PACIFIC WAR

Grey River Argus, 10 May 1945, Page 4

PACIFIC WAR

AUSTRALIAN GAINS On Tarakan Island AMERICAN PROGRESS ON LUZON (Received 10.40 p.m. May 9) WASHINGTON, May 8 “.Our Tarakan forces have enlarged their gains to northward and eastward of the city and have captured the enemy’s hurriedly-evacuat-ed headquarters,” reports General MacArthur’s latest communique. “Strong patrols have cleared enemy forces from the vicinity of the airfield, and are operating in broken country to the northward. Our medium bombers and fighters throughout Tuesday bombed and strafed enemy gun positions and pill boxes, while others hit Ranau and Bintula runways, in western Borneo, and destroyed planes on the Labuan aerodrome. Air -and naval patrols destroyed five small vessels. “On Mindanao, our forces continue to crowd the enemv into difficult hill country, largely cut off from bases of supply. Reduction of enemy pockets continue in both the north and central sectors of Luzon Islands. “Our air assault on Formosa continues. Three hundred tons of explosives fell on air bases, factories, railways, and warehouses, starting fires and explosions. Our reconnaissance planes swept Indo-China railways.” ADVANCE ON OILFIELD.

(Rec. 7.01. LONDON, May 9. A United Press correspondent says: Australians, led by tanks, with air support, to-day pushed within two miles of Bjoeata oilfield, which is three miles north of Tarakan airfield. Australian and Dutch forces tightened pincers on the Paemesian oilfield. Okinawa Campaign U.S. NAVAL AND AIR ATTACKS (Received 9.10 p.m. May 9) WASHINGTON, May 8 Admiral Nimitz’s communique on Tuesday said: Our battleships and cruisers delivered heavy fire in support of the American forces in southern Okinawa on Monday night. Several hundred rounds of illumination shells were fired, which effectively reduced the enemy’s attempts at the infiltration of our lines. Adverse weather limited our operations on Tuesday. There have been no substantial changes in pur lines. Summaries show Marine fighters shot down 209 Japanese -aircraft since they commenced operations from captured fields on Okinawa.. Carrier aircraft on Monday continued to neutralise the Sakishisa Islands. Several planes attacked concentrations of sliiping around Korea, sinking 14,000 tons of shipping and damaging 3,500 tons. Other planes on Tuesday attacked shipping off Honshu, sinking three cargo ships, and a large fishing craft, and damaging nine others. They also shot down a flying boat. Other attacks were made on Truk and Marcus. A New York “Times’s” correspondent reports: Marines found'two uniformed armed women among the Japanese killed in opposing Ameri- , cans in their southward drive on • Okinawa. i , BRITISH SHIP REPAIRS AFFECTED (Rec. 10.10) SYDNEY, May 9 Admiral Fraser, Commander-in-Chief.of the British Pacific Fleet i spoke at the opening of the NavyBranch of the new British centre. He expressed an earnest hope of an early settlement of the dock workers’ dispute on the Sydney waterfront. | There are more than three thous--1 and dock workers on strike, as the ‘ result of the union dispuite. , Admiral Fraser said people should be gravely concerned at the withI drawal of labour from the docks. He doubted whether the immense importance of docking at this stage in the I Pacific was realised. “I have no reI sponsibility in this mater, but I have j the responsibility of ordering my I ships to battle areas, even if they are not in proper repair,” he added. “My officers have nothing but praise for the Australians who have worked, aboard our ships.” In the Federal House of Representatives, the Atcing Minister of Defence, Mr. John Beasley, said steps i are being taken to prevent British shiptpng repairs from being delayed by the Sydney dockyard strike. Mr. Abbott, a Country Party speaker, asked whether it was true that British warships were in action near Ryukyu Islands, south-east of Japan, and' could not be repaired in Sydney because of the strike, and had to be diverted elsewhere. Mr. Beasley replied: -'No warships : requiring repair have had to be diverted from the Sydney docky'ards, but some supply ships have been affected.” SYDNEY 24-HOUR RAILWAY STRIKE (Rec. 11.30) SYDNEY, May 9 Because the Union was refused two days off as compensation for men rostered to work to-day (V-E Day holiday) a twenty-four hour strike was declared by the . Australian Railways Union at midnight last night. More than 1,500 railway workers were involved in the stoppage which will end at midnight tonight. All Sydney suburban . trains were afected, but some trains to country 'centres have been statted bv salaried officers. Many V-E Day revellers were left stranded in the city in the early hours of this morning bv the unexpected strike.