Wakde Was Taken After Brief But Grim Battle

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1944, Page 5

Wakde Was Taken After Brief But Grim Battle

(Special) SYDNEY, This Day The Japanese garrison trapped on Wakde Island, off the coast of Dutch' New Guinea, was wiped out after grim fighting. No prisoners were taken. Enemy troops displayed amazing toughness and resiliency, despite the heaviest preliminary air and naval bombardment yet delivered in the South-west Pacific.

The campaign which captured Wakde was the briefest in the series which have pushed the Japanese steadily west in Dutch New Guinea. American troops landed on the island on Thursday and the annihilation of the enemy was completed shortly before dusk on Friday. General MacArthur's headquarters reports that Japanese casualties were 550 killed. American casualties were 16 killed, 83 wounded and two missing.

Fanatical As Ever

A war correspondent who accompanied the Americans, says that the Japanese on Wakde Island fought as fanatically as in any of the earlier New Guinea campaigns. Elements of the Japanese 36th Division, which participated in the capture of Singapore, garrisoned the island. They were supplemented by members of a sharp* shooter company. Most American casualties were inflicted by enemy snipers.

In contrast with their earlier poor reputation as marksmen, the aim of Japanese sharpshooters was unerring. Many rifles and grenades used by enemy garrison were Australian, and they also used American machineguns. Besides being perhaps the most spectacular of recent operations in the South-west Pacific, Wakde also proved one of the toughest.