FIGHT FOR WAREO

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24759, 6 December 1943, Page 4

FIGHT FOR WAREO

HARD BATTLE AHEAD

JAPANESE STRONGPOINT (Special Australian Correspondent) (Reed. B,'JO p.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 5 Australian forces striking against the Japanese strongpoint of Wareo on Huon Peninsula, New Guinea, face still another hard battle. Sharp fighting in this area is reported in to-day's communique from General Mac Arthur's headquarters. Three A.I.F. columns are converging on Wareo, one being within half a mile of the enemy base. The other two columns have also made gains and in the coastal sector the Australians are reported to be engaging the enemy. The Japanese at Wareo hold a formidable defensive position at the junction of inland trails. This position dominates the surrounding jungle, making attack difficult. The garrison, consisting of troops who retreated from Finschhafen and Satelberg, is still strong. War correspondents on this front expect the Japanese to make a similar stand to that at Satelberg, seven miles to the south, which fell to the Australians only after nine days of hard lighting. Allied aircraft are continually harassing the enemy's supply lines and are strafing trails and bombing supply dumps along the northern coast of Huon Peninsula. Earlier reports have suggested that the Japanese at Wareo are short of supplies. Evidence has been found that pack-carrying mules have been slaughtered for food. Japanese killed on Huon Peninsula since the Australian landing at Einschhafen on October 22 total 1848. This is the actual number ot enemy dead counted. Estimating the wounded in a two to one ratio, which is the accepted ligure in jungle warfare, this puts the Japanese casualties for the campaign at about 50U0. The true figure is probably higher, since the Japanese whenever possible recovers his dead, and no estimate has been made of enemy killed by Allied shellfire and bombs in rear areas.