PHILIPPINES AREA

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25177, 14 April 1945, Page 8

PHILIPPINES AREA

LANDING ON BOHOL RAPID DRIVE INLAND (Reed. 9,50 p.m.) WASHINGTON. April 12 American troops landed on Bohol, the last of the Visayan islands, Philippines, not yet liberated. General Mac-Arthur's communique says the Americans went ashore near Tagbilaren under cover of naval and air support. They rapidly drove inland in an endeavour to secure control of the whole island before the surprised enemy could rally his strength. Local guerillas are co-operat-ing. Troops on Cebn Island made substantial gains to the north-east against moderate resistance. In South Luzon the 14th Corps swept forward 30 miles from Atimonan to Calauag on the east coast of Bicol, opposite the Bondoc Peninsula, thus closing the trap on enemy forces remaining in the peninsula. At Legaspi. the other prong of the pincers advanced five miles to Camalig. RIDGE ON OKINAWA STILL HELD BY JAPANESE (Reed. 9.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, April 13 The New \ork Herald-Tribune's correspondent on Okinawa reports that, under cover of rocket-firing planes, the Americans again tried to dislodge the Japanese from a high point on Kakazu Ridge. The Americans almost, gained the summit, but the Japanese again laid down terrific artillery and mortar concentrations, forcing the Americans to withdraw to their original positions. Other troops, however, consolidated their grip on the western half of the summit and along the northern slope. FORMOSA RAIDED BRITISH PLANES REPORTED (Reed. 11.10 p.m.) NEW YORK, April 13 The Japanese news agency says a task force' of the British Pacific Fleet, including several aircraft-carriers, appeared off Formosa yesterday and sent 100 planes to raid various districts in the island.