SOUTH BOUGAINVILLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25851, 23 May 1945, Page 9

SOUTH BOUGAINVILLE

AN ATTACK BY ANZACS ROAD CAPTURED FROM ENEMY (R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service) BOUGAINVILLE, (Rec. 7 p.m.) May 21. What is stated to be the greatest concentration of Australian 25-pounder fire since El Alamein opened an Anzac attack in South Bougainville yesterday, which resulted in another milelong road being wrested from the Japanese. The barrage of shell and mortar fire lasted until 44 New Zealand Corsairs took over to deliver 2Q tons of 10001 b bombs on the site the Australians were fo occupy. The Australians ’ have now crossed the Hongorai River in three places and dug-in on the northern bank of the Porori River, a tributary of the Hongorai. During an air attack four Corsairs were diverted to hit two Japanese guns which had been worrying troops for days. The New Zealanders answered the call and dropped “ eggs ” within 10 yards to silence the guns and leave the position charred and smoking. While the Australians were exchanging fire with the Japanese 200 yards across the Porori River, a jungle knoll known as Egan's Ridge, which was by-passed yesterday, became the mostblasted spot on the island. For days the New Zealanders have been divebombing the unhappy but determined Japanese garrison, flattening the jungle and turning thickly-matted vegetation into smoking rubble. Shells and mortars were also rained on the knoll until the stench of the Japanese dead fouled the air for hundreds of yards around.

This, position was attacked again today after an early morning pounding by the R.N.Z.A.F. After an hour’s bombing an Australian company moved m and took the knoll. Wellarmed Japanese naval troops moving up from the south towards the battle zone in support of their hard-pressed army units have also been targets for New Zealand air attacks. The R.N.Z.A.F. flew more than 100 sorties yesterday from the Piva strip, and pressure was maintained to-day. In North Bougainville, Ratsoa 'Peninsula has now been completely sealed off bv the Australians, who also had constant New Zealand air support. The barrier which traps the Japanese naval personnel on the peninsula runs from Ratsoa jetty, on the west coast, to Ruri Bay, on the east coast.