Japs Obeying Orders On Bougainville

Northern Advocate, 22 August 1945, Page 3

Japs Obeying Orders On Bougainville

(Rec. i p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Japanese troops are obeying the surrender orders given them by the Australian commander on Bougainville (Lieutenant-General Savige).

Large bodies of Japanese have been observed moving back to pre-arranged assembly points behind their lines. The surrender orders were sent to the Japanese commander (LieutenantGeneral Kanda) through his envoy (Captain Takanaka). H.M.A.S. Lithgow, which picked up Takanaka and later returned him to the Japanese position, has now left to bring Kanda to Australian headquarters at Torolpna. New Zealand Air Force headquarters on Bougainville has received word from pilots at Jacquinot Bay (New Britain) that thousands of Japanese there are preparing for early surrender.

Rabaul Activity

That the Japanese in New Britain and New Ireland are beginning to celebrate peace can reasonably be assumed from reports of R.N.Z.A.F. reconnaissance aircraft from Jacquinot Bay, says the official R.N.Z.A.F. correspondent on Bougainville. The town of Rabaul, over which New Zealand and American fliers fought the fiercest air battles for nearly two years, has become a hive of activity. The main street was crowded with vehicles and Japanese waved to aircraft overhead. Many Japanese were swimming unconcernedly. Simpson Harbour, at the top of which Rabaul stands, contained many barges. There were many more at Heravat and Tawui Point,

Other evidence that the Japanese have definitely decided to end resistance were many large and small fires in Japanese-occupied • New Britain, camouflage removed from some gunpi is and many troops and vehicles on the roads. No hostile action was apparent anywhere, there was no sign of alarm on the approach of aircraft, and no one 'took cover.

White Square Two R.N.Z.A.F. Venturas from Jacquinot Bay, escorted by four Corsairs. dropped surrender leaflets on Gazelle Peninsula, New Britain, which is occupied by the Japanese. In New Ireland a Ventura patrol reported a prominent white square cm the edge of the Borpop Airstrip, but it was later removed. A white object was also seen at Namatanai, on the east coast oi New Ireland. Laden trucks were seen travelling toward Kavieng and empty vehicles returning south with no effort at concealment.

It is estimated that there are 55,000 Japanese in New Britain and 9500 in New Ireland.