ATTACKS SHATTERED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27450, 25 July 1950, Page 5

ATTACKS SHATTERED

Communists Defeated On Taejon Front ENEMY ADVANCE IN WEST New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 11.50 p.m. TOKIO, July 24. The United Press correspondent states that columns of North Koreans today attacked the American First Cavalry Division troops holding positions on the Taejon-Yongdong road. The Communists failed to bend the American line and were thrown back with heavy losses. It was the Communists* second defeat in two days on the Taejon front. The Americans yesterday shattered a tank-led assault by 6000 North Koreans in a battle that lasted 14 hours. The Communists last night brought up additional infantry and guns. They began to pour heavy artillery and mortar fire into the American defences early today but the Americans held on grimly in the expectation of an infantry attack.

This attack, when it came, was three-pronged. Communist artillery and infantry tried to blast a hole through the centre of the American lines, and shock troops tried to slip around the American left flank. The whole Communist attack ran into a stone wall of defence. The Americans remained firmly in position behind the curtain of deadly defensive fire with aircraft support. The Communists found the resistance in the centre so strong that their attack was broken up before it could gather its full weight. The Communist attack on the right <flank had no better luck and was thrown back decisively. The Communist attackers on the left flank got the biggest surprise of all. They were attempting their favourite infiltrate and encircle tactics of sneaking quietly around the American positions, when they ran into carefully prepared American ambush. The Americans opened up with mortars, machine-guns and rifles, inflicting heavy casualties on the North Koreans. Kwangju Captured < ' A Reuter message says the Communists captured Kwangju, 80 miles south-west of Taejon, said an Eighth Army spokesman. They are continuing to advance slowly in the west and south-west sectors. The thrust placed the Communists 35 miles' from the south coast—their furthest penetration. In the battle area south and east of Taejon, three tanks crossed the river towards the American defence

line, but were destroyed. There was little ground troop action, which was mostly limited to patrols. North Korean armour spearheading down the river valley north-east of Hamchang, took a terrific pummelling from the Twenty-fifth Division artillery. Firing at long range, the division artillery knocked out 8 of 11 tanks in the most successful artillery fight with tanks in the Korean war to date. Australian Mustangs and American machines also pounded enemy forces as they attempted to push further into the wide corridor running sputh-east through Central Korea. To Stronger Positions The Communists ' are building up considerable strength for a new onslaught on the American and South Korean defences, and South troops have been withdrawn to stronger positions in some parts of the line, General .MacArthur announced today. Bad weather and the fluid battle position near the east coast port of Yongdok—now in Communist hands —had hampered naval gunfire support during the ground fighting in the last two days, but the warships’ heavy guns plastered troop concentrations at every opportunity. The Northerners are said to be bringing troops garrisoned in Seoul to the front line. General MacArthur said the invaders are continuing to build up troop strength against the Eusak-SK Line. Considerable strength has been brought into the Taejon area and is moving up along the Taejon-Yongdong line. x -