GAINS ON LEYTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25051, 15 November 1944, Page 5

GAINS ON LEYTE

ENEMY PLANS UPSET

OPPOSITION INCREASING

(Reed. 6.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 Advanced elements of the First Cavalry Division in the Tenth Corps sector on Leyte Island are consolidating the positions they seized on Mount Catabaran and Mount Carbungangan. Their left flank has been extended to include Hill 2926, eight miles south-west of Carigara, says General Mac Arthur's communique. Tlio 24th Division is closing slowly along the Ormoc road against increasingly strong opposition. The Japanese liavo thrown into the line on this front an addition division. The 26th has been identified from the dead. The enemy has now committed five divisions. In the 24th Corps sector elements of the 96th Division have broken organised enemy resistance and are driving tho enemy remnants into the hills west of Dagami. Assembly Areas Penetrated Tho enemy's general preparations for counter-attacks have been dislocated by the current offensive driv#, which has penetrated potential a|»finbly areas, compelling him to premavure piecemeal commitments of forces for the main bastion of the Yamashita line. Our long-range artillery has continued to create havoc along the entire corridor. Our fighters dive-bombed enemy bivouac areas near Valencia, destroying numerous vehicles and causing many casualties by low-level strafing. Enemy air activity continues on a moderate scale, with persistent harassing attacks against shipping and ground installations. Nine enemy planes were shot down. Indications that the Japanese may attempt to break out of the Ormoc pocket across tho mountainous backbone of Leyte Island into the Carigara area were seen here when First Division troops made contact with advance patrols of well-equipped Japanese reinforcements yesterday, says the Associated Press correspondent in Western Leyte. Americans Using Tanks American forces on Leyte are now using tanks in their drive down the toe of the corridor toward Ormoc Bay, writes a Philippines correspondent quoted by the British official wireless. Tanks began to move on Sunday morning on the road south of Pinamopopan. By dusk considerable progress had been made against very stubborn opposition by the Japanese, who are fighting hard for every inch of ground.. Other American forces in the ridge-to-ridge battle east of the Ormoc road advanced three miles from Hill 1525 and took Mount Catabaran. which is of great strategic value because of its

domination of the Ormoc corridor. Increased resistance has been met by the First Cavalry Division in its move south-west of Carigara. One Japanese officer was identified with Japan's seasoned First Infantry. This development presages the second phase of the ground battle for Ley to. Another significant indication is that the Japanese are bombing the Carigara Bay sector. Lucky Change ol Plans Colonel Alfred Kastner, an Army ground forces observer and first officer to return from Leyte, said that a lastminute change of plans advanced the Leyte invasion many days. An Army corps left Honolulu on September 15 headed toward Yap, in the Carolines Group. Next day Admiral Halsey radioed information that the Japanese had suffered heavy fleet and air losses and recommended that Yap be by-passed in favour of Leyte. Colonel Kastner said that the positions prepared by the Japanese were almost worthless. 'There was no doubt that they were caught by surprise. AUSTRALIAN FORCES ROLE IN FUTURE FIGHTING CANBERRA, Nov. 14 The Australian forces would play an important role in the future fighting in the Pacific, said the deputy-Prime Minister, Mr Fordo, last night. In addition to taking care of tho islands where Japanese forces are still established the Australian Army would take part in further fighting in future operations to the north of Australia. For security reasons, Mr Forde said, he was not prepared to state publicly where the Australian Army would fight in future. This was a matter which would be determined by the War Cabinet from time to time after consultation with the Commander-in-Chief. It was estimated that there were 250,000 Japanese who had been by-passed in country south of the Philippines. Of this number it was estimated that 90,000 were in New Guinea and in the perimeter of islands from New Guinea to the Solomons. Mr Forde said the Australian Army would play a very prominent part in the cleaning up and garrisoning of these territories. BELGIAN TRAITORS SHOT LONDON, Nov. 13 The first two traitors sentenced to death by the Brussels Military Court since the liberation were shot today, says Renter's Brussels correspondent. They were Paul Herten, chief editor ol the pro-German Nouveau Journal, and Joseph Hoogevecn, chauffeur. IToogeveen was found guilty of betraying young patriots to Germans and Herten of instigating the betrayal.