JAPS SURPRISED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 3 July 1943, Page 5

JAPS SURPRISED

ASSAULT ON NEW GEORGIA BRILLIANT AND DARING OPERATION SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT’S STORY London, July 2. “The all-out American assault on the Japanese stronghold of New Georgia was brilliantly conceived and daringly executed, and caught the Japanese by surprise,” says the special correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph,” aboard the flagship of the United States destroyer division off Rendova. “It was dawn when the landing began, and it was late afternoon before the Japanese struck. By then we were on our way back to the base, having landed all men and supplies. “It was conceded that the blow must take the Japanese by surprise if it was to succeed completely, and it did. The plan did not go into effect until late on Tuesday afternoon, and orders compiled in painstaking detail over many months were distributed. The embarkation beach then became the scene of feverish activity. All day the beach was black with men and trucks, and the channel in which the ships lay was crowded with small landing-craft. It was raining and the night was pitchblack as a destroyer well ahead of the convoy landed troops on the tiny island of Baune Kokirana guarding the 100 yards-wide entrance to the equally small Rendova harbour. ENEMY BATTERIES SILENCED “Our purpose was to knock out Japanese patrols, enabling the main landing to proceed immediately the transports arrived. Dawn was breaking as the transports swung at their anchorages outside the harbour entrance. The Japanese soon opened fire and salvo after salvo from our destroyers crashed on to the shore. Meantime dozens of small landing boats were running between the ships and the shore through the narrow channel. Destroyers were under fire three times from Japanese batteries, but all were silenced. A few planes came over, but were destroyed by our fighter screen before they were able to attack. The job was completed by 3.15 p.m. Every arm and piece of equipment was on the beach by then. “Twenty-five torpedo planes flying low were reported. Our ships opened up with anti-aircraft fire and two Japanese planes were destroyed within seconds. Most of the planes shied off from the destroyers and headed for the empty transports, while the destroyers spewed flames from their turret guns and thousands of tracer bullets from automatic weapons. The air attack lasted perhaps 12 minutes, in which 12 Japanese planes were brought down. PLANES BEATEN OFF The convoy steamed on into a slowly gathering rainstorm as our fighter screen pursued other Japanese planes. But for the ships the day was over. There were plenty of enemy planes trying to get in but they were beaten off by our fighters. Black night fell as we steamed back to our base.”—P.A. AIMED AfRABAUL WIDE PINCER MOVEMENT ALLIED FORCES UNDER SINGLE COMMAND Sydney, July 2. The five Allied landings in the Solomons and New Guinea operations zones are part of a wide pincer movement aimed at Rabaul, the key Japanese base in the southern Pacific according to war observers. It is felt that if the Allied pincers succeed in closing on Rabaul the Japanese defenders in a large section of the southern Pacific may collapse. The Japanese would then be forced back to their main Pacific naval base at Truk, 830 miles to the north. Truk itself would eventually be endangered together with the enemy’s supply lines from Japan through the China Sea to the conquered territories of the South-West Pacific.

Many commentators believe the Allied advance may force the Japanese to a momentous, even decisive, naval engagement since the development of the Allied moves would imperil the whole of the enemy’s Pacific defensive arc.

The “Sydney Morning Herald” says editorially that General MacArthur’s communique reporting a general offensive movement was the most significant he has issued since he established his headquarters in Australia. It revealed definite transition in the southern Pacific from the “holding” phase to offensive warfare. It also disclosed that the entire Allied forces in this theatre are under a single command. “This is striking welcome news,” comments the “Sydney Morning Herald.” “It is obvious that the system of divided commands would have to be modified when the time came for a converging attack against Rabaul. The entire operations disclose a dramatic reversal of strength. Mastery of the air more than any other factor made the Allied strokes possible and will continue to play a great part in the struggles to which these operations are a prelude. The main battles have still to be joined. The Japanese will fight violently to protect the approaches to Rabaul. It is on their air supremacy that the Allies must rely to blast their pathways to Rabaul. Every island-hop-ping advance now brings our fighter and bomber bases nearer to this pivot of Japan’s Southern Pacific defences.” —P.A. Special Australian Correspondent MR JONES IN WASHINGTON N.Z. PART IN DRIVE GROUND FORCES READY Washington, July 2. “I believe Allied tactics in the Pacific are to compel the Japanese to fight, and thus gradually weaken them until we are able to bring overwhelming forces* from Europe,” said the New Zealand Minister of Defence, Mr F. Jones, in an interview after conferring with President Roosevelt and Army and Navy leaders. He added: “The Japanese at present are on the defensive as seen from the fact that they have not started any offensive for a long time. The Japanese have suffered many defeats, lost many men and much material, but they could easily turn to the offensive if allowed time to recover their strength. Therefore it would be foolish to give them any respite.”

Mr Jones said New Zealand airmen were participating in the present Pacific drive, while New Zealand ground forces were ready for action in that area when required. Special commando units of Fijian natives, highly trained as jungle fighters under New Zealand officers, were part of the shocktroops ready to join in the fighting.— P.A.