NEW LANDING

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24850, 23 March 1944, Page 5

NEW LANDING

PACIFIC PROGRESS ST. MATTHIAS AREA SHELLING OF KAVIENG BATTLESHIPS USED (Special Australian Correspondent) (Heed. 8.30 p.m) SYDNEY, March 22 American marines from Solomons bases on Monday morning seized the two islands of Emirau and Elomusao, in the St. Matthias Group, 85 miles north-west of Kavieng, New Ireland. At the same time, powerful Allied naval forces, including battleships, in a terrific battering lasting three and a-half hours, poured about 1000 tons of shells into the Japanese base of Kavieng. Whole sections of the town were razed, ammunition dumps blown up, and shore batteries silenced. Enemy Bases Isolated

Announcing the landing, General Mac Arthur's communique to-day says: "This completes the isolation of all the enemy bases in the Bismarck Archipelago, and places us in bombing range of Truk." Truk is within 600 miles of Emirau.

Little opposition was encountered by the United States invasion forces, who went'ashore under a strong naval and

air cover. The first wave of marines reached the beaches about 8.30 a.m. Opposition was quickly overcome and botli the islands occupied. The Japanese radio station was captured. Emirau, which is the larger of the two islands seized, lias no airfield, but the country is suitable for the construction of a number of airstrips. Elomusao is just south-east of Emirau. Strategic Advantage

The two islands lie astride the Japanese line of communication from Truk to tlie Bismarck area, and are therefore strategically placed to aid in cutting off supplies and reinforcements, or the escape for enemy in the Solomons, New Britain and New Ireland. Emirau is 55 miles closer to Truk than Lorengau, the former Japanese base on Manns Island, Admiralty Group, which has been occupied by other American forces. The shelling of Kavieng was carried out in daylight, but our attacking naval forces suffered no losses. The use for the first time of battleships in the Bismarck Archipelago area indicates the extent of Allied sea and air domination. Some Japanese shore batteries opened fire against our naval forces, but these were quickly silenced by the pulverising fire front the warships. In preliminary bombing attacks, Catalinas and Liberators on Saturday night and Sunday morning extensively damaged the Panapai and Namatanai aerodromes near Kavieng. The island of Emirau was in the news over three years ago. Oil December 31. 1940. the Prime Minister, Mr. Eraser, announced that 496 people, who had been landed on the island from an enemy commerce raider, bad been rescued by an Australian ship. The rescued people were survivors from the Rangitane. Komata, Holmwood. Triaster. Triadic and Triona. all of which were sunk by enemy action. Among the rescued were a number of New Zealanders. Thev had been on the island for only a few days before they were rescued. ARMY COMMANDERS UNITED STATES CHANGES (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, March 21 Allied headquarters in Naples announced that Major-General Alexander Patch, former Army commander on (Juadalcanar, Solomon Islands, has been appointed commander of the United States Seventh Army, formerly commanded by Lieutenant-General George Patton. A Washington message quotes the War Department as saying that General Patton has been given command of •'another army." Officials refused to give further details. The Associated Press says the new assignment is presumably connected with preparations for the second front GUILTY OF TORTURE FOUR MEN SHOT AT ALGIERS (Kccd. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, March 21 A sergeant-major of the French Army and three other men who were condemned to death for torturing prisoners at Iledjerat prison camp, North Africa, were shot this morning, according to an Algiers message. ROOSEVELT INDISPOSED WASHINGTON, March 21 President Roosevelt, who is suffering from a head cold, has cancelled all appointments.