RESISTANCE GROWS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 10 March 1944, Page 5

RESISTANCE GROWS

LATEST ISLAND LANDING ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACKS FIGHTING ON NEW BRITAIN Sydney, March 9. The American marines who landed on Willaumez Peninsula, in New Britain. on Monday are now encountering strong Japanese resistance. Their landing was made against only light opposition, but fresh enemy forces have been moved into position and their counter-attacks aie expected to develop in intensity. This new Allied landing has increased the threat to Rabaul, 170 miles t 0 the north-east. Despite stronger enemy pressure the Marines have consolidated their bridgehead. To the north-west, in the Admiralty Islands, American troops smashed a Japanese attempt to land on the west coast of Los Negros. The enemy force, attempting to come ashore from barges, was completely wiped out. Bodies of several hundred additional Japanese dead have been found and buried. American now using the strategically important Momote airfield. The use of this airfield will bring the western Caroline islands within easy Allied bomber range. Meanwhile the occupied areas of Los Negros are being developed rapidly as a base for further Allied offensive operations. American troops driving north are to-day reported to have captured the Papitalai Mission, despite opposition. T 0 do this they had to cross Papitalai Harbour, their water hop being supported by a heavy naval bombardment of Japanese batteries on covering islands in Seeadler Harbour. In New Guinea, Allied ground forces pushing along the Rai coast have now reached a point 35 miles west of Saidor. Large quantities of Japanese supplies have been captured. AIRSTRIP ON GREEN ISLAND North of New Ireland an airstrip on Green Island is now in use by Allied planes. Green Island, captured by New Zealand and American troops last month, is only 120 miles from Rabaul. Meanwhile the daily aerial pounding of Rabaul continues. Following the customary night harassing raids a strong force of Solomons-based bombers and fighters, in a midday sweep, dropped 55 tons of bombs on Dakunai and Tobera aerodromes. Kavieng, in New Ireland, was also a target for a midday attack, 62 tons of bombs being dropped on the aerodrome and waterfront areas. A pier was set on fire and buildings destroyed.

It has been officially announced that lighters of United States Fifth Air Force yesterday destroyed their 1500th Japanese plane. The Command has lost only 134 lives in its two years of combat and has destroyed more than one-sixth of Japan's estimated first-line aircraft strength at the beginning of the R.N.Z.A.F. WARHAWKS must Raid as fighterbombers (R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service) Bougainville, March 8. R.N.Z.A.F. Warhawks to-day carried out their first raid as fighter-bombers when they flew out from an advanced Solomons base to unload a cargo cf medium bombs on the middle of Rabaul. Taking advantage of low cloud to hide their approach the Warhawks caught the Japanese by surprise spreading explosive bombs among buildings then skimming 'away on their homeward run without a scratch. The war hawk fighters’ change to the role of fighter-bombers has resulted from deterioration in the Japanese air operational position over Rabaul, enabling the bombers to go in with reduced escort. The New Zealand fighter wing went out in strength for the operation, being led by the commanding officer, Wing Commander C. W. K. Nicholls, and the pilots came back from their initiation into art of dive-bombing full of enthusiasm. ‘•The whole show went very well,” said Wing Commander Nicholls. “All our bombs fell among buildings except four, which went into the sea near the docks and may have done some damage. We must have tricked the Japanese by keeping out of sight high above clouds as we came around on the target area. Just over the city there was a clear space with cloud all round. We dived smartly down this gap to let our bombs go and were away before the Japanese could do much about it. There was not much flak about although planes at the rear formation ran into a bit of it as the enemy defences got going. We did not have a chance of observing the full results of our bombs, but we started at least one big fire. I saw a building which looked like a big hotel erupt in a great cloud of brown smoke. On our way in we also let the Japanese have a taste of lead. Altogether the raid was very satisfactory.” Warhawks approached New Britain in normal flight order and as they turned towards the target changed to echelon formation. Some 1600 feet below the pilots could pick out Rabaul through cloud. With the wing commander leading the way the pilots peeled off in pairs, reaching over 400 miles an hour down to 500 feet. After releasing their bombs the fighters broke away from the area, going out between two volcanoes to the north of Rabaul. U.S. SUBMARINE SUCCESSES London, Mar. 9. Washington announces that United States submarines have sunk another 16 Japanese vessels.