AMERICAN LOSSES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24757, 3 December 1943, Page 4

AMERICAN LOSSES

LANDINGS IN GILBERTS 1092 KILLED, 2680 WOUNDED (Reed. 8.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 A Pacific communique says that preliminary reports of the Gilbert Islands operations indicate that our landing forces suffered the following approximate casualties: — Tarawa.—Killed in action, .1026; wounded, 2557. Makin.—Killed, 65; wounded, 121. Abemama.—Killed, one; wounded, two. UNION JACK ON BETIO BRITISH RULE REINSTATED NEW YORK. Dec. 1 Betio Island, in the Gilbert group, Central* Pacific, is again under British administration after nearly two years of Japanese control. The Japanese occupied the Gilberts soon after they attacked Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941. The main islands of the group, Betio, Tarawa, Makin and Abemama, were recaptured by United States marines last week. The New York Times correspondent with the invasion force says: "The commandant of the United States Marines, Major-General Julian Smith, gave the order for the Union Jack to be flown. The American task force for the Gilberts invasion carried two British representatives, the Resident Commissioner of tho Gilberts, MajorGeneral Fox-Strangways, and the Director of Education in the group, Major F. G. L. Holland. "Although ultimate authority is in the hands of the American garrison, civil administration has been taken over by the British Commissioner, who will have all the latitude in governing the islands consistent with the military situation." SINKING OF CENTAUR JAPANESE DENIAL NEW YORK, Dec. 1 A Japanese Information Board spokesman denied that a Japanese submarine sank the Australian hospital ship Centaur, and announced that the Japanese Government rejected the Australian protest. The spokesman, Sadago Igmichi, is quoted by the Tokyo radio as saying that investigations show that tho charge that the Japanese sank the Centaur is without foundation. This reply was transmitted through a protecting Power. Japan has protested, he said, to Australia, Britain and America against tho illegal and wanton plane and submarine attacks on Japanese hospital ships. No reply had been received to earlier protests. It was announced from Sydney on May 18 that the Australian hospital ship Centaur had been sunk off the coast of Queensland by a Japanese submarine. Only 64 of the ship's complement of 363 were saved. MERE PROPAGANDA (Herd. 7.110 p.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 2 The Minister of the Army, Mr. F. M. Forde, to-day characterised as "subtle" propaganda the official denial by the Tokyo radio that a Japanese submarine sank the Australian hospital ship Centaur on May 5. "The Japanese now realise," lie said, "that public opinion throughout the world condemns them for their cowardly action. This belated disclaimer will fail to convince any citizen of the United Nations that Japan was not responsible for the sinking of the ship and the loss of personnel, including many nurses."