NEW GUINEA WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24748, 23 November 1943, Page 4

NEW GUINEA WAR

JAPANESE SUEPEISED MATILDA TANKS USED (Special Australian Correspondent) SYDNEY, Nov. 22 British Matilda 28-ton tanks w§re the big surprise weapon used by the Australian forces in their drive against the township of Satelberg, the last Japanese stronghold on the Huon Peninsula, New Guinea, which began last Wednesday. Smashing through, the jungle, the Matildas quickly drove the Japanese from their last strongpoi'nts on the vital Coconut Ridge. This ridge, commanding the main track 3000 yards from Satelberg, had seriously hindered the A.I.F. advance. Our troops are now less than a mile from the town. After being landed from barges, the Matildas were concealed in coconut plantations. They were later moved up to the Satelberg track after bridges on the coast had been strengthened. A heavy artillery barrage provided a sound cover to conceal- the noise of the tanks in motion. Again they were hidden, this time in thick bamboo, to await the launching of Wednesday's attack. Way Paved lor Infantry

Australian war correspondents who watched the offensive say the tanks moved out toward Satelberg just before dawn. Then Australian 25-pounders poured shells into the first objective, Coconut Ridge, an area roughly 300 by 150 yards, studded with enemy defences.

American rocket guns, firing selfpropelled fragmentation bombs, which are being used for the first time in New Guinea, joined in with the 25-pounders. Under this barrage the tanks moved forward, and in a few minutes their cannons and machine-guns were blazing away at the first Japanese bunker lying across the trail. Then the Australian infantry took a hand, and shortly afterward our air force went into action.

United States Lightning fighters provided cover for R.A.A.F. Vultee Vengeance dive-bombers and Marauder medium bombers, which pounded the entire area. After this the tanks moved along Coconut Kidge, blasting out stubborn enemy pockets of resistance. They were followed by infantry, who completed the mopping up. Defences Destroyed

The condition of Coconut Ridge after its capture testified to the accuracy and hitting power of the Allied artillery and aerial bombardment. Many strongly-built defences had been destroyed. Fragmentation bombs from the American rocket guns had achieved devastating results.

Again on Thursday and Friday Australian troops enlarged their gains. Satelberg now towers 1200 ft. above them, in spite of the ferocity of the fighting, the Allied casualties are described as "incredibly light." However, hard battling lies ahead before Satelberg falls. The Australian forces first used tanks in New Guinea in the Buna and Sanananda campaigns last January, when they played a decisive role in crushing enemy resistance. The Japanese attempted to use tanks when they landed at Milne Bay, Eastern New Guinea, more than a year ago, but they became bogged down in jungle swamps and had to be abandoned. "In the ground fighting around Satelberg," to-day's communique from General Mac Arthur's headquarters states, "Australian forces are increasing their pressure on the Japanese." JUNGLE DIFFICULTIES TOUGH ENGINEERING JOB (Reed. *3.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 22 Pacific jungle campaigns are described by Major-General Eugene Riebold, chief of the engineers of the United States Army, as the toughest engineering job he has ever seen. General Riebold and the members of his staff are making a tour of the Southwest and South Pacific battle zones. They are at present in New Guinea, where they will visit the forward areas. "1 marvel at what our engineers have done," General Riebold said. "The war here is more than ever an engineer's war. In North Africa, for example, we had fine ports and rail and road links right from Casablanca to Tunis. Here you get your' supplies to a beach and find nothing but jungle." General Riebold held out a prospect of an increased flow of equipment, saying that he hoped the shipping position would improve to allow increased American war production to be transported to the fighting fronts. CHOICE OF CAREERS VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE OFFICERS VISIT SCHOOLS As part of the policy to extend the functions of the vocational guidance centre to all children leaving primary schools, the annual visits to schools in Auckland city are at present being made by the vocational guidance oiiicers. Ihe district officer, Mr. A. A. Kirk, said yesterday that advice was being given to the children on the wisdom of continuing their education by means of a post-primary course, as it was felt that there were few children who could not benefit by some sort of secondary education. Recent experience had shown that from 60 to 70 per cent of manpower problems concerned those who had had no secondary education, Mr. Kirk continued. Vocational guidance officers emphasised the importance of children obtaining all possible advice concerning occupations before entering them. Regulations now prevented young people from changing their jobs in search of the most suitable one, and the policy of the vocational guidance centre was to introduce children to their work and make them feel certain that the particular work appealed to them. The educational programme being carried out, it was hoped, would result in a considerable reduction of manpower difficulties next year. Mr. Kirk emphasised the importance I of children seeking the advice of the careers teacher or the principal of the school as to the correct time to commence work. This week, he added, it was expected that the brochure for the guidance of children leaving the primary schools would be ready. It was hoped that pupils and parents would study it carefully and make full use of I the advice given.

CHINESE IN COURT Charged with being found in possession of prepared opium, two Chinese, Chen Sung Yuan, a seaman, aged 28, and See Ah Kan, a labourer, aged appeared before Mr. F. Ei. Levied, S.M., yesterday, and were remanded until to-morrow. Both men were arrested on Sunday night by Detective W. Ma hood. Bail was fixed in each case at £2OO.

A LUCKY MISTAKE One of the few people who shared in the large dividend returned by a horse at the Waikato Racing Club's meeting at Te Kapa on Saturday was a Maori woman from Otorohanga who owed her good fortune to a mistake. Purchasing both win and place tickets shortly before the totalisator closed, she stated the number of her choice, but was given instead tickets on the winning horse. Her request to have the error corrected was refused. Another supporter of the winner was a soldier on furlough from the Middle East, who, when asked what had prompted him to fancy the horse, replied that it was a good horse when he left New Zealand three ago.