JUNGLE SCOUTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24746, 20 November 1943, Page 6

JUNGLE SCOUTS

NEW ZEALAND UNITS PRAISE BY AMERICANS "EYES AND EARS" OF ARMY (Special Australian Correspondent) (Reed. 11.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 19 American troops lighting in the Solomons have a fervent admiration for the South Pacific scouts, New Zealand and Fijian commandos, who are sooltcn their eyes and ears. Especially trained for jungle fighting and reconnaissance, these men have brought back valuable military information. They have also made swift guerilla sorties at selected points, invariably indicting heavy casualties on the .Japanese at small cost to themselves. "These steady, cool New Zealand officers and men, with their Fijian comrades, have done their job without lanfare and without recognition—except from those who serve," writes a United States Army official correspondent in the Solomons, "in the final stages of the battle for the Munda airfield, New Georgia, scouts were attached to the American 37th Division, whose commander, Major-General Robert Beighler, was so impressed that he commended them in an official letter from his headquarters." "Smelling Out" Japanese The scouts were trained in Fiji and American soldiers credit them with possessing the faculty of being able actually to smell out the Japanese. They arrived in the Solomons in time to participate in the extermination of the Japanese on Guadalcanal'. Here they made sorties against the enemy's rear, infiltrating into his positions at night, destroying guns and equipment and demoralising his forces, thus paving the way for the American drive along the coast. When American troops occupied the Russell Islands, scouts headed the invasion forces, but their first major role came in the New Georgia campaign. Since then they have been prominent in every Allied move in the Solomons. The Commanding Officers The commander of the scouts is Major Charles Tripp, described by tile United States Army correspondent as "a sandyhaired, taciturn, pleasant Scot, who was a Canterbury farmer-rancher before the war put its pressure on that double-island country down under." Second in command is Captain David Williams, "a curly-haired farmerrancher" from Hawke's Bay. Both Ma jor Tripp and Captain Williams have performed many notable exploits of jungle fighting, but the correspondent says he had to find out about their deeds from the men who served under them. The two officers were voluble only in praise of their troops. CENSORSHIP BREACH WOMAN TO PAY £lO FINE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Friday A fine ot £lO was imposed by Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., to-day, on Mrs. Rita Hanley Dobbie, who pleaded guilty to a breach of the censorship and publicity emergency regulations. It was stated that a letter written by defendant was posted in the canal zone, but the contents were photographed by the American authorities and sent to New Zealand. The letter dealt with possible movements of American troops in New Zealand.

I ABSENT FROM WORK ! MAN PLAYED FOOTBALL | The excuse that he played League ! football on Saturdays was offered by a | labourer, John Murray, when he ap- ; peared before Mr. J. Morling, S.M., j yesterday, charged with being absent 1 from his work with R. and W. Hellaby, ; Limited, on a number of Saturday i afternoons. It was stated that Murray ; finally left his job. i Defendant said lie had gone home | to work on a farm, but was willing ito return next Wednesday. He had not worked on Saturdays because he | played football. "That is not funny," said the magistrate. "The country can exist without football, but not without manpower." The case was adjourned until December 17 to allow defendant to return to his work. FIGHT AGAINST FUMES FREEZING CHAMBER FIRE (0.C.) WELLINGTON, Friday All available sets of breathing apparatus were brought into use to fight heavy smoke and fumes in an outbreak of fire in the five-floored ferro-concrete building occupied by Frozen Products, Limited, Tennyson Street. Four pumps, two hose-laying lorries, one salvage van, and a ladder were sent out. The building contains 145.000 cubic feet of freezing space, and 14 cold storage chambers. The lire had started on the third lloor on the top of a freezing chamber, where a quantity of old cork, used for repair work, was stored The cause of the fire is not known. Only two deliveries of hose were needed, but the fumes and smoke made the task of quelling the outbreak a slow one. The old cork on top of the freezer was partially destroyed, but it will not be possible to ascertain if there is any further damage for about a fortnight. The chamber is in process of being frozen down, and it will not be possible until it has been deffosted to see if it has been damaged in any way by the fire. There does not appear to have been any structural damage or damage to the contents or plant. The building is insured with the Southern Union General insurance Company for .£25,500. the contents for £'lo.ooo. and the plant for £15,000. KAITAIA AIRMAN BEAUFIGHTER EXPERIENCES (Special Correspondent) (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Nov, 18 After carrying out 82 sorties in Beaufighter night-fighters during the London blitz and from the Battle of El Alamein onward, Pilot-Officer W. Busby, of Kaitaia, shot down a Heinkel 111 in his most recent operation. This was over Kos. He and his pilot sighted the Heinkel at dawn. They had flown for four and a-half hours from their bast- in Palestine. They finished their patrol over Leros and Sanios and were about to land on Kos to re- ; fuel when they saw three lleiukels ! bombing the aerodrome. They chased one for eight minutes and then shot it down into the sea. The Beaufighter landed on Kos, refueled and returned to Palestine via Cyprus. Two days later Kos fell to the Germans. Pilot-Officer Busby, who speaks fluent Maori, comes from one of the oldest families in North Auckland, and is a descendant of James Busby, the first British Resident. Fie arrived in England during tbe Battle of Britain and finally was posted as radio operator and observer in a Beaufighter. He went to Egypt in February, 1942. and followed the Eighth Army from El Alamein to Tripoli. On one occasion the starboard engine caught fire at 8000 ft. and the pilot made a forced landing in a dried-up lake, where they spent 31 sweltering hours before Arabs found them. SEARCH FOR OFFICER (0.C.) TAUPO, Friday The search in the Waikato River for Captain N. M. Louisson, of Auckland, who lias been missing since November r>. is still unsuccessful. Constable I?. O. Nixon, who conducted the search for the police, has returned to Rotorua, but Mr. Len Baker is still continuing the search and intends to do so for a few more days,