongorai River, several miles further south. The Australians have had a gruelling drive through jungle and swamp from Toko on the coast. To push inland about four miles to Barara took twenty days. Every water crossing has been fiercely resisted by the enenemy. By outflanking moves, the Australians killed some Japanese and forced the rest back. The breaching of the Puriata River is to blow up the Japanese, who now have no natural defences before the Hongorai River. The Australians are astride the main track to Hiruhiru. which is probably in the centre of the Japanese defence system .north of Hongorai River. After wading waist deep across the Puriata, Australians advanced through jungle on either side of the track until they came under a heavy fire. With a mortar screen, Australians attacked and over-ran Japanese positions. Enemy forces fled, leaving machine-guns and other weapons behind. Australian Artillery is now shelling their positions at an elbow of the river two hundred yards away. Patrols have found the enemy in great strength an the way back to the Hangoral. On to Tokio 1 AUSTRALIANS KEEN TO GO (Rec 11.50) SYDNEY, March 15. General Blarney told American war correspondents at Manila that Australian troops were very keen to go on to Tokio. Australia, even now, he said, had more divisions in operation against the Japanese than at any time during war. The Australians’ contribution' now, he added, proportionately, in the number of their divisions,»was as great as that of any Allied nation. The strength of the country’s armed forces had been adjusted from tinje to time, according to the demands of the war effort. . .

Asked if he contemplated using Australian troops north of the Equator, General Blarney said: “The control of all of the operations is centred in the combined Chiefs of Staff/ and all of the broad strategic plans go through them. I could not tell you what the next phases are going to be.” The Australians, he said, were under the South-west Pacific Command and were available as General MacArthur required them. General Blarney said that a heavy tofl was being taken of the Japanese in New Guinea, New Britain and the Solomons, where the bulk of the Australian active forces were at present engaged. The fighting in those areas would continue until the enemy had been destroyed. “These operations cover a pretty big area,” he said. “It is net a warfare of heavy attacks on set defences by large forces, but one of steady penetration and the destruction of the Japanese wherever they are met. The Japanese have tremendous supply depots, particularly at Rabaul, and so far the Australians have seen no shortage in their equipment.”